Fongo Community Forums

Hi all,

Several days ago, home phone service stopped working but it wasn't due to any Fongo outage as per their site.
Checking the Grandstream HT801, only the Power light is on. The left and right ethernet/internet and telephone lights remain completely off at all times.
Fongo support suggested that it might be a bad ethernet connection but it is not the case. All ethernet ports and wires from the modem work (tested with other devices). The yellow and green led lights on the ethernet port remain off when connected to the modem.

Another noticeable issue is that I cannot perform a factory reset with a paperclip/pin at all. Several attempts failed and the power light just remains on with no change.

Does all this mean the Grandstream is dead/bricked? We've use it for about 15 months now with relatively little issues but will likely switch providers if there is no fix.

My HT801 also behaved like yours. Technical support said it is dead. It only lasted for 14 months. I am disappointed that this hardware failed so quickly. I have ordered another one for replacement, and if it fails again, I'll have to switch to something else.

My HT801 ATA failed after 14 months. How long did yours last?

I don't have a Grandstream ATA. However, in general the power adapters for ATAs are often susceptible to electrical surges (whether they be from storms or something else) and power outages. If you have another compatible power adapter available, you might want to try it just to see if your ATA still works.

I have a whole house surge protector in the breaker box in my basement, and all of my ATAs and IP Phones are either plugged into a UPS or battery backup.
I've never had an ATA die since 2009.

My neighbourhood is horrible for power fluctuations. The power flickers off and back on at least twice a month (sometimes multiple times a week). I always hear my battery backups kick in, practically every week. It's nuts. My neighbours don't even notice, except when their lights flicker momentarily. Anyway, I've had to protect all of my electronics. I find cheap surge protectors in power bars are often unreliable.

Also, keep ATAs in well-ventilated areas. Don't stack objects up against them or otherwise block airflow to them.

Lastly, don’t connect an ATA to a phone jack in a home without first disconnecting the telephone company’s wiring at the demarc. Electricity from the telephone company’s wiring can fry the ATA.

Thanks for your reply. You are right that my HT801 was fried. The power sources was not protected from power surge. There was a thunder storm recently. All of my Audio visual equipment are connected to a APC, except the dead HT801. The new unit arrived today, and I have connected it to a APC surge protector. Hopefully it won't happen again.

I'm still using a Grandstream HT286 purchased from FPL in 2012 and it works flawlessly.
This ATA is always plugged to a surge protector.

Any update on a fix?

I started having the same issue with my Grandstream 801 a few days ago.
I've only had this for about 16 months now.
Only power light is on, and it remains on when trying to perform a factory reset.

Did fongo provide a replacement for free or will they charge you again for a new adapter?

Typically after 30 days, you will be charged for another ATA if it's defective. Service providers generally aren't responsible for devices that aren't being rented.

While I've never owned a Grandstream ATA, in general the power adapters for ATAs are often susceptible to electrical surges, power outages, and electrical issues related to storms. If you have another compatible power adapter available, you might want to try it just to see if your ATA still works.

I have a whole house surge protector in the breaker box in my basement, and all of my ATAs and IP Phones are either plugged into a UPS or battery backup.
I've never had an ATA die since 2009.

My neighbourhood is horrible for power fluctuations. The power flickers off and back on at least twice a month (sometimes multiple times a week). I always hear my battery backups kick in, practically every week. It's nuts. My neighbours don't even notice, except when their lights flicker momentarily. Anyway, I've had to protect all of my electronics. I find cheap surge protectors in power bars are often unreliable.

Also, keep ATAs in well-ventilated areas. Don't stack objects up against them or otherwise block airflow to them.

Lastly, don’t connect an ATA to a phone jack in a home without first disconnecting the telephone company’s wiring at the demarc. Electricity from the telephone company’s wiring can fry the ATA.