Calls to my FPL hang when ATA is off w/ Status "connected"

[fguser100]

I've been using my freephoneline with key for about a year.

Follow me is set to Enable, Simultaneous, Always callforward. This setup works fine for me. Whenever I don't answer my phone, it goes to voicemail of the "Follow me number" ( forwarded number ).

Today I decided to disable "Follow me" and turn off my ATA to see if it goes to my FPL voicemail . When I call my FPL ( with ATA off and Follow me disable ), the call just hang : meaning it does not ring and it does not go to FPL voicemail. Tests were made from 2 different phone number, each from different vendor and the result is the same : it just hang ( does not ring and does not go to voicemail ).
FPL SIP status is : connected ( my ATA is already off for over 15 minutes )

Does anyone have this issue before ?

[fguser100]

I just retried and wait ; after about 1 minutes and 30 seconds, the call got cancelled. It did not go to voicemail.
I repeat the test 3 times and the result is the same : call got cancelled and didn't go to voicemail.

I'll wait until the status changed to "disconnect" and retry and will update the post later on.

[Liptonbrisk]

Registration status intervals with FPL are 3600 seconds. That is, your SIP device attempts to register every hour (approximately), and registration status doesn't change until the existing registration period expires.

With Follow Me off, immediately after turning off your ATA, you should hear silence (for approximately 20 seconds) while the call attempts to reach your ATA and can't. Finally, the call drops to FPL's voicemail system. This has always happened since I started using FPL in 2010. I tested an incoming call to FPL with a Telus carrier number.


viewtopic.php?f=10&t=5068&p=26936&#p26936

If your registration to the SIP server drops without a de-register packet being sent then our server will still see you as being registered and will be trying to send calls to your user agent (causing a busy signal because you aren't technically registered anymore). Eventually the registration on our server refreshes, sees that you aren't there anymore, and triggers calls to voicemail.

With Follow Me on (Simultaneous), immediately after turning off your ATA, you should hear ringing while the call goes through to the Follow Me number(s). I tested this with a couple numbers.

When SIP status changes to "disconnected" with Follow Me off, the incoming call should reach FPL's voicemail system immediately.

[Liptonbrisk]

It did not go to voicemail.

I guess you verified that here: https://www.freephoneline.ca/doGetCallLogs?

I'm uncertain what would cause that, especially if Follow Me is disabled.

I'll check some of my other FPL accounts.

[Liptonbrisk]

I'll check some of my other FPL accounts.

I'm seeing the same expected behaviour I described earlier when calling another FPL number.

[fguser100]

I did not verify Call logs. I actually timed (with a watch) my calls and it got cancelled after around 1 minute and 30 seconds. It never went to voicemail.

[Liptonbrisk]

It never went to voicemail.

Login at https://www.freephoneline.ca/doGetCallLog to see whether that's true and not a 1-way audio issue.

Listed calls in the log must be answered in some manner (otherwise, they're not listed), and reaching FPL's voicemail system counts as the call being answered. All call durations are rounded to the nearest minute in the logs.

So, if you see "To" with your FPL number listed at the time(s) you called, something answered.

[fguser100]

As I mentioned earlier, I tested with 2 different phone number from 2 different vendors.

Phone number 1 ( another FPL connected with Desktop Appl : I don't have key for this number ) : I do see these calls in my call logs but I got no voicemail - elapse showed in logs is about 15 seconds for each call
Phone number 2 ( from vendor voip.ms ) : I don't see any of these calls in my calls log and none of them went to voicemail ( got disconnected after around 1 minutes and 30 seconds ).

[Liptonbrisk]

As I mentioned earlier, I tested with 2 different phone number from 2 different vendors.

That doesn't change anything I wrote previously.

I do see these calls in my call logs but I got no voicemail

Rather, you didn't hear voicemail, and if there's a SIP ALG (one-way audio) issue on your end (or NAT issue), you wouldn't have heard or recorded anything when speaking. You haven't actually proven the call didn't reach FPL's voicemail system.


So the incoming calls are coming from SIP numbers.

1) What brand and model modem are you using?

2) What brand and model router are you using?

The most likely culprit is either not getting true bridge mode or having some form of SIP ALG enabled.

3) Try testing an incoming call using a regular landline or regular mobility number.

Phone number 2 ( from vendor voip.ms ) : I don't see any of these calls in my calls log and none of them went to voicemail ( got disconnected after around 1 minutes and 30 seconds ).

That is odd.

Did voip.ms charge you for the duration of the call? Login at https://voip.ms/m/cdr.php.

Anyway, I can test from both services.

[fguser100]

1) What brand and model modem are you using? Coda-4680

2) What brand and model router are you using? Coda-4680 ( this is a modem and router integrated )

The most likely culprit is either not getting true bridge mode or having some form of SIP ALG enabled. : -- > SIP Alg is disable

3) Try testing an incoming call using a regular landline or regular mobility number.
Just tested with 2 different phone numbers
- Phone number 3 ( fongo ) : it did reach voice mail and I got it in my inbox
- Phone number 4 ( cell ) : it did reach voice mail and I got iit n my inbox

Did voip.ms charge you for the duration of the call? I do see calls from voip.ms to my FPL with no charge ( elapse time 0 ).

I also tried voip.ms with sip client on my cell phone using cellphone data (not using Coda-4680) to call my FPL and the result is the same : it disconnected without going to voicemail.

So the problem seems to be on the voip.ms side.

[Liptonbrisk]

I can reproduce this issue with VoIP.ms, Anveo, and Anveo Direct. I wasn't charged. I could test others, but I won't.

I can't reproduce it with FPL/Fongo Mobile, Telus (and I strongly suspect from Bell and Rogers) carrier numbers, and Google Voice. Those all work as expected.

When SIP status shows "disconnected" at https://www.freephoneline.ca/showSipSettings, all incoming calls from every service goes straight to FPL's voicemail system.
So, at most, you would need to wait for an hour for SIP Status to change from "connected" to "disconnected".

[Liptonbrisk]

I do see calls from voip.ms to my FPL with no charge ( elapse time 0 ).

Same here. I also tested some other SIP services. I can also test another major one besides the ones I mentioned, but this is getting to be work.

If you were charged, then the call connected, but you weren't charged.

So the problem seems to be on the voip.ms side.

Well, that's debatable. However, I'm not going to get into an argument with anyone about it. Respectfully, I don't think I can bother Fongo about competing services that aren't reaching FPL's voicemail system wihen SIP status shows "connected" despite the SIP device/app being offline. The end point isn't reachable despite the SIP status showing "connected" (true registration status doesn't get updated until the existing registration period expires).


On the other hand, it seems to me that FPL wants incoming calls to connect so that they can make some money off of incoming termination fees. So it would make sense for them to want these incoming calls to be answered by FPL's voicemail system.

[fguser100]

I just made another test with a different voip.ms configuration and it did reach my FPL voicemail : using Bring sip client on my windows PC connect to a different voip.ms server and disable encryption.

I will make different test with diffent voip.ms server to see tomorrow (or when I have time) and I will post results here.

[Liptonbrisk]

Phone number 1 ( another FPL connected with Desktop Appl : I don't have key for this number )

I reach FPL's voicemail with the desktop app. I can't reproduce what you experienced with FPL to FPL.

If you're seeing a call listed in FPL's call log, then it was answered, and I strongly suspect it was answered by FPL's voicemail system (in your case I do believe the problem was NAT related when you tested) despite you not hearing anything or being able to record anything.

- Phone number 3 ( fongo ) : it did reach voice mail and I got it in my inbox

Then FPL's desktop app should reach your VoIP unlock key account's voicemail for you as well, unless you were using Fongo Mobile with cellular data.

FPL and Fongo Mobile use Fibernetics' network.

[Liptonbrisk]

I just made another test with a different voip.ms configuration and it did reach my FPL voicemail : using Bring sip client on my windows PC connect to a different voip.ms server and disable encryption.

I will make different test with diffent voip.ms server to see tomorrow (or when I have time) and I will post results here.

What does SIP status show when you visit https://www.freephoneline.ca/showSipSettings at the time you tested?

FPL voicemail will always be reachable (from all services I tested) when SIP status indicates "disconnected".

It's been over an hour since you posted originally.

[fguser100]

What does SIP status show when you visit https://www.freephoneline.ca/showSipSettings at the time you tested? Connected.

I just checked again and my SIP status is still Connected . I re-test my "Bring sip client with different voip.ms server" and I did got cancel and it did not reach voicemail.
So the previous "success" connections ( twice ) were just a coincidence.

I will open a ticket with voip.ms tomorrow to see what they say .

[Liptonbrisk]

I re-test my "Bring sip client with different voip.ms server" and I did got cancel

CANCEL is normally seen in SIP logs due to the user hanging up before the other end answers.
CANCEL is sent. The response is supposed to be 200 OK, and then 487 is supposed to be sent back

With a different SIP service, one SIP trace is showing "487 Request Expired" for me after not receiving a response, which differs from "487 Request Terminated" after my hanging up (response to cancel).

Anyway, that's not very useful because I still can't see what's going on (why I'm not getting a response).

I don't see 503, 480, 504, or any other SIP error codes.

Device syslog is similarly useless.


** If another mod or Fongo staff member wants me to delete all SIP services I mentioned in this thread, feel free to send me a private message (and I will go ahead and do that). I just wanted to test with more services.

[Liptonbrisk]

So the previous "success" connections ( twice ) were just a coincidence.

Unless the https://www.freephoneline.ca/showSipSettings webpage was cached and should have shown "disconnected" instead . . .

Next time, just to make sure, try logging out and back in right before you place a test call, please.

VoIP.ms can use different carriers and routes to connect calls. It's possible a different one was used at one point after you switched servers (but that seems unlikely to me unless you switched from "Value" to "Premium" rates).


I'm not sure whether some SIP services drop calls after no response for 20 seconds, but that seems overly aggressive. I'm skeptical that's happening here.

[fguser100]

15-Feb-2023 09:00 : FPL status is disconnected
- calls from voip.ms go to voice mail after 5 rigns as expected.

15-Feb-2023 09:28 : Turn off ATA and FPL status is Connected
- 3 Calls from voip.ms did go to voicemail after 2 minutes and ~45 seconds (phone number 2 as I refered to yesteday - value call from a different ATA ) ;
- 2 calls from phone number 4 (Brink sip - Premium ) : calls disconnected after about 1:30 (1 minute 30 seconds )
- 2 calls from phone number 4(Brink sip - Value ) : calls disconnected after over 1:30

15-Feb-2023 11:00 : ATA is still off and FPL status is Connected ( I log off and log back on ) - after 1 hour and 30 minutes : status is still connected when ATA is off
- 2 calls from phone number 4 (Brink sip - Value ) : calls disconnected after over 1:30
- 1 call from phone number 2 ( Diff ATA - Value ) : go to voicemail after 2 minutes ~45 seconds

15-Feb-2023 11:10: ATA is still off and FPL status is Connected ( log off - cleared browser cache - log back in )

15-Feb-2023 11:19: ATA is still off and FPL status is Connected ( log off- log back in )
- 1 call from phone number 2 ( Diff ATA - Value ) : go to voicemail after 2 minutes ~45 seconds

15-Feb-2023 11:57: ATA is still off and FPL status is Connected ( log off- log back in )

voip.ms behaviors are different from yesterday ; there are some consistencies , but it could be coincidences.

I did not open a ticket with voip.ms as I realized that I have no control when they will do their test ( Unless I have to turn on and off my ata every 59 minutes and to make sure that FPL status is connected when ATA is off )

[Liptonbrisk]

15-Feb-2023 09:00 : FPL status is disconnected
- calls from voip.ms go to voice mail after 5 rigns as expected.

That's not normal if Follow Me is disabled. Incoming calls should go straight to FPL's voicemail with no ringing (or a very short one), regardless of what "Rings Before Voicemail" is set to when SIP status shows "disconnected".

Nothing I do reproduces ringing under those conditions.

15-Feb-2023 09:28 : Turn off ATA and FPL status is Connected
- 3 Calls from voip.ms did go to voicemail after 2 minutes and ~45 seconds

I can't get any empty silence (no response) call to FPL to last that long (SIP Status "connected" with end point or useragent offline), regardless of what SIP device/SIP app/SIP service provider I use to make the outgoing call to FPL.

15-Feb-2023 11:00 : ATA is still off and FPL status is Connected ( I log off and log back on ) - after 1 hour and 30 minutes

I couldn't reproduce that last night. SIP status changed after registration period expired. Regardless, that's not something I have time to test (I can't keep logging back into to a bunch of FPL accounts over and over again at various times to check; that's a time waster for me, and there's no API to integrate with that would making checking easier).

The bottom line is that when SIP status shows "disconnected", VoIP.ms and Anveo Direct calls reach FPL's voicemail system when Follow Me is disabled. I'm also wasting account credits testing (albeit not much), but given that I don't even use VoIP.ms for much of anything anymore, I'm not interested in adding more money to that account just for testing purposes. That particular account doesn't have a DID assigned to it.


With Telus (I'm pretty sure I tested Bell and Rogers carrier numbers with this scenario in the past), Google Voice, Freephoneline, and Fongo Mobile an approximate 20 second pause occurs when SIP status shows "connected" with the endpoint being offline before reaching FPL's voicemail system. That's been the case since 2010, so that's expected behaviour with FPL. Eventually SIP status changes to "disconnected" while the endpoint remains offline, and all incoming calls, in turn, reach FPL's voicemail system immediately when Follow Me is disabled.

[fguser100]

It's now 13:24 and my FPL status is still connected ( almost 4 hours after turning off my ATA )

I will go back to my old configuration so can I ensure to have a voicemail in case something goes wrong with my ATA.

Thank you very much for you help.

[Liptonbrisk]

It's now 13:24 and my FPL status is still connected ( almost 4 hours after turning off my ATA )

That definitely shouldn't happen unless another device or app is periodically registering with the same FPL account. That's certainly not normal or expected behaviour, and I promise that last night I was not waiting around for over 4 hours before receiving a "disconnected" status.

You should be able to recognize the SIP User Agent at https://www.freephoneline.ca/showSipSettings.

I did take one of my IP Phones offline around 1:16 p.m. EST today. I'll check back later.

[Liptonbrisk]

Okay, this is pretty strange.

It's 2:25 p.m., and the IP phone still shows "connected" at FPL's website. The registration period definitely expired.
This makes checking registration status in FPL's web portal completely useless, except for trying to determine whether someone else is using your FPL credentials (based on SIP User Agent).

This situation is also strange because SIP Status was being updated as expected before I went to sleep last night.

I'll try asking someone.

[Liptonbrisk]

PortaSIP (switch vendor) seems to be using a 14400 second expiry value when it can't find or doesn't parse the "expires=3600" (seconds) value when it's sent with SIP Contact headers.
I'm not sure whether anything can be done.


Contact: "LiptonBrisk" <sip:1FPLnumber@LANIP:localudpsipportnumber>;expires=3600;+sip.instance="<urn:uuid:00000000-0000-0000-0000-9bunchaletters>"

expires=3600 appears to be ignored (or not parsed) and changed to 14400 seconds.


This isn't affecting all user agents, but it is affecting many.

[Liptonbrisk]

A very nice, gracious person at Fongo fixed the problem!!! I haven't tested, but I think it's fixed.

This individual "added a block to parse expires off the contact header".

Well, the 14400 second expiry is fixed.

You would need to restart your SIP device or app in order to check (register again and then disconnect).


https://www.freephoneline.ca/showSipSettings reflects "PortaSIP's location table for non-expired user agent" when "connected" is shown.



I'm not sure exactly what's going on with VoIP.ms and Anveo when trying to reach FPL's voicemail while an FPL UA (user agent) is offline despite SIP Status showing "connected" at https://www.freephoneline.ca/showSipSettings. I have no way of determining whether the calls are even reaching Fibernetics in that case (seems unlikely). If the calls aren't reaching Fibernetics, then I believe it's more difficult for Fongo to determine where the issue lies than with the service provider used to send the call. Regardless, it shouldn't take more than an hour (3600 seconds) for the "connected" status to change to "disconnected" now, and, at that point, all incoming calls from all sources should reach FPL's voicemail system when Follow Me is disabled.