VOIP SunRocket Internet Phone Service $199 for 15months = $13.27/month

[RideFree]

Well, obviously most of us are too heavily invested in Wind0ze to up and spring for a MAC and while I'm teetering on the Linux Ledge, - you can guess the rest.
Although, I can hardly imagine how this might work, there should be hundreds on these forums, alone, that should be interested - if the word could get out.

While I've built many things for my own self-satisfaction (and been offered jobs as well as money for some), I've never "sold" anything, but have given it mostly away or, possibly worse, left some to rot. - Depends on how you look at it.

Personally, I think your idea is as hot as they come (well, at least a 9.5), the big question is would you be considering it for self-satisfaction and can afford to invest the time, or will you be doing it with the idea of selling it for a $b to Google. (Let's see, is Billion big $B or little $b?)

I admire your thought-process for even having come up with the idea.
The problem is: Genius is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration.

 

[HankD]

Just read the last few posts by Ride and Troy ....

Troy if that works on windows you got a great product perhaps sell it to SunRocket as an extra feature of their service. Certainly as useful as Call Waiting and such. They could do the hosting rather than you.

Yeah, I've "saved" myself just about into the poor-house.

I second that.

WOW!
Troy, You da man!

I second that too!

Of course, this is way too sophisticated for me to even try out. However, astrosfan90, were you paying attention? You may not even need to take your Gizmo with you when you visit your dad. Just send him this script along with a photo of you and the kids waving

LOL, very cool idea and then 'dad' doesn't even need a broadband connection, which he would if he had his own gizmo.

Hank

 

[DidlySquat]

OWNED !

just received my sunrocket equipement and hooked it up. It works great now, but initially I put it in front of the router (between the modem and he router) and then I noticed that accessing my web server from the outside no longer works. In fact they were getting the gizmo's login screen.... So I moved it behind the router and couldn't figure out why it didn't work (it didn't even acquire an IP from the router), until I remebered that I have MAC filtering turned on in my router and needed to add the gizmo MAC to the list. I also instructed my router to put the gizmo in a DMZ so it can freely access the internet without worrying about the router's built-in firewall (but it worked even without the DMZ setting). The only thing I haven't tested yet if quality of service issues, that is if I use the internet heavily with my computer would it affect the VOIP service quality ? I'm not sure if my router (D-Link DI-624) even has a QoS setting to ensure high quality for the VOIP connections.

Anyway, bottom line is that it does work pretty well, I made and received a few calls and it's not noticeably worse than my landline (while costing much less). I'll probably be porting my landline number to sunrocket in a month or so.

 

[dchakrab]

Great idea for a script. This could be extremely useful as a "call me" link on a website or forum profile. I know the Drupal CMS already offers a system for calling between users (using an Asterisk server)...this could be a cool Drupal module along the same lines. I'm thinking of a link that says "call me (free)" which takes you to a form where you fill out your name, phone number, etc, which then uses that script to call first your SR number and then the user's number, while forwarding the whole thing in an email (username: x tried to call you from your website at 12:08AM, etc).

I'm thinking of applications for people who do freelance / consulting work, community technology groups, businesses...

D.

------------------
Dave A. Chakrabarti

Sunrocket Review

Nirman - My dealings with a dishonest Varanasi, India nonprofit organization that ended up stealing my computer equipment when I volunteered for them for over 3 years.

 

[TheTony]

Originally posted by: HankD
Just read the last few posts by Ride and Troy ....

Troy if that works on windows you got a great product perhaps sell it to SunRocket as an extra feature of their service. Certainly as useful as Call Waiting and such. They could do the hosting rather than you.

I certainly don't meant to steal any of Troy's "thunder" here, but the script he's talking about isn't something revolutionary, as seems to be being suggested. What it is is a clever script that takes advantage of the online call features SunRocket already has in place. Due to this, I don't think it's going to be something "sellable" since essentially, it's a back-end into a feature you must be logged into SunRocket to do.

That said, to suggest the idea to SunRocket to incorporate would be cool, though I'm not sure what they'd think if someone tried to profit from it. It could just as easily be considered a security risk, to them. I'm not suggesting this is the case, or to downplay Troy's great ideas.

I simply think maintaining it as a community/user developed interface is a better idea.

 

[imported_troyconrad]

Originally posted by: TheTony
I certainly don't meant to steal any of Troy's "thunder" here, but the script he's talking about isn't something revolutionary, as seems to be being suggested. What it is is a clever script that takes advantage of the online call features SunRocket already has in place. Due to this, I don't think it's going to be something "sellable" since essentially, it's a back-end into a feature you must be logged into SunRocket to do.

That said, to suggest the idea to SunRocket to incorporate would be cool, though I'm not sure what they'd think if someone tried to profit from it. It could just as easily be considered a security risk, to them. I'm not suggesting this is the case, or to downplay Troy's great ideas.

I simply think maintaining it as a community/user developed interface is a better idea.

Damn you man, don't rain on my parade!

Actually, I completely agree. While I find my module useful and cool, it's simply a public interface to existing functionality on the SunRocket site, and hardly something revolutionary I could sell, (with the possible exception of a PayPal "Donate" button should I decide to offer a hosted version.) Heck, it only took about two hours to write, and most of that was properly documenting it and packaging it for easy consumption by others.

I'm also a fan of free, open source software and am happy enough to have a novel script to contribute to the pool I so frequently dip into. It's also a natural thing for SunRocket to eventually implement naively, but so is contact list import, the long promised real 2nd line, etc, so I don't expect it to happen soon even if I did suggest it.

Thanks for all the great feedback!

 

[RideFree]

And now, back to our regularly scheduled broadcast.

 

[georgepa]

troy-

I would be mildly interested, don't usually use the call manager. You mention File Maker contact data base. Could an Outlook database be used instead? Can this somehow be programmed to be Outlook compatible? That would increase the interest level for some dramatically, IMO.

 

[dchakrab]

Originally posted by: georgepa
troy-

I would be mildly interested, don't usually use the call manager. You mention File Maker contact data base. Could an Outlook database be used instead? Can this somehow be programmed to be Outlook compatible? That would increase the interest level for some dramatically, IMO.

From what I've read, it looks like Troy's script would work with Outlook if you knew how you build the link. Problems will probably lie more on the side of getting Perl to work happily in Windows (unless you're running a server version) than in tinkering with Outlook. It would be very useful for the end user to write an end-to-end plugin for Outlook, but I'm not sure how that would handle Perl...is there a way to script a Perl installation / activation in XP?

I also think SR might think of this as a security hole...on the other hand, they might like it and put a link to it in their downloads section.

D.

------------------
Dave A. Chakrabarti

Sunrocket Review

Nirman - My dealings with a dishonest Varanasi, India nonprofit organization that ended up stealing my computer equipment when I volunteered for them for over 3 years.

 

[tomtrike]

BLINKING MESSAGE LIGHT
I've been having a problem with my message light on the Uniden DCT 646 phones that came with SR. After clearing the VOICEMAIL calls on my account the light keeps blinking. I even unplugged the Gizmo and the Uniden base. Still have the blink. Any ideas.

tomtrike

 

[upss]

Press and hold for about 15 seconds the "find handset" button on the base of the Uniden phone and that should clear the Voicemail LED. You can read about it in the Uniden user's manual.

 

[tomtrike]

Re: BLINKING MESSAGE LIGHT
upss said"Press and hold for about 15 seconds the "find handset" button on the base of the Uniden phone and that should clear the Voicemail LED. You can read about it in the Uniden user's manual."

Thanks for the tip. What page was that on?

tomtrike

 

[upss]

Originally posted by: tomtrike
Re: BLINKING MESSAGE LIGHT
upss said"Press and hold for about 15 seconds the "find handset" button on the base of the Uniden phone and that should clear the Voicemail LED. You can read about it in the Uniden user's manual."

Thanks for the tip. What page was that on?

tomtrike

Page 35

 

[astrosfan90]

Ahh, yeah. I had that happen a while back, didn't get a chance to get back in here to tell you what I did. Glad you got that sorted out.

Got a friend to sign up last week, got me some nice referral points and have them thanking me already.

 

[tomtrike]

New Gizmo

I am still having dropped calls with the new Innomedia Gizmo. After ten minutes of a call I can hear the party I called but they can't hear me. Soon after that the VOIP light goes out on the Gizmo and I have do do a restart on the cable modem and the Gizmo to get the VOIP light back.

Many calls to SR and many e-mails have resulted in the same old story. "It's been refered to engineering." So I await a fix. :-(

The good news is that I read page 35 and my message light is now out on the Uniden.

tomtrike

 

[astrosfan90]

Hrm. I've never heard of that before, that stinks. Hopefully they'll get back to you soon with a fix for it.

Do you have a router or anything set up?

 

[upss]

Originally posted by: astrosfan90
Hrm. I've never heard of that before, that stinks. Hopefully they'll get back to you soon with a fix for it.

Do you have a router or anything set up?

This used to be a common problem with some users and the original Gizmo. This "feature" is supposed to be part of SR "fix" of the "fail safe" problem which unfortunately still doesn?t work. I have an old "spare" Gizmo which wasn?t online for long time (10 months) and its firmware wasn?t updated. If I replace my existing Gizmo with this old Gizmo, it has exactly the same problem. After about 10 minute phone calls it disconnects itself.

BTW, does any one know how to upgrade the Gizmo firmware quickly, without calling SR?

 

[dchakrab]

Anyone else having super-crappy SR service now (7:58, Chicago time)?

I just called two people, and calls are going through, I can hear them, and both times the call quality was so bad for them that they couldn't hear a word I was saying. Both calls were to YMCAs, and I had the same problem with a test call to a friend's cell phone as well.

Incoming calls are increasingly having a problem I mentioned earlier...I get the call, I pick up, immediate disconnect and dial tone, I have to call them back. Annoying, but not crucial. Call quality dropping so bad I can't use the phone, on the other hand, is crucial.

Ideas? Seems similar to tomtrike's problem. I'm wondering if a firmware upgrade will address this?

Question: Does firmware upgrade automatically if the box is always connected (Lingo used to do this, I assumed SR does as well...that's what that "management" light is for, right)? Or do I need to do something on my end? UPSS's post has me wondering.

Would it be worth it to ask for the new modem at this point, to try that out instead?

D.

------------------
Dave A. Chakrabarti

Sunrocket Review

Nirman - My dealings with a dishonest Varanasi, India nonprofit organization that ended up stealing my computer equipment when I volunteered for them for over 3 years.

 

[dchakrab]

God, service hasn't improved a whole lot. On hold 15 minutes and counting. Good thing the phones they gave me have a speakerphone, and I can keep typing while I wait.

Anyone calling a different number for support, or just the one on their site?

Edit:

Got through after 19 minutes. CSR asks me for a call back number. Keeps asking me for a call back number while I repeat three times that my only phone line is the one provided by Sunrocket. Funny, they don't seem to mention on their site that if you want support, you need to have another phone line, since theirs is so flaky it won't work.

If that sounds like a bash, sorry...I guess it is. I'm on the verge of dumping SR. *Nothing* seems to have improved since my last miserable customer support experience with them.

D.

------------------
Dave A. Chakrabarti

Sunrocket Review

Nirman - My dealings with a dishonest Varanasi, India nonprofit organization that ended up stealing my computer equipment when I volunteered for them for over 3 years.

 

[georgepa]

Call quality is and has been as stable as always, tonight and every day. I don't think it fluctuates. Perhaps something with the internet at the local level?

 

[dchakrab]

Yeah, I was hoping that was it, so I checked...according to quality tests posted earlier in this thread, I'm still at exactly the same levels I've always been at (Comcast cable)...halfway between "normal cell phone" and "crummy cell phone". My SR signal is still completely unuseable, 10:33pm Central. A friend in the same neighborhood (same Comcast node) had the same problem earlier today, but hers is working fine now. Sent an email to the builditbetter@SR address...hopefully something will come of it.

I'm asking for a new Gizmo...maybe that'll fix the problem. It's frustrating.

D.

------------------
Dave A. Chakrabarti

Sunrocket Review

Nirman - My dealings with a dishonest Varanasi, India nonprofit organization that ended up stealing my computer equipment when I volunteered for them for over 3 years.[/quote]

 

[Mythman]

Faxing problems:

I just bought a new multipurpose printer that has built-in fax capabilities. I cannot send or receive faxes. My phones work just fine and with very good quality. My gizmo is behind my router. I disconnected the old POTS from the demarcation box and rewired it to use my standard phones. I have one regular phone plugged in (works fine) the cordless phone that come with the service is plugged into the gizmo.

The fax machine when it goes online (there is a dialtone) and dials out tries to connect to the remote fax but never connects.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[TheTony]

Originally posted by: dchakrab
Yeah, I was hoping that was it, so I checked...according to quality tests posted earlier in this thread, I'm still at exactly the same levels I've always been at (Comcast cable)...halfway between "normal cell phone" and "crummy cell phone". My SR signal is still completely unuseable, 10:33pm Central. A friend in the same neighborhood (same Comcast node) had the same problem earlier today, but hers is working fine now. Sent an email to the builditbetter@SR address...hopefully something will come of it.

I'm asking for a new Gizmo...maybe that'll fix the problem. It's frustrating.

I certainly don't intend to disparage. However, from all the information you've posted it's apparent to me that you have network and/or ISP issues that require resolution before you're going to see SunRocket function reliably on your connection.

 

[GTFan]

Originally posted by: upssBTW, does any one know how to upgrade the Gizmo firmware quickly, without calling SR?

I think by default these phone home every day for updates, so you could hook it up to a free port and see. This assumes that you've not turned off auto-config. However, with the latest tweaks it looks like they've disabled line 2 access according to reports at BBR. Admin pw has not been changed, so you'd get the new firmware but lose the ability to configure line 2 for outbound calls (dialtone). You probably don't care about losing this, most people don't bother with line 2 on the gizmo.
But would this even work with an old gizmo's MAC address, or do they disable access for these?

 

[astrosfan90]

Originally posted by: dchakrab
Anyone else having super-crappy SR service now (7:58, Chicago time)?

Nope. My service was working fine last night, I was using it for a few hours to talk to my Dad in Russia.