COMMON SYMPTOMS
- Cannot make or receive VoIP calls.
- Cannot hear the caller or the caller can’t hear receiver.
- Line noise.
- Choppy or stuttering calls.
- Lag on the voice line.
BASIC TROUBLESHOOTING
- Make sure your internet connection is working. You must resolve all issues with the Internet before troubleshooting VoIP.
- Power cycle the modem.
- Physical set-up – Make sure that your Yealink W52P is correctly connected to the Fibre box (no loose/broken connections). Ensure that all cables and handsets used for your VoIP service are undamaged and plugged in securely.
- Ensure that your Android phone app, Zoiper/GS Wave has an internet connection through your WiFi/Mobile data (The indicator light on the app needs to be green/say ‘Ready’)
- Ensure that the handset used for your VoIP service has sufficient power, particularly if it is cordless and uses batteries.
- Check VoIP Registration. If the VoIP isn’t registered, check your VoIP credentials on Client Zone.
FAQs
How do I use my VoIP Number?
A VoIP phone is plugged directly into your modem and acts like a normal phone. You just need to load the line configuration data onto the device.
What is a softphone?
A softphone is a phone that lets you make calls over the internet from a computer or other smart device. As the name would imply, it is a piece of software that acts as a phone interface, allowing you to dial phone numbers and carry out other phone-related functions via a screen.
Can I use it on my mobile phone?
Yes, but you’ll need to install a compatible SIP/VoIP application for your phone and your cellular network provider must allow SIP calling over their data network.
How does the billing work?
Prepaid/top-ups, per-second billing. All calls made to destinations outside of our VoIP network are charged for on a per-second billing basis. Once your account is activated, you will have access to the customer control panel where you can browse our full VoIP tariff list.
Do you get charged for calling to ‘toll-free’ numbers’?
Yes.
Will I be able to port my existing voice number from Telkom?
Yes, you ill need your latest Telkom bill, proof of payment, an authorisation form, pay the once-off and have a zero balance on your Telkom phone account.
How can I track the progress of my VoIP order?
You can track your order status in your Webafrica Client Zone.
I have an intermittent call and quality drops, what could this be?
This can sometimes be the challenge with Internet calls; as your device has to share the internet with many other devices and users and there may be no priority for your Voice connection.
My VoIP is great, but I call a particular number, and it always has bad quality?
This can be the result of a certain route which the VoIP carrier is using for that particular network.
Your provider should be able to look at the problem calls and check whether there is a network link causing high delay times.
VoIP calls used to be good, but now I notice that they are choppy and drop?
If you haven’t changed any settings on your Internet or VoIP hardware, it could be that there are network issues somewhere along the line. Give us a call and ask us to test your connection for any faults. We may ask you for some information around the date and time of the occurrence, etc. so make whatever notes you can before calling.
How do I get rid of the echo that the person being called complains about?
You could try and turn down your phone volume. Acoustic feedback from the speaker to the microphone of a telephone handset can cause an echo. Keep your VoIP devices and Handsets away from other electromagnetic devices. In some cases, it can be due to network connections and/or your carrier. In these cases, the echo will most likely go away within a few hours. In other cases, echoes can be caused by faulty or corroded wiring. Check your phone-jack and make sure the wire and connections are clean.
I pick up the receiver and have no dial tone. What can the issue be?
First, make sure that you have power and an active internet connection. If you do have a connection to the Internet, but no dial tone, do a power reset, starting with the router and VoIP device. Power them back in the sequence, the router first, then the VoIP device, making sure to give the modem some time to reconnect with the ISP.
I make good two-way calls, but three-way calls sound terrible. What can I do?
This is most likely a bandwidth issue. In terms of sizing, a typical single two-way call needs approximately 60 Kbps (depending on the codec used), a single three-way call would require at least 90 Kbps of bandwidth. This bandwidth needs to be available on both the upload and download stream. Make sure you have sufficient bandwidth, and that should solve the problem.
I hear a buzz or static on the line, is this normal?
It is not normal to hear buzzing. This can be caused by line or phone interference, or faulty grounding in the phone circuitry. Try another phone to see if the issue is resolved, if not, make sure that your earthing is correct and that there isn’t a clump of cables close by which may be causing this interference.
When I make a call, I can hear the person completely fine, but they can’t hear me.
This is phenomenon is called one-way audio and can be caused by firewall settings such as NAT which causes the returning voice data to incorrectly reach the voice server and the caller. A way to get around this is to configure the settings on a cell phone and test over another form of data connection that doesn’t go through the router. This can also be caused by the incorrect codec being selected and used; this would need to be adjusted on the phone’s base station.
I dial a number and get a period of silence. Is this normal?
VoIP calls could sometimes take a longer period to connect than traditional PSTN lines; this could be a result of the route that the VoIP provider uses to pass the call to the calling parties network.
I dial a valid number and get a recording stating “the number does not exist.”
Make sure you are dialing the full number including any prefix (i.e., 011). If you still do not get through, call your provider and tell them the number and time of the call and they can look at the situation. Always try and check whether this happens to all destinations, or just to a certain network or type of call, i.e. mobile.
What codecs does your system use?
G729, G711
Please note: All Webafrica deals and packages are subject to change without notification. These include our terms and conditions as it relates to costs and deal/package structures for all of our service providers.