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Incoming calls during power/network outage?

Fellow VOIPer's

Have any of you tested to see what happens to incoming calls when the power or the net is down. I assumed during a power or network outage incoming calls would roll-over to voice mail. When I powered down my modem and dialed in from a POTS line, it resulted in a long period (~19 secs) of dead-line, eventually followed by the 'all circuits' busy tone.

Below is a note to tech support and thier response. [They are not correct about the 'busy signal' which is different then an the 'all circuits busy' tone.]

If you haven't already tested it, give it a try and share the results with the rest of us. As you can see below I'm using Sunrocket.

Thanks

Bob

=================================================================== Dear Sunrocket

I just powered down my modem and dialed in from a POTS line. It resulted in a long period (~19 secs) of dead-line, eventually followed by the 'all circuits' busy tone.

To me this is a big deal. I really expected to be collecting voice mail during a network service outage. Remember once the network is down it's too late enable the 'Do Not Disturb' feature.

Is there a fix for this? Do all VOIP products have this weakness?

----- Original Message ----- Sent: Sunday, August 28, 2005 6:36 PM Subject: Re: Fw: Wont trip to Voice Mail on outages [MSV2005082700000142]

Hi,

Unfortunately, with our service, in an instance where there is a network or power outage, the phone call will not go to voicemail. The person calling you will just get a busy tone. I do apologize for this inconvienence.

Thank you,

Reply to
NNTP
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I spoke with a customer service rep the other day, and he said that SunRocket is developing a failover system that will hopefully be up and running by the fall. I believe it will go to voicemail right now after being down for either 30 or 60 minutes, not sure.

Reply to
ukcats4218016

This problem is not specific to VoIP only. With ANY circuit, if there is no path to the premise equipment for any reason, the call is going to be lost if not forwarded to the central office-side voice mail. If you have VM service with your VoIP package, what I would do is to set it up to pick up after 5-6 rings with your private switch or auto-answering machine picking it up after 3-4. This way normally all calls will be answered at your locations, and when there is an interruption, they will be answered at the central office. You just have to remember to check your messages there every so often or enable e-mail notifications of sorts (depends on your provider).

Reply to
Dmitri(Cabling-Design.com

I have VM set up. If I use the voip phone and call myself it goes to VM immediately. During network outage there is no ringing, just dead air for ~19 sec

This problem is not specific to VoIP only. With ANY circuit, if there is no path to the premise equipment for any reason, the call is going to be lost if not forwarded to the central office-side voice mail. If you have VM service with your VoIP package, what I would do is to set it up to pick up after 5-6 rings with your private switch or auto-answering machine picking it up after 3-4. This way normally all calls will be answered at your locations, and when there is an interruption, they will be answered at the central office. You just have to remember to check your messages there every so often or enable e-mail notifications of sorts (depends on your provider).

Reply to
Bob Alan

Sure, but the different with some VoIP implementations is that if the premise equipment becomes unavailable, not all VoIP implementations route calls to voicemail even if the voicemail is handled by the switch.

This is one thing Vonage did right, if you have call forwarding enabled then your calls go there, otherwise they go to your "network availability number", or lastly, they go to your Vonage voicemail.

Reply to
DevilsPGD

When you system is config'd to have call ring a few time before WM, have you actually tried to power down the modem then call on a different phone?

Sure, but the different with some VoIP implementations is that if the premise equipment becomes unavailable, not all VoIP implementations route calls to voicemail even if the voicemail is handled by the switch.

This is one thing Vonage did right, if you have call forwarding enabled then your calls go there, otherwise they go to your "network availability number", or lastly, they go to your Vonage voicemail.

Reply to
Bob Alan

Yes, I've actually pressed "dial" on my cell at the same moment I pulled the plug (The plug was pulled electronically -- I turned off Vonage's switch port), the call sat in silence for 5 seconds or so, then was transferred.

I don't recall if it was transferred to voicemail or to my network availability number, but it wasn't "lost"

Reply to
DevilsPGD

Got the following from SunRocket

======================================================== Hi Bob,

In the case of any type of outage, all calls will route to voice mail within

30 minutes. We are actually working on a failover feature where your calls would roll to another number like your cell phone. We hope to have this in place by the fall.

Regards,

Jeremy Guerin SunRocket Marketing

Yes, I've actually pressed "dial" on my cell at the same moment I pulled the plug (The plug was pulled electronically -- I turned off Vonage's switch port), the call sat in silence for 5 seconds or so, then was transferred.

I don't recall if it was transferred to voicemail or to my network availability number, but it wasn't "lost"

Reply to
Bob Alan

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