VOIP for small office

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CADMAX

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Topic # 89558 5-Sep-2011 13:30

Hi all looking to get on the VOIP train and been reading a bit about it all.
i had VOIP some years ago before it became "cool".

what i want to know is down time: who to go with for a small office (3 people), who will get on the game when things stop working?

I'm also looking to resell it as we supply a lot of services to clients that are looking to VOIP.

so who is good, who do i stay away from?

In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

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Reply # 516815 5-Sep-2011 13:47

There seem to be numerous reports of problems and poor service by 2Talk, so maybe stay away from them. Xnet VFX are often recommended.

http://www.xnet.co.nz/voice/vfx/

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CADMAX

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Reply # 516838 5-Sep-2011 14:07

timmmay: There seem to be numerous reports of problems and poor service by 2Talk, so maybe stay away from them. Xnet VFX are often recommended.

http://www.xnet.co.nz/voice/vfx/

thanks :) that was the gut feeling....

In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

jjnz1

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Reply # 516855 5-Sep-2011 14:22

I too have read all about 2talk recently but have to disagree.

I have 5 lines with them, and soon to been a few more, and have had no issues as of late.

With 2Talk, I have noticed the equipment that you use (ie voip ATA etc) needs to be of high quality otherwise issues do arise.

First, I used an unlocked WXC Linksys PAP2T dual line VOIP ATA, which was not bad. I had a few hicupps every now and then with things such as a slight delay before the start of the ringing tone after I dialed the number.
But quality was above average, and most guests didn't know it was a voip line. I would give it a 8/10.

Now I have the PAP2T connected over a Telecom XT Mobile data connection to 2Talk, and it works just as well. There is now a slight delay due to the mobile broadband ping times, but it is not noticeable if I didn't tell you it was there.

At home I then used a Vodafone HG556a, -an all in one adsl2+ modem with 2x voip lines, and wifi. This device was a pain in the arse for voip with 2Talk. I give this unit 4/10
Call quality was averagely ok, but there were delays in the start of the: dial tone, ringing tone, and busy tone... It was like the CPU on this thing could not handle the load and was just slowing down. I would have to restart it at least once a month also which is not good as it would lose connection to 2Talk.
I think one of its problems came down to something to do with the VOIP port number. The modem stopped/blocked the current voip port (5060) after a while, and would only work when I changed it to another number (5061 etc).

Now, the device I use is the Cisco SRW527, ADSL2+, WIFI, USB, 2X VOIP LINES. I have not needed to restart this unit since I installed it a few months ago and it has worked flawlessly every since. Quality is awesome, dial and ringing tones are immediate, and even when maxing my line out downloading something, still works well. I give this unit 11/10 and now recommend this to all my customers.

So back to VOIP providers:

Stay away from Orcon, to many teething issues ATM
Vodafone are too expensive because their VOIP service is only for businesses
WXC, I have used them in the past, weren't that good for me then so I changed to 2Talk, but apparently they are heaps better now.
2Talk - would definitely recommend them, their prices are one of the best in NZ too. 2cents local, 3cents national and international, 19cents mobile, and also great 'minutes' packages like 100 mobile minutes for $10.

[EDIT] BTW, I believe 2Talk is a multinational company servicing many different countries. Not just another local reseller.

Zeon

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Reply # 516868 5-Sep-2011 14:30

If your looking at providing a hosted PBX service my suggestion would be to look at become a World Exchange reseller and maybe doing something like setting up a dedicated server you cant hen virtualize to give each client their own hosted PBX with something like Trixbox etc. It's pretty light system wise so you wouldn't need anything too grunty/expensive and means you can provide a managed service yourself e.g. changing call groups, forwarding, welcome messages etc. rather than relying on World Exchange. At the client sites just use something like those Yealink phones plugged straight into the net and put in a QoS router if needed.

nate

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Reply # 516916 5-Sep-2011 15:34

jjnz1: [EDIT] BTW, I believe 2Talk is a multinational company servicing many different countries. Not just another local reseller.

Not multi-national, based here but can provide international numbers. Main local link for calls is through CallPlus.

theEd

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Reply # 517001 5-Sep-2011 17:19

nate:
jjnz1: [EDIT] BTW, I believe 2Talk is a multinational company servicing many different countries. Not just another local reseller.

Not multi-national, based here but can provide international numbers. Main local link for calls is through CallPlus.

Owned by CallPlus, in fact.

jjnz1

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Reply # 517023 5-Sep-2011 17:52

theEd:
nate:
jjnz1: [EDIT] BTW, I believe 2Talk is a multinational company servicing many different countries. Not just another local reseller.

Not multi-national, based here but can provide international numbers. Main local link for calls is through CallPlus.

Owned by CallPlus, in fact.

what about 2talk.com? same website, but located in the state of California.

nate

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Reply # 517045 5-Sep-2011 18:25

theEd: Owned by CallPlus, in fact.

Not according to the Companies Office.

They do share one common director, Malcolm Dick, who did start CallPlus with (now) ex wife Annette.

jjnz1: what about 2talk.com? same website, but located in the state of California.

Yes that's them as well.

theEd

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Reply # 517120 5-Sep-2011 20:42

nate:
theEd: Owned by CallPlus, in fact.

Not according to the Companies Office.

They do share one common director, Malcolm Dick, who did start CallPlus with (now) ex wife Annette.

Two common directors (Dick and Goodall), and 25% also owned by Annette Presley's company Presley.co.
2talk domains are registered to "Adrian Dick, 2talk Limited" (Adrian is the CTO of CallPlus)
2talk's PO Box (108109, Symonds St) is the same as CallPlus' PO Box
Physical Address in their T&Cs is the CallPlus' HQ (Level 4, 110 Symonds St)

So it's one of those situations where technically they aren't part of CallPlus, but in reality they are.

cisconz

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Reply # 517162 5-Sep-2011 21:28

theEd:
Two common directors (Dick and Goodall), and 25% also owned by Annette Presley's company Presley.co.
2talk domains are registered to "Adrian Dick, 2talk Limited" (Adrian is the CTO of CallPlus)
2talk's PO Box (108109, Symonds St) is the same as CallPlus' PO Box
Physical Address in their T&Cs is the CallPlus' HQ (Level 4, 110 Symonds St)
So it's one of those situations where technically they aren't part of CallPlus, but in reality they are.

A love hate relationship, they are based in a room within the CallPlus offices

Hmmmm

techmeister

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Reply # 517186 5-Sep-2011 22:10

Don't think this is helping the OP guys.
I have been selling 2talk for a few years and have had very little problems with them.
I did look WxC as well but didn't think there was much in it for re sellers compared to 2talk.
Your are a bit on your own as far as support goes though, you could get round it by aligning yourself
with someone bigger that knows what they are doing and willing to teach you.
As far as your own needs go, 2talks host service is all you would need, they are all free with an account and work very well.
2talk are very much a self help service and a lot of people can't handle that but in return you do get innovation
and some of the cheapest phone rates in the country.

I did notice the 2talk.com, guessed they must operating in the USA as well, cool.

Now on 2talk Network and it's better.

nate

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Reply # 517225 5-Sep-2011 23:43

theEd: So it's one of those situations where technically they aren't part of CallPlus, but in reality they are.

Yup, seems that way.

1cloud

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Reply # 529135 4-Oct-2011 16:55

At home I then used a Vodafone HG556a, -an all in one adsl2+ modem with 2x voip lines,.

i guess that would be the one used in easy office package? any idea?

thanks

DonGould

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Reply # 529139 4-Oct-2011 17:09

techmeister: Don't think this is helping the OP guys.
I have been selling 2talk for a few years and have had very little problems with them.
I did look WxC as well but didn't think there was much in it for re sellers compared to 2talk.
Your are a bit on your own as far as support goes though, you could get round it by aligning yourself
with someone bigger that knows what they are doing and willing to teach you.
As far as your own needs go, 2talks host service is all you would need, they are all free with an account and work very well.
2talk are very much a self help service and a lot of people can't handle that but in return you do get innovation
and some of the cheapest phone rates in the country.

I did notice the 2talk.com, guessed they must operating in the USA as well, cool.

+1 for all that.

I'm signed up as a reseller as well.... but so far I've been doing the learning thing and just trialing a very small number of services until I get my head round it all.

2Talk seems to be a very good training ground from what I can see.

Other's I've talked to have now migrated from 2Talk to other wholesale offerings now their business is big enough.

I contacted VXF about being a reseller but they didn't return my calls.

Promote New Zealand - Get yourself a .kiwi.nz domain name!!!

Check out mine - i.am.a.can.do.kiwi.nz - don@i.am.a.can.do.kiwi.nz

cisconz

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Reply # 529211 4-Oct-2011 22:15

DonGould: I contacted VXF about being a reseller but they didn't return my calls.

Who did you contact?

I have had 4 Dealer accounts in various jobs, never had an issue.

Hmmmm

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