We use a hybrid approach, asterisk for many things, and a Vox like company (it may even be Vox, not sure as I just approve the payments, Bryan is the one that vetted the company). Our VoiP system is form fit and function equivalent to a wired telephone from Qwest. We even port their Qwest number to our system and do E-911 in the same way.
----- Original Message ----- From: "John McDowell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "WISPA General List" <wireless@wispa.org> Sent: Friday, August 08, 2008 11:12 PM Subject: Re: [WISPA] VoIP Deployments....I'm serious > Charles, > We tried that back in January and it wasn't available at the time. Not to > mention their new voip project manager began quoting us prices like $15000 > because he had no idea what else was out there (vox, etc.) > Despite the pricing not being anywhere near as good as Vox, the service > was > not acceptable to us here in Alabama. Vox's service has been continually > above par. We've had no problems and absolutely no complaints with their > service. We had a few issues with latency on the Alianza/PowerCode system. > > Furthermore, and with all due respect to their platform, I've never > experienced a clear call with PC nor a subscriber of theirs using the > Alianza service who lives in California. I've had others admit this as > well...so I know it isn't my network. > > The real issue is that we made a choice, we like the choice, and we're > sticking with it until we are ever dissatisfied with it. I don't see us > being dissatisfied if the service continues the way it is. > > I feel like it is unfortunate for those of us in this small industry who > like choices that PowerCode has decided to try to corner the market with a > strategic partnership with Alianza. I really wish they would stick to what > they do best, make money off of their software. Then it would be a win win > for everyone. > > As it is, we'll see how the success of this all in one wisp/voip provider > in > a box works out for PC. Usually it works best for people to focus, instead > of trying to be all things to all people. I'm young, but I've already > learned that lesson in business. > > Joe Fiero of NuTel Broadband wrote this earlier, I think he feels the same > way....very disappointed: > > John, > > We tested with and subsequently signed on with VoX early this year. > Excellent white label service. Call quality is consistently excellent, no > issues with dropped calls, great pricing ( they offer a WISPA members > discount). You can be up and running with them in about 30 days. > > However, they do not offer a billing solution, but they do provide an FTP > site that can be swept by a billing server for call and account records. > ' > > With respect to the number of lines, we are at a very low number because > we > made a poor choice concerning our billing. We purchased ImageStream > routers > with the intent of running a very popular wireless billing/BMU that they > consider a "technology partner". I spoke at length with the software > company, let's call them PC, back in November/December. At the time I was > assured they could integrate any VoIP service into their billing. So I > signed on with them on December 11, 2007. As of yesterday I was told they > can't be bothered to complete the integration with VoX because VoX will > not > "partner" with them. > > Translation, they want to bill us for VoIP services as they are doing now > with a few others. > > Somewhere along the way, PC went from being a software company to wanting > to > be a VoIP reseller and dictate terms to the industry as to who we should > be > using. I can't even begin to calculate how much revenue we lost in this > debacle, but I make the decisions as to who I choose to use as a vendor, > not > another vendor. > > We are currently bringing this to an end with what so far appears to be a > very knowledgeable billing company that feels they can have this done in > just a few weeks, including integration with a BMU. > > The team at VoX told me months ago I was being strung along by PC, but I > stuck it out based on their reputation, and felt they would meet their > commitment. Of course I felt I had no choice due to the tie in with the > ImageStream routers. > > I know this integration was discussed a short time ago on this list and > there was some concern about all this integration that it would start to > limit the choices for WISP operators. I believe this is a perfect > example. > > Joe Fiero > > NuTel Broadband Corporation > Carson City, Nevada > > > > > So Charles, to answer your question: > > We are looking for a billing system that will integrate with the Voice > provider we've chosen, and are happy with. > > I have a slight disdain for the choices that PowerCode has made in the > direction of its voip business because it is trying to monopolize the > industry. I hope it doesn't work out for the sake of the industry. I feel > that PowerCode is doing more harm for WISPs in its selfish ambition. > > In the end, I believe they will find that they have spent and wasted more > time and money trying to put together a conglomerate, than if they had > done > what they could do really well....write software, and remain vendor > neutral. > > Just my honest opinion....I see a brown squirrel, I call it a brown > squirrel. > > John > > > > > On Fri, Aug 8, 2008 at 11:42 PM, Charles Wu <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> John, >> >> I was under the impression that PowerCode (the billing platform you use) >> has some sort of "VoIP Partnership" plan? Why not just go with them? >> >> -Charles >> >> ________________________________________ >> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf >> Of >> John McDowell [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Sent: Friday, August 08, 2008 5:49 PM >> To: WISPA General List >> Subject: Re: [WISPA] VoIP Deployments....I'm serious >> >> Think I messed up that reply... >> >> >> I think that's great. We spoke with Freeside today about VoIP billing. I >> think there is a board member named Matt that uses Vox with Freeside. >> Maybe >> he will see this and chime in? >> >> Are you using the Freeside Asterisk server? >> >> On Fri, Aug 8, 2008 at 5:44 PM, Jeremy Davis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> wrote: >> >> > > Asking for real-world feedback from operators who have deployed voip >> > > on >> > > their networks, and their experiences with the vendors they chose, as >> > > well >> > > as their billing platforms. >> > >> > We trunk with vitelity.net. The prices are not too bad unless you are >> in >> > an >> > expensive rate center. If not it is still profitable, but harder to >> > make >> a >> > dime on unlimited type services. >> > >> > We use freeside for our billing and provisioning. >> > >> > >> > Sincerely, >> > >> > Jeremy Davis >> > Maximum Technologies, LLC >> > Office 318.303.4725 >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> > WISPA Wants You! Join today! >> > http://signup.wispa.org/ >> > >> > >> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> > >> > WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org >> > >> > Subscribe/Unsubscribe: >> > http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless >> > >> > Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ >> > >> >> >> >> -- >> John M. McDowell >> Boonlink Communications >> 307 Grand Ave NW >> Fort Payne, AL 35967 >> 256.844.9932 >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> www.boonlink.com >> >> >> >> >> >> >> This message contains information which may be confidential and >> privileged. >> Unless you are the addressee (or authorized to receive for the >> addressee), >> you may not use, copy, re-transmit, or disclose to anyone the message or >> any >> information contained in the message. If you have received the message in >> error, please advise the sender by reply e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and >> delete the message. E-mail communication is highly susceptible to >> spoofing, >> spamming, and other tampering, some of which may be harmful to your >> computer. If you are concerned about the authenticity of the message or >> the >> source, please contact the sender directly. >> >> >> >> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> WISPA Wants You! Join today! >> http://signup.wispa.org/ >> >> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org >> >> Subscribe/Unsubscribe: >> http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless >> >> Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ >> >> >> >> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> WISPA Wants You! Join today! >> http://signup.wispa.org/ >> >> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org >> >> Subscribe/Unsubscribe: >> http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless >> >> Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ >> > > > > -- > John M. McDowell > Boonlink Communications > 307 Grand Ave NW > Fort Payne, AL 35967 > 256.844.9932 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > www.boonlink.com > > > > > > > This message contains information which may be confidential and > privileged. > Unless you are the addressee (or authorized to receive for the addressee), > you may not use, copy, re-transmit, or disclose to anyone the message or > any > information contained in the message. If you have received the message in > error, please advise the sender by reply e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and > delete the message. E-mail communication is highly susceptible to > spoofing, > spamming, and other tampering, some of which may be harmful to your > computer. If you are concerned about the authenticity of the message or > the > source, please contact the sender directly. > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > WISPA Wants You! Join today! > http://signup.wispa.org/ > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org > > Subscribe/Unsubscribe: > http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > > Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wants You! Join today! http://signup.wispa.org/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
