Serious Answer Needed

[slynch401k]

I set up a GXW-4108 along with Polycom phones. The people using the phones are saying that they are getting random choppyness and want to ditch it for the old regular phones lines.

I was hoping that using a PSTN gateway we would get the same quality that we were accustomed to.

Has anyone got a voip setup to work where the quality is top notch? We have salespeople and they cannot get any cutouts on their calls as it is bad for business.

I have 2 options left, set up a new analog system or maybe use a patton gateway?

I am 3 weeks into this so any truthful advise would be appreciated. I think the 3cx system is great, easy to use and in time will have tremendous capacity but right now I cannot deal with the employee complaints.

Thanks

 

[RobLloyd]

First off I think you're asking in the wrong section... The regular general area will probably get more results....

anyway - Are there any issues internally? Same complaints from extension to extension? If there are they it could be a server or network issue. If those are always perfectly clear then it may be the gateway.

I'm about to implement a 4104 gateway so I'll see if I can find anything else out that may be of use to you.

 

[slynch401k]

Rob:

Calls from extension to extension are fine. I am using Polycom phones and they are suppose to be fine.

99% of the time the pure voip calls are clear and I can attribute that to bandwidth problems, we have 20 users on a T1.

So, I am thinking it is the gateway. Thats why I wanted to see if anyone who had more than 2 users were experiencing problems or had clear sailing.

 

[ktikoft]

It sounds like you just don't have enough bandwidth dedicated bandwidth internally

We have 12 people but only about 3-4 on the phone at any given time and once we set the phones and the cuircuits priortys to 6 on L2 it seemed to stabilize the line a fair bit.

 

[ecwilson]

ktikoft

With 20 users all on the phone at the same time that is a bit out of reach
for a T1 at 1.5mb. Each call can use about 64k to 96k & you will need
to increase your bandwith of change your audio code being used. But
once you change your audio code the sound of the calls will change.
We use the rule that each call will use 128k, take that times ten &
you will come up with the max safe number of calls on a T1 (1.2mb).
Also is your T1 being used for voip traffic & data traffic??? If it is you
can also split up your traffic on two connection or you will have to have
less people on the phone at the same time or less data traffic. I hope
this helps

ecwilson

 

[dyntech]

I am confused- are the problem calls from the VSP or the PSTN?

 

[slynch401k]

The problems are on the PSTN, We use the voip T1 as failover.

 

[AndrewRTS]

Your scenario is similiar to what we're experiencing although our PSTN gateway doesn't sound quite as bad as yours.

We have the 4104 from Grandstream for our main lines, and we have Junction Networks VoIP as long distance/additional lines. The internal calls are perfect. (Gigabit QoS network) The VPN calls to my house are perfect. The VoIP calls out over our DSL line are NEARLY perfect. We hear static and occasional breakups on the 4104. It has gotten better lately, but with all things looked at - you have to blame it on the gateway. All IP functions of 3CX are working fine in both of our sites - it is simply the gateway letting us down.

I look forward to seeing what happens if you get a Patton.

Good luck!

 

[slynch401k]

Thanks everyone for replying. Unfortunately I am relegating 3cx as a backup system. Our firm size cannot deal with the "Not Ready For Primetime" system. 3cx has been great and I give it 3 years before things work but I run a real business and cannot have the first impression be so poor.

I called the Patton rep to get a gateway. He was on VOIP and was breaking up on me. I was on a hardline. Unbelievable, that bad impression stopped me dead in my tracks.

Decided to go with my first search a Samsung OfficeServ 7200. Not very expensive and allows for everything I need with mixed PSTN and VOIP as well as regular phones.

Good luck to everyone.

 

[AndrewRTS]

I'm not trying to start a problem on the forum, but I believe your comment about 3CX not being ready for prime time is a bit harsh. As I said in my earlier post the problem is NOT with 3CX. I am impressed and literally amazed at how functional and useful 3CX is. The problem is with the PSTN gateways. The Patton rep may have been on a VoIP service provider having an issue, not a Patton gateway to PSTN.

I'm glad you're moving to something that you are comfortable with and I wish you the best of luck with your Samsung product.

 

[AndrewRTS]

...also:

Many of the people on this forum who use 3CX (including myself) are running REAL businesses. We have an office, several employees, two remote location/users, and several telephones/lines. We have been live on 3CX since the second week in August and only our staff can hear a bit of static on the Grandstream gateway. The cilents cannot. Most of our clients have stated how much better/clearer we sound compared to our old Nortel digital system. We have had one complaint out of 100+ active clients. He was upset that we switched to an automated attendant rather than a real person answering the phone. (So he wasn't complaining about 3CX!)

 

[ecwilson]

I will agree with AndrewRTS we have been a user of voip for 4 years
now & have now moved to a commerical ip pbx hosted system last
year. The 3CX software has all the features that the commerical
system has which is based on the linux platform. You stating that you
run a real business is a bit off base & harsh to say the least. Like with
any new product their will be up & downs but to tell someone that their
product is not ready for real time is again off base. Their are a few features our provider's system can't do that the 3CX can. Anytime you
mix tech together their will be a few bugs to be worked out. We are still
testing the 3CX product & find that the software is ready for prime time &
v4 will be able to compete with things that are on the linux platform. IMHO If any question should be asked :twisted: Is VoIP ready
for prime time :?: We will be replacing our hosted systemwith a hosted
3CX server this year & next year will roll it out as a new server
product. That will be the real test for us & I think that 3CX server
will prove itself as ready for prime time. I will update this post on it's
progress. :!: I wish you luck in what ever you decide to use for your
office. Keep us posted on how your new system works out :?: We all
run real business not just you :shock:

ecwilson

 

[slynch401k]

Guys, you are dreaming the feature set is weak at best.

NO EMPLOYEE DIRECTORY, how do the clients find an employee. Transfer to an extention and get voicemail, now you are stuck cannot transfer to another extention or operator OK, hand up and call back, dah! Call in and get VM messages, try to transfer the message to your secretary. DO you want me to go on and on or have my salespeople post thier issues.

This system needs serious work. I stand by my comments. Even 1 complaint is bad enough.

Look the Patton guy lost a sale because of the quality; gateway, VOIP provider or whoever. IT DOESN'T MATTER, his call quality sucked.

I have nothing against 3cx. Their employee went out of their way to help me and I call that great customer service. This system installs easy and works. But phone systems need to be 99.999%.

Plus As a network admin, I don't have three weeks to hunt down problems, fiddle with settings and so on to get average quality, especially when my network in top of the line.

POTS works, in 3 years with FIOS so will this.