Some incoming calls producing abnormal audio with HT-802

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Some incoming calls producing abnormal audio with HT-802

Postby s2000 » 12/06/2021

Hi there,

I recently bought a Grandstream HT-802 ATA for my parents. They ported their number over from Bell to FPL. My parents have no issues making outgoing calls. With incoming calls it is a little bit of a different story. Sometimes there are no issues with incoming calls. Everything is fine. Other times they only hear this noise which sounds like some sort of interference, but you can clearly not hear anyone on the other line. Also, when they hang up the phone, their phone rings again right away and it is from the same number. When they answer it the second time they hear the same weird noise. Occasionally it will happen a third time in a row. I have attached a sample of the sound that they are hearing when they pick up the phone. Also, when messages go to their answering machine for their handset (not the FPL VM), some messages have this same noise and others are perfectly fine.

I've installed the latest firmware for the ATA from the Grandstream website http://www.grandstream.com/support/firmware. My parents are on Fido cable internet and have a CGN3 modem. I have gone into the settings for the modem and have disabled SIP ALG which I am supposed to do according to other posts on this forum. When I installed the ATA I followed this guide viewtopic.php?f=15&t=18839 and verified multiple times that I entered all the settings correctly.

Hoping someone can help me out.

Thanks!
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s2000
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Re: Some incoming calls not connecting

Postby Liptonbrisk » 12/06/2021

I started writing a huge response for things to check, but then I listened to the audio.
I still think you should login at https://www.freephoneline.ca/doGetCallLogs, and check to see whether you see the calls in question.
If you do, I can rule out SIP scanners/port scanners/hackers (I'm pretty sure I can anyway), and you probably have "Allow Incoming SIP Messages from SIP Proxy Only" set to "Yes" in the ATA already.

Do your parents recognize the incoming phone number? That is, is the call from a friend, relative, or known business? If not, then I suspect junk faxes or fax spam.

The fax machine fails to connect (due to the call being answered by you or your parents), and then it starts polling intermittently (long beep heard at the start of the audio file) to see if it gets a response. The process is automated. And then the fax machine auto-redials a certain number of times before it gives up (my own fax machine is set to do the same thing: auto redial on busy or failure).

I would not answer the call and let it reach FPL's voicemail system instead.
Login at https://www.freephoneline.ca/voicemailSettings
Once the fax reaches FPL's voicemail system, the fax will automatically be converted to PDF file format, and if "voicemail to email" is set to "copy" or "forward", you'll get the PDF file emailed to you if you wait long enough ("Voicemail Forwarding Email" address needs to be entered). Then you can take a look at the PDF file to see who the culprit might be.
FPL's voicemail system automatically converts incoming faxes to PDF file format.

There is a related post over here: https://forums.redflagdeals.com/fido-lt ... #p30270827.
I've discussed scam calls from faxes before here (with respect to Fongo Mobile): viewtopic.php?f=32&t=19278.

There's also something called ringless voicemail. The way that works is a spammer calls you twice almost simultaneously. When the second call reaches voicemail, the first call is disconnected, and quite often this process is so fast, there’s no ring or only a very short, tiny sound. The second call will drop to voicemail due to the first making the system busy. Then the spammer can leave a pre-recorded message.
This process is all automated. Apparently, some debt collection agencies use that method in addition to advertisers or spammers. I don't think that's happening in this case.

It's fax spam.

You can also block that specific number (if your parents' phone/handset can't). Page 36 of the admin guide for your ATA mentions a blacklist for incoming calls feature: http://www.grandstream.com/sites/defaul ... _guide.pdf.
You would find that feature under the advanced settings section of your ATA's web user interface.

Also visit https://forums.grandstream.com/t/ht802- ... king/44167

Calls from blocked numbers will drop directly to FPL's voicemail system.
Please do not send me emails; I do not work for nor represent Freephoneline or Fongo. Post questions on the forums so that others may learn from responses or assist you. Thank you. If you have an issue with your account or have a billing issue, submit a ticket here: https://support.fongo.com/hc/en-us/requests/new. Visit http://status.fongo.com/ to check FPL/Fongo service status. Freephoneline setup guides can be found at viewforum.php?f=15.
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Re: Some incoming calls not connecting

Postby s2000 » 12/08/2021

Thanks for your response Liptonbrisk.

So I logged into my online account and checked my call logs and interestingly no calls have been logged that originated/received to/from the Grandstream HT-802 ATA. I checked calls for this month and last month and not one call is logged, even calls that have been successful between my parents and I. I just tried making a call using the desktop app and the call registered in the call log. In summary, no calls to/from the ATA are being logged, but calls being made from the desktop app are being logged.

The interference noise that my parents hear on incoming calls happen on both numbers they recognize and numbers that they don't recognize. It has actually happened when I have called them. When I called, they phone just kept ringing on my end. My parents said they had heard their phone ring, picked it up and heard the interference noise. They hung up the phone, it rang again and they picked it up only to hear the interference noise again all the while I was only hearing the phone ring on my end.

Hope that helps.
s2000
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Re: Some incoming calls not connecting

Postby Liptonbrisk » 12/08/2021

s2000 wrote:So I logged into my online account and checked my call logs and interestingly no calls have been logged that originated/received to/from the Grandstream HT-802 ATA. I checked calls for this month and last month and not one call is logged, even calls that have been successful between my parents and I.


Due to the current "Call Switch Platform Migration" (visit https://status.fongo.com/ for updates; read the notes under "Dec. 08, 2021") looking at old call logs is not currently useful at the moment. My calls logs are missing as well. When I posted, they were listed. So, I'd wait for maintenance work to be completed before checking or testing anything again. I'm not even sure if old call logs will be shown afterwards.

I just tried making a call using the desktop app and the call registered in the call log. In summary, no calls to/from the ATA are being logged, but calls being made from the desktop app are being logged.


For what it's worth, when there are multiple devices/softphones/lines using the same account, only the most recent registration is valid. The previous device will lose registration, and, consequently, incoming calls will not work on it. This is especially important to consider if someone else is using your SIP credentials (username and password) that are found after logging in at https://www.freephoneline.ca/showSipSettings or if you're trying to register your FPL account with a smartphone SIP app (or FPL desktop app) or with another device. Registration is required for incoming calls. It is not required for outgoing calls. Only one registration per FPL account is allowed at any time. A single line on an ATA is one registration. A SIP app is another. Similarly, registering two lines, simultaneously, on an ATA with the same FPL account is not permitted.

The interference noise that my parents hear on incoming calls happen on both numbers they recognize and numbers that they don't recognize.


That's really odd. I was almost positive that was a fax machine. Do they have an all-in-one printer or fax machine in their home?
Usually if I hear that beep I think of a robocall or fax

Do they have an answering machine attached or integrated into their phone base that's picking up the call after a certain number of rings?

Normally, when someone mentions static, I suspect interference from some other nearby device (move away from other devices and try another phone and power supply), but that beep is throwing me off.
What happens when they try dialing ***, let's say 10 times in a row? Do they encounter the same issue? If so, the ATA or phone is defective.



It has actually happened when I have called them. When I called, they phone just kept ringing on my end. My parents said they had heard their phone ring, picked it up and heard the interference noise. They hung up the phone, it rang again and they picked it up only to hear the interference noise again all the while I was only hearing the phone ring on my end.


Wow, I find this situation puzzling. They don't have the ATA wired into an existing phone jack in the wall of the home, right?

I'm skeptical this will make a difference, but try changing primary proxy server in the ATA to "voip4.freephoneline.ca:6060" without the quotation marks.

Try unplugging the ATA. Then see if you can reproduce this problem with FPL's desktop app using your parents’ FPL account.
If you can, submit a ticket: https://support.fongo.com/hc/en-us/requests/new (mention you think there may have been a porting issue).
I would choose "my account inquiry" for the final issue type.
Possibly there was a problem with an incomplete number port (sorry, I'm not sure since I've never experienced what you're describing).

They ported their number over from Bell to FPL.


Did everything work fine before porting?

I hope others have some ideas.
I'm not sure what's causing this problem.
Please do not send me emails; I do not work for nor represent Freephoneline or Fongo. Post questions on the forums so that others may learn from responses or assist you. Thank you. If you have an issue with your account or have a billing issue, submit a ticket here: https://support.fongo.com/hc/en-us/requests/new. Visit http://status.fongo.com/ to check FPL/Fongo service status. Freephoneline setup guides can be found at viewforum.php?f=15.
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Liptonbrisk
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SIP Device Name: Obihai 202/2182, Groundwire
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