White page listing and trunk provider
Submitted by DenverSun on Mon, 05/05/2008 - 8:36pm.
I have been a Vitelity customer for over a year for my businesses. The service has been overall ok but they didn't include me in the white pages directory. Previously I had Vonage as a entry into the world of VOIP and they did include me. Now that I am using trixbox and using Vitelity as my trunk provider, Vitelity has informed me that they can't and/or wont submit me to the local directory which is maintained by Verizon (Idearc). Vitelity politely told me the following:
"..three DID are only available to have the outbound call ID name passed as the underlying carrier does not provide directory listings for the requested rate center."
What? I do not know what this means other than "no". So, I called Verizon and literally spent 2 hours talking to over 12 reps who all confirmed that I could be added to the Directory, they just didn't know how. Finally, a supervisor informed me that my provider would need to add me as all providers submit this info electronically to the Directory management entity (Verizon). I believe this to be true. Therefore, I am really stuck between a rock and a hard place as Vitelity can't / won't add me.
Can anyone suggest perhaps a new trunk provider of a similar nature that WILL enter me into the directory. Or, can anyone suggest how I might get listed in the directory? The cutoff is June 30 in my area. I love trixbox and have made substantial investment in phones, server, switch and routers to support it, but the directory is the most important to me. I do not believe in paying bloated monopolistic rates to be listed in the yellow pages as the simple one line entry with my name, address and phone number is all I need.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks.
Surprising
Mon, 05/05/2008 - 9:32pm
In AT&T (formerly Ameritech, formerly SBC, formerly Illinois-Ohio Bell) land here they charge $17.50 a month for white and yellow page column listing only.
When you call Verizon did you speak with advertising and publishing?
It would amaze you if I tried to explain how voip providers aggregate and buy DID's. Vitelity's response is accurate, they could have rephrased it instead of quoting telco babble.
"Rate Center" is a calling area within a LATA (Local Access and Transport Area). LATA's used to be defined by area codes and rate centers by central office however with code splits and wireless it's very difficult to keep track of it all.
Scott
It's a big problem in the
Mon, 05/05/2008 - 11:20pm
It's a big problem in the world of voip. The thing is CNAM hosting costs money and most of the sip providers just don't have it in their budget to provide ultra cheap origination + cnam hosting. Other origination providers just don't have the ability to do it without becoming a LEC of some sort; basically, if their upstream doesn't provide it to them, they can't provide it to you. Level 3 doesn't offer it to their wholesale customers for example. Verisign offers a service for LECs to do the CNAM hosting, but not for individuals. It really bites.. I know.
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Percy Kwong
www.swimminginthought.com
Member Since:
2008-01-07