[earroyave]

Does anyone have any information (beyond that which is published at the website http://www.broadvoice.com/support_in...i_voip-bv.html) regarding this device? Anyone out there already put it to the test? Who makes this and can it run on other VoIP SIP providers?

Thanks!

EA

[AlexanderBell]

I bought one through BroadVoice's business partner, Hello Direct. It's the UTStarcom F1000, and it was actually shipped from BroadVoice. At least the one with the firmware I received is an absolute piece of garbage. In a 10-word conversation, the party on the other end might be able to decipher 3-5 words. There apparently are later firmware releases, but the Hello Direct folks seem to be clueless and don't respond to emails.

[earroyave]

Thanks for the feedback! I found a posting on Vonage from a user in the UK ranting and raving about voice quality and this unit, so all might not be lost. I tried to get some information on firmware from the manufacturer but their site does not seem to be too stable - you need to register to access their forums and the server croaks when registering.

Now the question is whether this device can be found and purchased for use with whichever service I want or if it is tied to specific service providers.

[mberlant]

As a rule, anything with Vonage's name anywhere near it is hard locked to Vonage and can never be used with any other service.

[AlexanderBell]

I'm still going round and round with Hello Direct about this phone. They agreed to replace it yesterday. I also noticed that their site now says the phone is only for use with BroadVoice. The BroadVoice-distributed firmware is two full versions behind the Vonage version which probably accounts for the difference in voice quality. If you like being a pioneer with the arrows in the back and all that, then this is the phone for you.

[mberlant]

Not trying to make excuses, but it seems to me that BV's WiSIP phone having older firmware than Vonage's is a product of the two companies' divergent provisioning philosophies.

Vonage has always been a service that can only be used with equipment tailored to their network and firmly locked down. BroadVoice, on the other hand, has always been a service that favored flexibility and wide appeal over rigidity.

So, my observation (and only my observation, without direct evidence) is that Vonage can keep their limited stable of locked down devices more up to date than can BroadVoice, who want to serve a wider variety of customers.

p.s. Personally, I would like to get a hold of that device and integrate it into my Asterisk. I considered the ZyXel 2000W, but having to reboot the phone to get it to sync with a newly discovered AP is a show stopper for me - I want a phone that will automatically register when in range of a compatible AP, just like a cell phone in a fringe area.

[Kukulut]

Hi
This is the phone from BV ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT????


http://www.broadvoice.com/wifi_voip_phone.html

ANY COMMENTS?
I'M TEMPTED TO BUY ONE BUT YOU NEVER KNOW.
BV UNTIL TODAY OK WITH ME no problems my usage about 1000-1300
min a month international about a 1000 just to Chile .
Thanks MBERLANT IS WORKING FINE AFTER YOUR HELP.
KUKULUT

[AlexanderBell]

Well, I got the replacement phone from Hello Direct. They've changed their ads, by the way. The phones now are advertised as being locked to BroadVoice. But, when the phone arrived (much later firmware), it wasn't locked. BroadVoice had merely pre-provisioned a link to let me switch from BYOD plan to this phone. I didn't take the bait and manually configured it to work with Asterisk. You'll need the default password 888888 to plug your own password for your Asterisk user name (extension). But it works great! Sounds great! So the sound problems were definitely caused by the two generations out of date firmware on the first phone. This one is as good as any cell phone. Happy Camper here. :lol:

[mberlant]

Thank you for the update. I am hungry to get a WiSIP phone, but am looking for one that can hop from unlocked AP to unlocked AP automatically without needing a reboot to search for the new AP and lock on to it. How does the firmware on your phone fare in this regard?

[AlexanderBell]

You can make it hop to seek out other WiFi AP's with one button click from the main screen but, if the Hot Spot requires some sort of acknowledgment before handing out an IP address, this firmware still can't do that, i.e. there's no web browser on the phone. For around the house or a vacation home or a neighbor's house, it's just about perfect now.