i711.com (new Ip-Relay service)

[Dennis S.]

Last I checked, i711.com is still dialing Ontario numbers for me (well, my home number, which is busy, because I'm logged on the Internet, duh), and I'm going to see if I can get one to make an outgoing call where someone really will pick up on the other end tonight.

So, are you able to make a call to anywhere else in Ontario via i711?

Okay, first my problem was the American relay services wouldn't let Canadians make calls. Now, they've got a CANADIAN relay service, that only lets AMERICANS make calls.

It doesn't matter where the company is located. What matters is who pays for the FREE service given to you.

The U.S. FCC won't pay the company to make international relay calls. Nordia is forced to comply with the FCC. If you have an issue with that, complain to the FCC:

email: fccinfo@fcc.gov with a WELL WRITTEN letter of complaint regarding Internet Relay. That will get their attention and they will figure out if that's something they want to change.

 

[PeteEMT]

If your a Canadian resident, more likely you need to contact the Canadian Goverment's version of the FCC to get them to provide funding for Internet Relay. The US FCC probably doesn't really care if Canada to Canada calls can't be made.

 

[diehardbiker]

Hey, all I know is that GoAmerica bailed out Wynd. It sounded like GoAmerica is trying to recover $20 million of bad debts that GoAmerica lend to Wynd. After I found out I711.com was operated by GoAmerica, it turned me off! I would never deal with bad merchant. Yes Wynd broke the contract agreement with me back then when I had Wynd service. So, since Wynd has the habit of breaking contract with the customer. So, should we trust them not breaking the agreement on confidentials? I doubt it. Sure, Wynd thinks I owe them money. I gave them fair chance to correct the problem, but they refused so I rescinded the contract agreement and refused to use and pay for the service. So, now with www.i711.com running by GoAmerica under Wynd, I won't use it! Sorry, man!

Don't you know that Wynd can't sell Tmobile products? That is because they broke contract with Tmobile. I found out when I was working inside job with Tmo...

 

[Dennis S.]

Don't you know that Wynd can't sell Tmobile products? That is because they broke contract with Tmobile. I found out when I was working inside job with Tmo...

Err, you do know that Wynd still (re)sells T-Mobile products (Sidekicks), right? I've never seen them NOT SELL Sidekicks.

If there was a period that they stopped selling them for any reason, it'd be news. So where's the news?

Pony up your sources, man. "Inside job" my butt.

 

[diehardbiker]

When you order them (Wynd) they will tell you out of stock. Try this cool old fashioned pagers. Trust me! I have heard alot complains. Plus I used to be working with authorized reseller of Tmo.

Can't tell you who, where, how, why, etc.

Err, you do know that Wynd still (re)sells T-Mobile products (Sidekicks), right? I've never seen them NOT SELL Sidekicks.

If there was a period that they stopped selling them for any reason, it'd be news. So where's the news?

Pony up your sources, man. "Inside job" my butt.

 

[Dennis S.]

Asked Wynd Sales (sales@goamerica.com) a few minutes ago about their stock, here is their official answer:

We do have the SideKick 2 units in stock. We do not know who is saying that
we do not have the units, that has never been a problem. Also, we do not
charge your credit card until the order is ready to be shipped.
Once you place an order online it can take up to 1 business day to process,
as we need to wait for T-Mobile to approve your credit check.
Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any additional questions.

Best regards,

GoAmerica Sales Department
TTY: 800-549-2800
Voice: 800-549-9800
Email: sales@goamerica.com
www.wyndtell.com

So, Biker, when was the last time you worked with your authorized TMo dealer?

 

[PeteEMT]

With the profileration of VoIP Telephony services (Vonage etc), I'm waiting for one of these relay providers to offer VCO. When they do, they will have me as a dedicated customer.

To sweeten the deal, VCO with access from my Treo.

 

[Dennis S.]

With the profileration of VoIP Telephony services (Vonage etc), I'm waiting for one of these relay providers to offer VCO. When they do, they will have me as a dedicated customer.

Are you referring to having the capability to use a computer with a phone handset to make a call with text showing up on the screen?

To sweeten the deal, VCO with access from my Treo.

That's something that I know has been worked on, and the cell phone technology that is available today cannot do voice and data (email, IM, web browser, etc.) at the same time. Once cell phones establish that capability, you'll see VCO options offered.

 

[PeteEMT]

Naah it'd be all data. VoIP is Voice Over IP (Internet Telephony), Vonage etc offer it and it's quite popular now, it doesn't seem like it'd be THAT hard to integrate but those are famous last words (as one who programs ).

A drawback for the mobile part might be the processing power required to convert Analog Audio into Digital Audio.

 

[Nesmuth]

The relay part is fine, but, it's the beyond part that's not fully inclusive and it's a big turnoff.

Richard

 

[javapride]

*snickering* i just tried it myself and tested it LMAO moi the like it ! I called myself :-D im so patheic HAHA but i had to see if this was the real mccoy and i like it so its * saved&

 

[WirelessHOH]

Another One Bites The Dust....

"We're sorry, but your computer must be located within the United States to use this service. If you think you have received this message in error, please contact us."

Do I think it's in error? They're a f$^#ing Canadian company, providing exclusive service to g&^@#$n Americans. Yeah, I think that's an error, all right.

The CRTC was supposedly petitioned by the Canadian Association of the Deaf some months back, and the CAD "opened discussions with" Rogers, to try and provide discounts for HOH and deaf customers who would otherwise blow through their overages, using relay services. Yeah. Don't hold your breath on that one. Social workers in this country move slower than molasses uphill in January in Inuvik, when it comes to getting barrier-free access to services that might actually be, oh, say, for instance, useful to Canadians.

Month number four (4) of the three-year contract with Bell Mobility has just about expired. $60.48 a month for a $350 piece of plastic, and frigging Bell won't let me break the contract. For the complete icing on the cake of sawdust that is my life, the Executive Offices of Bell Mobility informed me that there is no way for Bell Mobility Blackberry users to access the Bell Relay Service, and it was implicated that there never would be.

-WirelessHOH, not a very happy camper right now

 

[qwerty123]

Sorenson IP relay is fine as they're not trying to dominte the IP Relay market using forceful tactics as they're doing with their brand of VRS.

Richard

You're comparing the IP Relay and VRS as apples and oranges. How can the www.siprely.com uses the forceful tactics?

I still dont see how Sorenson implement forceful tactics when it comes to videophones, or even the IP Relay. If anyone dont like the videophone with single VRS provider, then can simply turn off the vp or return to Sorenson undamaged, or even not use the VRS option at all. Simple as that.

Looks like you're still angry with Sorenson? Go ahead and blow yourself up.

 

[qwerty123]

Naah it'd be all data. VoIP is Voice Over IP (Internet Telephony), Vonage etc offer it and it's quite popular now, it doesn't seem like it'd be THAT hard to integrate but those are famous last words (as one who programs ).

A drawback for the mobile part might be the processing power required to convert Analog Audio into Digital Audio.

see www.oag.state.tx.us/alerts/alerts_view.php?id=79&type=1

and

HOUSTON, Texas (AP) -- Texas sued the nation's largest Internet-based phone service provider Tuesday, saying Vonage failed to clearly inform customers they cannot automatically dial 911 when they sign up.

The lawsuit follows a case last month when a 17-year-old Houston girl was unable to call 911 on her family's Vonage service during an armed robbery in which her parents were shot and wounded. The girl ran to a neighbor's home and called for help.

The suit was filed under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and seeks to require Vonage Holdings Corp. to more clearly inform consumers that they must separately sign up for the 911 feature.

"People find out too late that this service might not be available," Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said at a news conference Tuesday attended by members of the family whose home was robbed.

Vonage spokeswoman Brooke Schulz said customers are informed of the separate activation on two pages on the Internet registration form. She also said that e-mail notifications are sent to customers who fail to activate the emergency service.

"We're at a loss as to what they want us to change, but we're open to any changes they want," Schulz said.

Abbott wants Vonage to include the information in advertising and include a checkoff on the service agreement to make sure people know.

He said information about the type of emergency service Vonage offers is found in the fine print on the Web site, but it is not explained on television commercials or brochures. Customers who sign up for service through call centers also are not told.

The lawsuit seeks $20,000 per violation. Abbott said he did not know how many violations there would be.

Edison, New Jersey-based Vonage has more than 500,000 subscribers.

 

[PeteEMT]

Yep, but since 911 is not/can't be called via Internet relay that's pretty moot.

 

[qwerty123]

Yep, but since 911 is not/can't be called via Internet relay that's pretty moot.

911 CAN be dialed over Voice over IP if signed up with the ISP. Some folks will try 911 over the internet relay anyway.

 

[PeteEMT]

There's a couple of reasons why 911 over Internet Relay won't work:

- 911 is a common but routed locally number, if you connect to Internet Relay and got them to dial 911, they'd get the PSAP (911 Center) closest to them. This is not the same one as if you'd dialed 911 on a phone. At best the distant PSAP would have to relay your message. Usually delays (sometimes big delays)

- No address information (this applies to VoIP services too), standard e911 uses a service like caller ID to see your address and phone number. Originating from the Internet means that information isn't availablle or at best displays the info of the relay center. VoIP's sidestep around this is to pass the info that the user has provided. This system is sort of a "best case but still not perfect" as the user could be calling from someplace other than home or their address info is out of date.

My advice: Learn your 911 center's 10 digit number (xxx-xxx-xxxx), that way if you DO use Internet relay, the call will goto the right place.

Best solution is to use your TTY and call 911 directly. TTY service is part of the 911 spec and all/most consoles should have it built in.

Sorta off topic here, but this question comes up a lot and before I went deaf I worked with Emergency Service Communications.

 

[Nesmuth]

I've never been a fan of Vonage and I'm happy theyre getting bit by the authorities.

Richard

 

[Dennis S.]

I've never been a fan of Vonage and I'm happy theyre getting bit by the authorities.

Richard

What have you against Vonage? I mean, the very concept of VOIP is great, so I can't understand why someone would "hate" them except for this very recent news about how they may have mislead people about 9-1-1 calling.

 

[qwerty123]

What have you against Vonage? I mean, the very concept of VOIP is great, so I can't understand why someone would "hate" them except for this very recent news about how they may have mislead people about 9-1-1 calling.

Cheering typical whining Richard Roehm.