BajaNomad

Vonage + Cell Phone Question

CaboMagic - 1-23-2008 at 09:26 AM

Good day greetings

Weve used Vonage in USA and Cabo since 2003 when they began installing dsl lines in CSL. Most of the time its great - but sometimes voices are garbled and/or interrupted .. everythird word gets chopped .. this applies to what callers from the USA calling to Cabo hear .. its never garbled the other way around ..

Does anyone know why it now costs so much more dialing Mexican cell phones than landlines from USA? Used to be 9cents/minute now AT&T is 25cents Verizon is the same .. checked MagicJack and its 30cents/min. Vonage 25cents/min.
Landlines much much less .. is it purely economics?

Thanks in advance .. Lori

CaboRon - 1-23-2008 at 11:20 AM

It's just old Slim trying to milk as much out of the public as possible...... as if he didn't have enough money already (Oh, that's right, Bill Gates just surpassed him again as the rilchest man in the world)

CaboRon

stanburn - 1-23-2008 at 12:44 PM

Last year they changed the method of charging for cel phone calls. The person calling the cel phone now pays. It used to be that the person receiving the call paid.

CaboMagic - 1-23-2008 at 01:03 PM

Thanks ..

CaboRon - Im asking "why" USA callers pay MORE (Edit) to call cell phones now .. Are you suggesting that Carlos makes money on incoming calls?

stanburn - yes thats what I said - I am asking if anyone knows why?

Its cheaper to call across the Atlantic than it is to call Cabo .. Also cheaper to call Mainland Mexico ..

Any ideas appreciated. .. LG

[Edited on 1-24-2008 by CaboMagic]

CaboMagic - 1-23-2008 at 05:56 PM

Hi Larry thanks for your reply too .. As I understand it, in the US both caller and callee 'pay' .. Are you saying then that US phone companies pay Telcel for calls made to cellular? I know our telcel phones do not get charged airtime for incoming from USA ..?

I wanted to understand why it went up so dramatically considering the provider from USA always charged for the call .. with tripled cost had 'hoped' there was a reasonable explanation ..

I probably have better chances understanding what makes Ugly Americans tick <smile> .. have sure seen more than our share of them .. I know different thread! Best fishes naturally ~ Lori

bajadedom - 1-23-2008 at 11:03 PM

Dump the Cell Phone - Skype to Skype - I believe anywhere is ZERO cost...just need to be close enough w/ your notebook to a dsl Wi Fi user w/o security and it really is FREE ! This has worked for me on business in US 50 states and TJ - Loreto so far in Baja and BCS

CaboRon - 1-24-2008 at 06:13 AM

Yes,

I also use Skype and am very happy with the arrangement.

CaboRon

Bob and Susan - 1-24-2008 at 06:23 AM

we dumped vonage...
it worked WAY better early last year
just got worse wnd worse

like lori said the USA side got lousy reception
we ALWAYS heard the receiver perfectly but they couldn't hear us
lots of hang ups

we have switched to yahoo messanger 8.1
works like skype but less hidden software on the computer
(i hate spyware)

.01 to USA
anywhere any number

you can also get a phone number for about $4 USA a month
we havent tried that yet

bad thing is that the computer needs to be turned on and
being totally solar powered here
we NEED to conserve power ALL the time

oh yea...you NEED a headset with microphone

CaboMagic - 1-24-2008 at 09:10 AM

Thank you for input ..

We cant do without cells .. everyone of our staff & crews has one .. For us constant communication is key.

The vonage will be ok for now - tho I suspect there will a replacement coming from Telmex eventually. We just put up with the occassional garbling ..

I remember 'the old days' when only one person in Cabo had a house phone who I would call. His was the 18th phone number assigned in town!! His wife would call him on the handheld. He would then call around on the handheld and/or send one of the young dock boys around on a bicycle to find Tommy for me!

Another aspect of life that has really changed.

Thanks for the ideas and answers .. Best fishes to all .. Lori

prt328 - 1-25-2008 at 08:35 AM

As a Vonage user I've noticed a direct relationship between the garbles and download activity. In other words, if the computer is doing "nothing" the lines are clear; if you surf while talking it gets garbled. There's only so much bandwidth with Telmex DSL lines.

stanburn - 1-25-2008 at 10:40 AM

Nextel has become very popular over here in Manzanillo. I remember (from 3 years ago) that Nextel also existed in the LA area. I don't know how compatible the networks are and if you can do the walkie talkie thing from one Nextel phone in the US to a Nextel phone in Mexico.

If you have staff and crew and must have cell phones, this might be an option.

Me I don't have crew and staff, only cats. They can't punch the buttons with their little paws.

CaboMagic - 1-25-2008 at 01:29 PM

prt328 thanks for your input - our office has its own dsl line and as a test we have had all computers turned off to see if that affects/effects the garbling .. odd but it did not .. this week its been clear and perfect so the wind must have changed direction!

Thanks for the heads up stanburn .. Nextel walkietalkie function does not work USA to Mexico or Mexico to USA .. but in checking into this I discovered the following which effectively answered my original question - so thanks for your direction ..

Hope this also serves to satisfy others curiousity to 'why'. and the "mobile termination fee" referred to is eighteen cents per minute .. so the nine cents per minute for the call plus this odd fee makes it 27 cents per minute .. Toodles and thanks again .. Lori

Rates effective as of October 1, 2007. Due to increased costs imposed by some overseas telephone companies, calls to international wireless phone numbers (including cellular and pager numbers) may incur a per-minute mobile termination fee, which varies by country. Many countries assign a specific dialing code to wireless devices that identifies them as wireless. The mobile termination fee will be charged based on those digits dialed immediately after the country code. The mobile termination fee plus your international rate will be shown on your invoice as one combined per-minute rate. This information may change from time-to-time. Be sure to check the codes and rates periodically for current information.

CaboMagic - 1-25-2008 at 04:40 PM

Larry - 'odd' to me is now caller pays for everything - thanks - Lori

CaboRon - 1-25-2008 at 07:18 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by CaboMagic
Thanks ..

CaboRon - Im asking "why" USA callers pay MORE (Edit) to call cell phones now .. Are you suggesting that Carlos makes money on incoming calls?

stanburn - yes thats what I said - I am asking if anyone knows why?

Its cheaper to call across the Atlantic than it is to call Cabo .. Also cheaper to call Mainland Mexico ..

Any ideas appreciated. .. LG

[Edited on 1-24-2008 by CaboMagic]


If the call comes over Slim's towers on thru his lines, there is an access fee charged to the calling parties.

CaboRon

CaboRon - 1-25-2008 at 07:21 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by stanburn
Nextel has become very popular over here in Manzanillo. I remember (from 3 years ago) that Nextel also existed in the LA area. I don't know how compatible the networks are and if you can do the walkie talkie thing from one Nextel phone in the US to a Nextel phone in Mexico.

If you have staff and crew and must have cell phones, this might be an option.

Me I don't have crew and staff, only cats. They can't punch the buttons with their little paws.


The last time I was is Las Vegas, my driver said he speaks on the walki-talki Nextel to his family in Cancon for no charge. He bought phones for them in the us.

CaboRon

CaboRon - 1-25-2008 at 07:51 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by CaboMagic
Larry - 'odd' to me is now caller pays for everything - thanks - Lori


In Europe it has been that way as long as there have been cell phones. You don't get quite as put out when soneone calls and talks too long. :lol::lol:

CaboRon

bajadedom - 1-26-2008 at 12:16 AM

Hire someone to manage your business while you are gone, leave the cells home, and enjoy yourself in Baja....why else come?? My favorite part of being here is the pace of living.....

CaboMagic - 5-10-2008 at 01:31 PM

May 2008 update

Big thanks stanburn ..

It took lots of 'doing' and 're-doing' and we have everyone on nextel service.

For the first two billing cycles everything went as promised, then, suddenly we had an humongous $$$$ bill for Nextel Direct Connect. When we asked USA Sprint/Nextel about this, the helpful customer service person said "Oh well, only the border cities are included" .. took some escalating but we finally got it handled.

For anyone that has USA and Mexico business interests, its a cost effective and efficient means to be in constant contact.

Hope this helps someone. Lori

bajabound2005 - 5-10-2008 at 01:45 PM

Nextel used to have a "daily charge" for the walkie talkie feature in Mexico (US to Mexico and vice versa). I think it was $1.50 a day if you used the feature. That covered the whole day whether you used it once or 1000 times. Don't know what the current sitch is.

bajamigo - 5-10-2008 at 02:00 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by CaboMagic
Weve used Vonage in USA and Cabo since 2003 when they began installing dsl lines in CSL. Most of the time its great - but sometimes voices are garbled and/or interrupted .. everythird word gets chopped .. this applies to what callers from the USA calling to Cabo hear .. its never garbled the other way around ..



Had the same problem. What worked for me was closing down any open connections that are using your broadband connection, including email.

CaboMagic - 5-10-2008 at 03:12 PM

Hi Bajabound - we get unlimited .. and we use only the walkietalkie direct connect feature, so no idea about a per use 'gotcha' :-)

Hi Bajamigo - We still have & use Vonage in our office and it is and was unaffected by what you refer to.. We tried everything except having staff stand with aluminum foil hats on <a-la movie "Signs"> :-) .. sometimes its great and sometimes, well, it just isnt! I think it falls into the category of "when the wind changes direction ..."

Nextel solves our issue of not having to call cells anymore and pay on both sides of the call (caller and callee) Yippee! There are plenty of other expenses to take the place of any savings ..

By the way - Bait pangeros increased cost of carnada to usd $3 per piece.

Wishing all a magic weekend .... Lori

CaboRon - 5-10-2008 at 06:50 PM

Lori,

Would like to see a pic of one of those foil hats.

Is there a particular style that works better ? Such as panama verses baseball style ?

CaboRon

bajamigo - 5-10-2008 at 07:23 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by CaboMagic

Hi Bajamigo - We still have & use Vonage in our office and it is and was unaffected by what you refer to.. We tried everything except having staff stand with aluminum foil hats on <a-la movie "Signs"> :-) .. sometimes its great and sometimes, well, it just isnt! I think it falls into the category of "when the wind changes direction ..."



Wishing all a magic weekend .... Lori

bajamigo - 5-10-2008 at 07:24 PM

I think you're on to something. Let me know how the hats work out. I'd like a picture, too.
:light:

Woooosh - 5-11-2008 at 05:48 PM

My two cents: I like my vonage dashboard feautres more than I like the sound quality. On-line you can adjust everything. For .25 they transcribe a voice mail and e-mail it to you. That's handy. The sound is just OK.

Most family/friends use Nextel for the DirectConnect Walkie-talkie feature. Our plan is from the USA- with unlimited free directconnect anywhere in the world. We've leave a phone behind in Mexico when we travel and it has worked perfect. It's an instant connection so if the person isn't available you won't get voice mail options. If you adjust your phone- you can get it off speakerphone too so you don't annoy the whole world.

My nephew has a Nextel DirectConnect-only plan for a dollar a day from the local Nextel store (no contract, month-to-month).

PJC - 5-12-2008 at 07:06 AM

Almost all DSL lines in Mexico are asymetrical, i.e. slower speed back (up) to Telmex and the Internet than to the subscriber. Vonage also, does not use a compressed codec to encode and transport your voice.

As an example, the Telmex DSL line is probably 128k up. The vonage call will use 86kb minimum. Not much left over.

I would also bet that Slim is messing with the VoIP packets to degrade service. That's what you get in a third world country subjugated by a monopolistic telecom industry.

bajalou - 5-12-2008 at 07:15 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by PJC
That's what you get in a third world country subjugated by a monopolistic telecom industry.


But DSL at 128 for $12 a month it's still a good deal.

Photo

CaboMagic - 5-12-2008 at 11:19 AM

best I could do!

I hope the info helps someone else .. thanks again .. Lori

I am very tech-challenged .. I will try this again .. sorry ..

[Edited on 5-12-2008 by CaboMagic]

CaboMagic - 5-12-2008 at 11:21 AM

Sorry group - I cannot figure out how to do ..
Its a great photo of the three from SIGNS wearing their foil hats ..
Lori