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Does anyone here have any first hand experience with using VOIP over ICE-supplied DSL? My plans are to move to Costa Rica in August and run my business from there via DSL and VOIP. I was told that ICE is turning off the DSL lines of anyone who connects VOIP. Can anyone confirm or deny this?
If the VOIP option evaporates, then what (if any) other options are there for reasonable telecom between CR and the USA? My business relies heavily on phone, fax and Internet.
A friend recently referred me to a new company in Costa Rica that appears, from its website, to be affiliated with Vonage. You call a local number, key in your account number and PIN, then dial 1 + Area Code + number and it rings in the U.S. From the appearance of the website, you may have access to other countries as well. So it seems to work like a pre-paid calling card.
The good news is that the cost is $.03 or $.039 per minute. (The website suggests $.039; the folks in Costa Rica say it’s $.03.)
Enrollment is simple. You call the Costa Rican number, answer a couple of questions, then deposit $10 or more in their account at Banco Nacional. Then you call them back with the document number from the bank receipt, get your account number and PIN, and you’re in business.
If you’re interested, e-mail me at: daveandmarcia@racsa.co.cr.
Well, If ICE is doing this, it’s unbelievably short-sighted….especially since it doesn’t use any more bandwidth than many chat applications…
I’m not sure this is even true…I haven’t seen any confirmation of this, just rumors as far as I know.From the letters section of today’s “Inside Costa Rica”
ICE has effectively blocked VOIP from Vonage on their ADSL service. Ports 10,000 – 20,000 are closed and these ports are required for audio transmission.
The workaround is to get a public IP from ICE and then the ports are open.
Unfortunately, getting a public IP from ICE is a read ordeal and requires a fairly high level of technical knowledge to successfully complete the application for the public IP.ICE is trying to hold back the tide of the future by suggesting legislation that would make VOIP illegal. It would make much more sense for ICE to offer VOIP in connection with its’ various Internet connection services (ADSL & RDSI). This positive approach would provide income to ICE and not make criminals out of people using VOIP service.
The fact is that ICE still has a constitutional monopoly on the ENTIRE telecommunications market, including internet connections and VoIP. Hell, they’d probably tear down a string between two tin cans if they found it in the street.
While there have been many “work arounds”, they have all been short lived, as ICE puts the kybosh on them as soon as they can. Until this monopoly ends, businesses are forced to rely solely on ICE for ongoing service. Not being able to call your mom on Mother’s Day because the lines are saturated is merely inconvenient. Not being able to consummate a million dollar business deal because of it is something else entirely.
Scott is right. ICE has done a terrific job providing phone service to the entire country at a reasonable cost. However, there comes a time when a different model is needed to keep pace with an ever-changing world. Let’s face it, how can we expect a plodding hulk of a government monopoly, with all its associated red tape, union egos, committees, indirect taxes, and political considerations, to efficiently deliver state-of-the-art services in what has become the most rapidly developing industry on the planet – telecommunications? Nimble private companies can hardly keep up! In the meantime, businesses that rely on 24/7/365 service are forced to compete at a strategic disadvantage.
No disrespect intended, but are these same people who complain about limited telecommunication services also against CAFTA? If so, they’re talking out of both sides of their mouth.
While ICE can effectively shut down the Vonage service by blocking that range of ports, VOIP & it’s enabling protocol (most commonly SIP) can be configured to work on many different ports, not just those that the Vonage service uses.
I use a SIP provider that works on port 80. That is the same port number that your browser used to access this webpage. So, it would be highly unlikely that ICE would block port 80 and thus all other web access.
They did what they did simply because it will eliminate a large portion of VOIP users that rely on the “packaged” solution that Vonage provides. And at the same time they may be able to give the impression to others that they have the ability to “shut-down” VOIP.
They have made it more difficult, by removing the “easy” solution & requiring more technical knowledge, but not imposible.
After looking at the various problems and the unreliability of the local Internet connections I came to conclusion that the only viable alternative for a small business is a private satellite system. If you need fast two way communications and lots of band width a commercial connection is not cheap (about $300/month) but it will work. However, it IS illegal – technically.
As a private installation reliability may still be an issue. Due to the dense cloud cover in CR at times you will need a large dish. Hardware may also be a concern and I would plan to stock a duplicate backup system for a quick change out. AND without power nothing works, so you will need a power generator. You may also need to be your own “tech” person for all of this. . .
Places I have liked in CR were “off the grid” so all this would just be part of normal life.
This area of technology changes so rapidly that I cannot give specifics. I researched it heavily a few years ago and have not looked again since. I only assumed that either costs would go down or performance UP.
If you are truly in an “off grid” location, satellite service is probably your only choice.
If however you have the availability of ANY speed of ADSL (even only 256 Kbps), any perceived advantages of satellite can quickly disappear.
– As mentioned, the initial purchase, installation, and monthly access costs are high.
– A relatively high level of technical skill would be required to install, troubleshoot & maintain the installation.
– Commonly available systems have a downstream bandwidth in the 400 Kbps range, with the upstream speed being a fraction of that (similar to ADSL).
– Atmospheric conditions will be more of a problem than a typical satellite TV installation, as the upstream broadcasting power is limited.
– Satellite systems tend to send and recieve data in “bursts” rather than the more steady stream in wired connections.
– Latency (the amount of time it takes for the data to travel to & from the satellite, and then return to & from the satellite). The satellite is in a geo-stationary orbit above the equator at a height of 22,240 miles. Even at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second) there will be a noticable delay while the data makes this additional 89,000 mile trip.
– Some applications that depend on streaming data (VOIP, streaming media, remote control) will be adversly affected by both the data bursting & latency, some to the point of being unusable.
– In Costa Rica neither ADSL nor Satellite should be consider for “mission critical” applications.I know of a company that has perfected a VOIP product that is in use in 122+ countries, including a few that it is not susposed to be in. ( Cuba, Iran, etc…) The reason that it works is that the software is in the phone itself. Also, it works on dialup as well as broadband. The rates are very cheap and you use a US area code. If you have one of these phones on each end, the air time is free. Hey, it works for me!
Email me at kawint@pldi.net and I will send you to the site.I know of a company that has perfected a VOIP product that is in use in 122+ countries, including a few that it is not susposed to be in. ( Cuba, Iran, etc…) The reason that it works is that the software is in the phone itself. Also, it works on dialup as well as broadband. The rates are very cheap and you use a US area code. If you have one of these phones on each end, the air time is free. Hey, it works for me!
Email me at kawint@pldi.net and I will send you to the site.Can you give me the name of the sip provider? I want to be able to make a local call in CR with my cell phone to a number that will ring in the US?
StanI have not been to Costa Rica, but I do know of a VOIP provider that will work for you in that country. As a matter of fact, it works on regular dial-up lines. How do I know? I have personally met with the owners and their staff that set this system in motion. Last count that I had was that they had phones in use in over 200 nations. Most of which do not have DSL and will not in the very near future. How is the quality of the service? Sounds like the other person is in the room with you. At least that was the way it sounded to me when I called the U.A.E. from the USA. If you want to try this service, the phone is free. When two of these phones talk to each other, the call is free as well. So far, the rates for CR are half of what I have seen advertized. Interested? email me wintenator@gmail.com
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