Why can't any Ooma call the 570 area code? (Pennsylvania)

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rocksockdoc
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Why can't any Ooma call the 570 area code? (Pennsylvania)

Post by rocksockdoc » Tue Jun 25, 2013 9:21 am

I talked a friend in Pennsylvania into buying the Ooma Telo at Costco and she's had it for a week and says it won't call a certain telephone number in the 570 area code which she calls all the time.

I tested that number with my landline, and with my Ooma, and with my cell (all in California):
Guess what?
She's right.

Only the Ooma won't connect!
The landline and cellphone connect just fine.

This is a very serious problem because you can't trust the Ooma if this isn't fixed!

MORE DETAILS:
The Ooma connection does weird things - mostly it just rings - but strange things happen (like fax tones) and other oddities - none of which are exhibited with the cellphone or landline calls to the same number. The problem is that you can't tell if the person on the receiving end simply didn't pick up the phone, or if the Ooma is screwing up (a routing problem?).

I called Oooma Customer Support at 888-711-6662x1x3 and they confirmed it didn't work for Ooma and they suggested I prefix the phone number with the *98 star code. But that's it. I'm a little disappointed with that level of support because this is a VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM.

This sort of works (in about 10 tests, it worked twice, and failed 8 times with very weird things happening in those 8 tries).

My main question is: "What on earth is going on?".
My secondary question is: "Do you have the same problem with your Ooma not connecting to area code 570?"

Googling for 570 phone numbers to test, I tried this movie theaters, and they exhibit a similar problem only with the Ooma:
- Cinemark Stroud Mall and XD, 160 Stroud Mall, Stroudsburg, PA 18360: (570) 421-1284

Using the area code and exchange that Ooma is having a problem with, I find PA State Representative Joe Emrick also shows the problem:
- 2165 Mt. Bethel Highway Mt. Bethel, PA 18343, (570) 897-0401

Testing this Roofing & Siding Company", I get the same Ooma problem:
- 2016 S. Delaware Dr., Mt. Bethel, PA 18343, 570-897-9077

In this last case, after about 4 rings on a landline, you get an answering machine; but it just rings and rings and rings with the Ooma. This is a very serious problem.

May I ask whether you have the same problem (try the last number above, for example), and if so, what (on earth) is going on with Ooma?
Note: I've had Ooma for a year and had not prior run into this repeatable problem, until now.
Last edited by rocksockdoc on Tue Jun 25, 2013 1:12 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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lbmofo
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Re: Why doesn't my Ooma call the 570 area code? (even with *98)?

Post by lbmofo » Tue Jun 25, 2013 9:39 am

Tried using ooma app.

That theatre number, you get a live person.

State rep and roofing company, couldn't reach (endless ring except one time got roofing company recording).

If you have a ticket open, Ooma will look into the issue (likely carrier routing issue).

rocksockdoc
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Re: Why doesn't my Ooma call the 570 area code? (even with *98)?

Post by rocksockdoc » Tue Jun 25, 2013 10:09 am

lbmofo wrote:If you have a ticket open, Ooma will look into the issue (likely carrier routing issue).
Thank you for testing this - I realize, belatedly, the best numbers to test are these two (because they don't bother a human):
1-570-897-8200 (this is a lamination company in Mt Bethel PA, where it has an answering prompt ("press 1 for ... ").
1-570-897-9077 (this is a roofing company in Mt Bethel PA, where it has a standard answering machine ("please leave a message ...).

The first Ooma support person didn't seem to take it seriously (he simply said to use *98). After I hung up with him (he said he'd call back but never did), and tested the *98, I called back and tried to explain how very serious this is. It's happening with phones in Pennsylvania (on cable) and California (on high-speed broadband) - so it can't possibly have anything to do with my connection specifics.

I spent about a half hour with Ooma Second Level Support just now (ticket number 130625-000298), and, well, they seem to be reproducing the problem, but, I'm not sure if they realize how extremely severe this problem is.

If this isn't fixed, it means you can't trust the Ooma at all. That is very bad, very very bad.

EDIT: Level 2 had me make all the calls again, and they confirmed there is a problem (although they connect about half the time or more, and I never get past the phone ringing and neither does my friend on the other coast of the country). I'm being transferred to level 3 support (so I guess that's a good thing).

rocksockdoc
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Re: Why doesn't my Ooma call the 570 area code? (even with *98)?

Post by rocksockdoc » Tue Jun 25, 2013 11:04 am

After a long wait I had to reproduce the problem all over again for level 3 support (I guess they don't trust the earlier levels?).

Then I got disconnected after they put me on hold. So, I've invested an hour and counting on trying to get Oooma to understand how very serious this is:

I'm going to start keeping records because I have to repeat myself countless times trying to get Ooma support to simply reproduce this without me (because, since it's happening on both coasts, it has nothing to do with me):

Level 1 support: Christopher #18909 (partially reproduced the problem; created a ticket 130625-000298)
Level 2 support: Manual #unknown (again reproduced the problem; had me make a few of the calls)
Level 3 support: Rechelle #030554 (again reproduced the problem; had me make a few more of the calls)
--- then we got disconnected (I was on the Ooma - it just went dead) ---
Called back:
Level 1 support: Carla #34407 (passed me on back to Rachelle at Level 3 Support).
Level 3 support: Rechelle #030554 (She had me call the two numbers x8200 & 9077 on a landline, with both 10-digit and 11-digit calling - both of which worked from the landline - but neither of which worked on the Ooma.

Finally, she said it's a "critical" issue so, at least I hope she takes this seriously.

It would be interesting if others have the same problem with these two numbers (which go to machines so no human is bothered):
1-570-897-9077
1-570-897-8200

rocksockdoc
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Re: Why doesn't my Ooma call the 570 area code? (even with *98)?

Post by rocksockdoc » Tue Jun 25, 2013 1:01 pm

It would be interesting if others have the same problem with these two numbers
1-570-897-9077
1-570-897-8200
To her credit, Rechelle in 3rd tier support called me back, and asked me to make two Ooma calls each to those two numbers so that she could get an exact sample with a time stamp.

Each time we called these numbers, the same thing happened:
a) The first call rang once, and then nothing happened for about 45 seconds to a minute --- and then --- it rang once or twice - and then a reduced ring a few times - and then silence - and then the answering mechanism on the other line actually picked up the phone (after 1 minute and 30 seconds of silence).
b) The second call just rang continuously (and in one case, a fax line picked up, again indicating a grossly delayed connection, of about a minute and a half duration).

With that Rechelle promised to get back to me, so I await more data.
If someone else can try these two numbers from a landline or mobile versus from Ooma, it would be a useful datapoint:
1-570-897-9077 (what you should get is an answering machine saying "please leave a message for ...")
1-570-897-8200 (what you should get is a prompt to "press 1 for ... ")

rocksockdoc
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Re: Why can't any Ooma call the 570 area code? (Pennsylvania)

Post by rocksockdoc » Tue Jun 25, 2013 8:04 pm

I received this email from Ooma Customer Support and will test tomorrow during business hours:
On 06/25/2013 06:39 PM, Ooma Care Support wrote:
Recently you requested personal assistance from our on-line support center.
Below is a summary of your request and our response.
Subject Call completion: Outbound to some numbers in PA
Response (Rechelle) 06/25/2013 06:39 PM
We have made a route change that should correct this.
Could you please retest and let us know if you have any issues calling 15708978200 & 15708979077.
We`re looking forward to your response.
Please write me back if you have further questions and I will respond to you as quickly as possible.
Thank you for choosing Ooma!
BTW, what does it mean to make a "route change"?

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lbmofo
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Re: Why can't any Ooma call the 570 area code? (Pennsylvania)

Post by lbmofo » Tue Jun 25, 2013 8:17 pm

How your calls are routed. Maybe new carrier involved, maybe not.

dbarronoss
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Re: Why can't any Ooma call the 570 area code? (Pennsylvania)

Post by dbarronoss » Tue Jun 25, 2013 8:31 pm

I've had the same issue with a number in Huntsville, AR. I usually resort to calling on my cell.

rocksockdoc
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Re: Why can't any Ooma call the 570 area code? (Pennsylvania)

Post by rocksockdoc » Wed Jun 26, 2013 5:07 am

dbarronoss wrote:I've had the same issue with a number in Huntsville, AR. I usually resort to calling on my cell.
I would suggest calling Ooma because this dialing problem was somehow fixed by Ooma.
I still don't understand what the problem was and how they fixed it - but it's working now.

rocksockdoc
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Re: Why can't any Ooma call the 570 area code? (Pennsylvania)

Post by rocksockdoc » Wed Jun 26, 2013 6:44 am

Oh oh. I spoke too soon!

I just tried my Verizon landline and the Ooma a few times on a similar phone number (off by a single digit in the last four), and it failed on the Ooma but worked on the landline.

1-570-897-8200 (failed yesterday, fixed by Ooma last night, works today)
1-570-897-8300 (failed just now)

Sigh.

I'm confused why "I" have to test every single phone number on the planet in order to ensure that the Ooma can route to it?
Don't they test these things with automation tools?

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