Sipgate reliability

I am interested to know just how reliable sipgate is.
Is it good enough be used as the main number for incoming calls?

Remove 'no_spam_' from email address.

On Fri, 11 Feb 2005 12:45:37 +0000, Brian A
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I am interested to know just how reliable sipgate is.
>Is it good enough be used as the main number for incoming calls?

Generally quite good, but they did have a major outage a couple of
weeks ago when the whole system went down for several hours. I think
I'd go for a landline if reliability is that important.

Chris

"Chris Blunt" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Fri, 11 Feb 2005 12:45:37 +0000, Brian A
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>I am interested to know just how reliable sipgate is.
>>Is it good enough be used as the main number for incoming calls?
>
> Generally quite good, but they did have a major outage a couple of
> weeks ago when the whole system went down for several hours. I think
> I'd go for a landline if reliability is that important.

That was the only outage I've experienced since I joined up in mid October
and was due to a programming error. The only reason I can think of why it
wasn't fixed immediately was that it happened at midnight. The system came
back on line at around 8am, when I assume people arrived for work and saw
a sea of flashing red lights ;-)

Depending on what terminal equipment you use, the call quality is
excellent, I for one can't tell the difference between it and my PSTN line
(using a Sipura SPA-2000 ATA). I wasn't very impressed with the X-Lite
software phone though.

I agree though that a normal landline should be kept for backup, if for no
other reason that unless you have an uninterruptible power supply the
system won't be working if there is a power failure. Also Sipgate does not
(yet) support 999 service.

Ivor

On Fri, 11 Feb 2005 17:58:58 -0000, "Ivor Jones"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
>"Chris Blunt" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news(E-Mail Removed).. .
>> On Fri, 11 Feb 2005 12:45:37 +0000, Brian A
>> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>
>>>I am interested to know just how reliable sipgate is.
>>>Is it good enough be used as the main number for incoming calls?
>>
>> Generally quite good, but they did have a major outage a couple of
>> weeks ago when the whole system went down for several hours. I think
>> I'd go for a landline if reliability is that important.
>
>That was the only outage I've experienced since I joined up in mid October
>and was due to a programming error. The only reason I can think of why it
>wasn't fixed immediately was that it happened at midnight. The system came
>back on line at around 8am, when I assume people arrived for work and saw
>a sea of flashing red lights ;-)

That says a lot about the quality of service to expect from them.

Trying to run any kind of telecoms operation with support staff on
duty only during office hours is inevitably going to result in an
unreliable service.

Don't get me wrong, I think Sipgate are great value for money, but if
reliability is important I don't think they're up to it yet.

Chris

"Chris Blunt" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Fri, 11 Feb 2005 17:58:58 -0000, "Ivor Jones"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>
>>"Chris Blunt" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>news(E-Mail Removed). ..
>>> On Fri, 11 Feb 2005 12:45:37 +0000, Brian A
>>> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>>
>>>>I am interested to know just how reliable sipgate is.
>>>>Is it good enough be used as the main number for incoming calls?
>>>
>>> Generally quite good, but they did have a major outage a couple of
>>> weeks ago when the whole system went down for several hours. I think
>>> I'd go for a landline if reliability is that important.
>>
>>That was the only outage I've experienced since I joined up in mid
>>October
>>and was due to a programming error. The only reason I can think of why
>>it
>>wasn't fixed immediately was that it happened at midnight. The system
>>came
>>back on line at around 8am, when I assume people arrived for work and
>>saw
>>a sea of flashing red lights ;-)
>
> That says a lot about the quality of service to expect from them.
>
> Trying to run any kind of telecoms operation with support staff on
> duty only during office hours is inevitably going to result in an
> unreliable service.

I'm only assuming that, I have no evidence either way.

It's still been the only major outage since the service started. Bear in
mind they're new and everyone has teething troubles.

> Don't get me wrong, I think Sipgate are great value for money, but if
> reliability is important I don't think they're up to it yet.

I don't think that applies purely to Sipgate. Give them time.

Ivor

"Brian A" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I am interested to know just how reliable sipgate is.
> Is it good enough be used as the main number for incoming calls?
>
> Remove 'no_spam_' from email address.

Sipgate only run "part" of their network, So they cannot be responsible for
the reliabilty. In the UK the numbering is supplied by Magrathea and the
connection to you by BT/your isp. The only way of offering any SLA is for
the ccts to be provided over connections that also have an SLA.
Im not 100% sure but the crash sipgate had a while ago may have been deeper
in the network, As it affected other voip suppliers as well but not to such
an extent. or was it that the other suppliers dealt with it quicker and had
plans in place possibly

Ian

"Ian" <spam"AT"bathfordhill.co.uk> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Brian A" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> I am interested to know just how reliable sipgate is.
>> Is it good enough be used as the main number for incoming calls?
>>
>> Remove 'no_spam_' from email address.
>
> Sipgate only run "part" of their network, So they cannot be responsible
> for
> the reliabilty. In the UK the numbering is supplied by Magrathea and the
> connection to you by BT/your isp. The only way of offering any SLA is
> for
> the ccts to be provided over connections that also have an SLA.
> Im not 100% sure but the crash sipgate had a while ago may have been
> deeper
> in the network, As it affected other voip suppliers as well but not to
> such
> an extent. or was it that the other suppliers dealt with it quicker and
> had
> plans in place possibly

As far as I am aware, the outage on 31 Jan was at Sipgate's HQ in
Düsseldorf and was due to a programming error. I hadn't heard that any
other suppliers were affected, do you have any details..?

Ivor

Brian A Wrote:
> I am interested to know just how reliable sipgate is.
> Is it good enough be used as the main number for incoming calls?
>
> Remove 'no_spam_' from email address.

Hi I am using sipgate in Thailand to connect to Germany. Today for man
hours I cannot use the phone for unkown reason. The homepage does no
work either. So what the hell goes on?

In the past I had 2 or 3 times problems with the phones but after on
night or in another case after several hours, the phone was workin
again without I was doing anything special. So there must be som
problems which I fully accept as the system is new. But breakdown o
Homepage AND SIPServer is a little bit too much, or not?
I now started to use skype as a backup system. But sometimes th
quality is poor while at Sigpate the quality is really great.
The only way to find out that I use an internet phone is a time delay
Sometimes I have to wait for the answer from my German counterpart an
vice versa. Another thing is that sometimes I hear my own voice like a
echo.
But these are little things

--
flybike

On Fri, 25 Feb 2005 13:34:07 +0000, flybike
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:


>Hi I am using sipgate in Thailand to connect to Germany. Today for many
>hours I cannot use the phone for unkown reason. The homepage does not
>work either. So what the hell goes on?
Sipgate working perfectly ok here in the UK all day considering the
recent problems with water Thailand could this not be upsetting
communications in that country .
>But breakdown of
>Homepage AND SIPServer is a little bit too much, or not?
Has above I have had no problems connecting to the homepage.
>But these are little things.
The big thing is anyone who cannot get a cable connection they are
stuck with paying BT's extortionate line rental where as I having
Blueyonder using Sipgate for calls is making more use of my net
connection and saving me 21.00 in line rental to BT .

On Fri, 25 Feb 2005 13:34:07 +0000, flybike
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
>Brian A Wrote:
>> I am interested to know just how reliable sipgate is.
>> Is it good enough be used as the main number for incoming calls?
>>
>> Remove 'no_spam_' from email address.
>
>Hi I am using sipgate in Thailand to connect to Germany. Today for many
>hours I cannot use the phone for unkown reason. The homepage does not
>work either. So what the hell goes on?

I'm using it from the Philippines and its working fine here for me
this morning.

Chris