Support

FAQs

Technology Questions:

1. What areas of the world are you currently servicing?
With no footprint restrictions, we can provide service anywhere the Customer has high-speed Internet access.

2. How long of a lead-time is needed for porting numbers?
Outbound - N/A
Inbound - 10-20 Business Days

* If BandTel provisions the number: Within 1 business day.

3. How important is bandwidth to Quality of Service (QoS) during the deployment of SIP Trunks?
To properly deploy a SIP trunk, bandwidth quality of service (QoS) must be engineered at the customer premise equipment (CPE). The following illustrates three ways to achieve this:

• Dedicated IP Circuit - if a dedicated IP circuit is provided, then no bandwidth QoS mechanism is needed. In this scenario, the IP-PBX can be connected directly to the IP facility as there is no bulk bandwidth that needs to be preempted to give the VoIP traffic priority.
  In the event that VoIP traffic and enterprise traffic are sharing the same IP connection to the WAN, a method must be put in place that allows the VoIP traffic to be given priority over bulk bandwidth. This can be done in two ways:
• MPLS IP Circuit - by tagging the voice traffic at the Label Edge Routers (LERs) at the customer premise, the VoIP traffic is given a label that has priority over other bulk traffic. In so doing, the VoIP and bulk traffic can all share the same networking resource, and simultaneously deliver the level of service that each type of traffic requires to meet its objectives.
• SIP-Aware Firewall - If MPLS circuits are not deployed, the only other way to handle bandwidth QoS is via throttling techniques at the enterprise firewall. SIP-Aware firewalls do this by deploying a variety of techniques to hold off bulk enterprise traffic in order for VoIP traffic to have priority. These techniques include the interleaving of VoIP and enterprise packets in a ratio that favors VoIP, as well as and holding off and delaying bulk data flowing over TCP connections.

4. Do you offer private labeling?
Yes, we offer both private labeling and high-volume rates.

5. Does the customer need to have a fixed IP address?
No, but this is the preferred method.

6. Do you require your end-users to register the server for service?
No, our goal is to make the process as quick and simple as possible.

7. What Codec do you currently support?
G.729 and G.711

8. What DTMF digit do you support?
We support DTMF In-band and RFC2833 signaling.

9. How do you currently handle call forwarding?
Fixed, Variable and Customer controlled. We also have an option that provides programming privileges to forward the number to the required destination.

10. What is your current status with E911?
We are in full compliance.

11. How do you handle the new standards?
Utilizing Connexon

12. You currently partner with many OEMs, are you 100% compatible with all?
We have completed more interoperability testing than any other SIP Trunking Service Provider. We are 100% compatible with all of our partners and therefore are able to offer a 100% SLA.

13. Are you willing to provide a free account to test with?
We offer 200 free minutes per month for distributors and VARs to use a selling tool.

Support Questions:

1. Is there any training that is needed to be a BandTel reseller?
Our Reseller orientation includes how to use the online accounting and revenue management tool "Total View" as well as order processing protocol, but no time-intensive training is required. We also offer weekly seminars on the benefits of SIP Trunking to help you better understand the technology.

2. What hours can I reach the sales support team?
Sales support can be reached 8am to 5pm PDT.

3. What happens when a reseller has a problem on a Saturday or after regular office hours?
If the Reseller is confident that the problem is BandTel's, then the reseller may contact BandTel directly at:

603-528-6538, Option 2
800-765-7069, Toll Free
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

4. How do you measure customer satisfaction?
We measure Customer satisfaction by QoS and reliability. QoS is determined by analyzing three statistics:

1. Trouble tickets per Customer, per month
2. Answer-Seize Ratio ("ASR") = call attempts answered / call attempts
3. Customer Retention

5. What is your customer satisfaction?

1. Trouble tickets per Customer, per month = .025
2. Involuntary call completion = Our ASR's are a function of the validity of the numbers dialed. If the numbers are valid, the ASR's average 90% or higher. This is due to the BandTel N+1 network architecture and quantity of carriers in the BandTel network.
3. Customer Retention = 98%

6. Where does the end-user go for support?
The first call is to the Reseller that sold them the system and provides maintenance.

Pricing Questions:

1. What is your current pricing structure?
a. Is it per minute basis, and if so, and how much per minute?
Yes, the rates are identified in our "Client Set-up Form." Intrastate and International rates vary by state and country.

b. Are there packages on a monthly basis?
Yes, the monthly basis plan is $40 per month for 1500 minutes of inbound, local, and domestic US 48 long-distance.

2. What is the current commission for Resellers?
Distributors earn a 5% commission for playing an active roll in marketing to their resellers, and bundling product with BandTel's service.

Resellers earn a 15% recurring revenue stream for selling BandTel Services.