When VOIP Goes bad...

By Lindsay
I use a VOIP (voice over internet protocol) service for my main office number.  My 0800 number also points to my office number.  I use a 'One number' feature so that when a call comes in, it simultaneously rings 3 phone numbers (one of which is my VOIP phone, another my mobile, and a third my alternate home number).  These a pretty good features because I'm close to one of these numbers generally 24 hours per day.  Now I wont mention the VOIP provider (because I'm not sure its their fault), but what happens when it goes bad...like it did this morning.

Well, no calls except direct to my cellphone came in this morning - strange.  So I tested the VOIP phone - nothing.  I called my office number - disconnect tone.  OK something is very wrong here - mild panic!  I tried calling the service provider - same disconnect.  An alternative land line number - disconnect.  Panic levels raised a bit more because I was out of contact except for my cellphone, and email.  I looked for alternative contact methods for the service provider, but I couldnt find anything.

Then a miracle!  it started to work.  Everything is now back to normal.  How long was the service out?  Don't know, at least 2 hours first thing in the morning....

Lessons to be learnt:

• Have a back up number (usually a cellphone number) and make sure its available on your email signature and your website.
• If the phone hasn't rung for a while - check to see that it's operational.

I'll await the reply from the provider about the outage, and then make the appropriate decisions after that as to whether I'll stick with them or go somewhere else.