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General FAQs
What does Bandwidth.com do?
Bandwidth.com provides premier data and voice communications solutions,
along with comprehensive customer support. Bandwidth.com helps small
and medium-sized businesses around the country leverage cutting-edge
technology and complete transparency to enable them to compete directly
with large enterprise. Bandwidth.com's experienced Account Executives
can help you discover how your company can save money and time by
utilizing advanced VoIP and data technologies.
How good is Bandwidth.com's service?
Bandwidth.com takes service seriously. Our goal is to provide
our customers with the best possible experience. Our exceptional growth rate
(we're the number 1 fastest-growing telecom company in North Carolina, #16 in the country)
and our 99.1% customer satisfaction rate indicate that in this effort, we are succeeding.
Our service staff is available 24x7 to answer any
questions you might have and solve any problems that might arise.
Our Service Level Agreements (SLA) are some of the most
comprehensive in the industry. Click (here) to read examples of
our team in action.
Bandwidth.com is able to negotiate the best available rates from
the leading national carriers. Because we purchase access
in bulk, we can pass significant savings on to you. We will give
you a comparison of the leading providers, allowing you to choose
the best rate. Additionally, if you have business premises in
multiple locations, we can mix and match carriers, building you
the best rate package available. Bandwidth.com also offers complete
customer support, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All of our
customers - regardless of their size - receive the same outstanding
technical support.
Bandwidth.com deals with business of all sorts, all around the country.
We provide complete business communications solutions to small and
medium-sized business and Fortune 500 companies, handling over 85
million voice minutes per month. Click here
to read how we have helped companies like yours achieve their communications needs.
What is VoIP?
VoIP is a means of transmitting
analog voice signals over a digital network. Small to medium-sized business (SMBs) are increasingly
turning to voice over IP (VoIP) solutions as an alternative to traditional
public switched telephone networks (PSTNs).
Instead of your voice being transmitted over analog phone lines, your calls will
be routed through networking equipment and travel by way of Internet
Protocol. Since phone calls are placed through the internet, phone
companies and long-distance charges are bypassed. Commercial users
of VoIP technologies can save money and cut costs by installing
VoIP hardware instead of using telephones which can accumulate hefty
long distance charges.
Do I need VoIP?
Many businesses can save money by switching to VoIP
for their voice communication needs. Our Account Executives can help you explore
options and find out how much your business can save. Additionally,
the option of running voice and data communications over the same
circuits is another way to save money.
Definitely. Depending on your communications needs, VoIP
has the potential to deliver significant savings on communication,
letting you allocate valuable resources where they should be allocated:
growing your business. Click here
to learn how Bandwidth.com's Business VoIP solutions can give your company the competitive edge.
Many current phone technologies are capable of running
VoIP.
If you currently have a PBX,
our Account Executives can help you determine whether you're ready for VoIP. Bandwidth.com also
offers hosted IP-PBX,
allowing you to avoid the hassle of maintaining your own equipment. To see how Bandwidth.com's
Hosted IP-PBX service can streamline your operations,
click here.
SIP is a process that allows
for creating, modifying, and terminating multimedia sessions with one or more participants. These sessions
include Internet telephone calls and multimedia conferences. SIP is
widely used as a protocol for Voice over Internet Protocol, or
VoIP.
What is SIP trunking?
SIP trunking is a means of
leveraging the powerful SIP technology to provide dedicated multimedia support to a physical location.
A SIP trunk
is a connection between your IP network and the SIP network of your telephony provider - in essence,
a SIP trunk is a phone line. Bandwidth.com is the leader in SIP trunking technology, with an
active and experienced research and development team and 24x7 customer
support.
Why should I go with SIP?
SIP easy to use, is scalable, and
saves companies money. With SIP, you can buy exactly the number of lines you need. You
can route calls to any domestic physical location, and you can leverage
your existing infrastructure to maximize your investment potential. Click
here to learn more.
What is IP-PBX?
IP-PBX is communication
equipment located on the physical premises
of the business. It is the backbone of an office communications system.
What is hosted PBX?
Bandwidth.com offers business the option of avoiding the purchase
and maintenance of expensive telecommunications equipment.
Hosted IP-PBX systems
are best for businesses that want to "get out of the business of telecommunications management."
Our Account Executives can help you determine if this option is best for you.
It depends on the type of PBX
you currently have. If you have recently made a large investment in phone technology, it might
make sense for you to go with our SIP trunking service,
which would allow you to leverage your current investment with the latest technologies.
Our Account Executives can assist you in making this determination.
Bandwidth.com contracts with the leading national carriers to offer
you the best, most reliable internet access, at the best price,
to support your voice needs. Bandwidth.com is a
complete business
communications solutions provider. We offer inbound, outbound, and
two-way calling with a variety of available features. Contact your
Account Executive for specific details on how Bandwidth.com's
VoIP
service can give your business an edge over the competition.
Bandwidth.com offers a variety of VoIP
service packages with myriad features,
priced and configured according to the specific needs of your business. We are a complete business
communication solution provider. Contact your Account Executive for specific details
on how Bandwidth.com's VoIP service can give your business an edge
over the competition.
E911 is an improvement
to the traditional 911 Emergency phone system. E911 provides emergency operators with a physical address
for each incoming call. This offers obvious public safety advantages.
Some VoIP providers (like Vonage) direct 911 calls to a central
operator, who will gather the necessary address information and
forward it to the authorities. E911-compliant systems connect you
- and your address - directly to the local public safety officials.
Our ELS phone lines are fully
E911-compliant,
offering you and your employees complete peace of mind.
Why are Bandwidth.com's SIP trunks better than the competition's?
Bandwidth.com provides superior SIP trunks
and call-routing
technology. Our routing networks are structured to provide the most
direct route for your calls. Bandwidth.com employs multiple call
gateways, assuring faster and better connections for your calls.
This means reduced latency and coverage of over 90% of the domestic
service area. All of this translates into superior business performance. Contact one of our Account
Executives to learn the
benefits
of Bandwidth.com BusinessVoIP.
It depends on the type of PBX
you currently have. If you have recently made a large investment in phone technology, it might
make sense for you to go with our SIP trunking service, which would
allow you to leverage your current investment with the latest technologies. If you favor a more
hands-off approach, our feature-rich Hosted IP-PBX
service might be just what you need. Our Account Executives can assist you in making this determination.
Bandwidth.com provides local numbers in more than 5,300 domestic
service areas. At this time, we do not provide international numbers.
Can I get a custom toll-free or local number?
Bandwidth.com maintains a stock of more than 2 million voice-capable
SIP trunks,
offering full Local Number Portability
(LNP)
compliance. We support local call origination from 5,300+
rate centers, covering 300+ markets. Our service footprint covers
93% of the U.S. population, with 1,000 to 10,000 phone numbers available
in each unique rate center. We can request specific numbers, but
cannot guarantee them. Our number porting service allows you to
move the custom numbers you currently have to a Bandwidth.com VoIP
system.
Probably. Along with many other
features,
Bandwidth.com supports number porting from almost all service providers. We can configure your
system with your current numbers, offering your customers and employees a seamless transition.
Typically, we can get your new BusinessVoIP
system up and running in 3-5 business days. We maintain a large stock of local numbers in more than 300 markets,
so we probably have the numbers you need in stock. If we need to
secure additional numbers, the process will take 5-10 business days.
Bandwidth.com's SIP trunking
and hosted IP-PBX services
offer rates as low as $0.019 / minute for long distance. At this
time, we do not offer an unlimited long distance plan.
Bandwidth.com offers local numbers in more than 5,300
rate centers
in the U.S., covering 300+ markets and serving more than 93% of
the U.S. population.
In many cases, our customers can use their current telecommunications
equipment. If you currently have an
IP PBX or SIP-ready equipment
(click here to determine whether your equipment is SIP-ready),
you will need no additional hardware. We can also help you acquire
the equipment necessary to convert your analogue voice equipment
to VoIP technology. Bandwidth.com will refer customers wishing to
upgrade their equipment to our
certified PBX partners.
The amount of bandwidth for a call depends on the codec that is
being used. The g.711 requires about 80-90k per call, while the
g.729a requires about 30k.
What codecs do you support?
Bandwidth.com supports both the g.711
codec
and the g.729a codec. The g.711 requires about 80-90k per call, while the
g.729a requires about 30k.
Bandwidth.com is a complete SIP trunking
communications system provider. At this time, we do not support IAX
trunking.
Bandwidth.com recommends a T1
data connection for the best call quality. T1 lines offer the best combination of uptime,
stability, and reduced latency. Our
Account Executives can help your business experience the increased productivity
of a T1 line and the efficiency of VoIP communications with our bundled
service packages. Bandwidth.com's SIP trunking can run on IP-enabled
PBXs or on an
Asterisk server.
Bandwidth.com offers one, two, and three-year
VoIP and data
contracting. By signing a longer contract, you can lock in lower
rates and reduce some installation charges. Additionally, Bandwidth.com
offers the ability to re-negotiate pricing options at the end of
a contract term.
Bandwidth.com offers some of the most comprehensive
SLAs
in the industry. Our U.S.-based customer support team is available
24x7 to solve all of your communications issues. Click
here to read what
our customers have to say about the support they receive from Bandwidth.com.
Bandwidth.com offers each of our customers an industry-leading
service
level agreement. Our overriding concern is customer
satisfaction, and this is reflected in our commitment to service
excellence, as reflected in our SLAs, which provide specific
performance and service guarantees. The end result is that our small
and medium-sized business customers can enjoy complete comfort and
confidence.
Bandwidth.com enjoys an industry-leading 99.4% customer retention
rate. Click here
to read what some of our small and medium-sized
business customers have had to say about our service.
Bandwidth.com has the industry's leading VoIP
SLA. Our VoIP
services is guaranteed to have maximum uptime and minimal
latency
and jitter issues.
Click here to read what some
of our customers have had to say about their
VoIP service.
Bandwidth.com knows that your small and medium-sized business needs
maximum flexibility when it comes to scaling your operations. You
can add a single DID
line at any time during your contract for the same low initial rate. Unlike some of
our competitors, we will not force you to buy packages of lines you don't need.
Bandwidth.com's BusinessVoIP
service includes one DID per
SIP trunk ordered.
There are three options geared for
maximum flexibility for your small or medium-sized business.
Bandwidth.com offers industry-standard pricing of $0.029 / minute
for toll-free lines.
What is the cost of adding a single trunk?
The cost of adding additional lines is the same throughout your
company's relationship with Bandwidth.com. We can add a single trunk
at any time; contact one of our Account Executives for specific
pricing details.
What are international rates?
Bandwidth.com offers very competitive international rates. Contact
one of our Account Executives for specific pricing details.
How long does porting numbers take?
Bandwidth.com can transfer your existing phone numbers to your new
BusinessVoIP system.
It typically takes 3-4 weeks to complete the
porting process, depending on how many numbers you have to transfer.
We realize that speed is essential; most of our small and medium-sized
business customers have found that the process can be completed
in about 30 days.
Absolutely. Flexibility is a hallmark of Bandwidth.com's small and
medium-sized business VoIP service. We can add additional
DIDs
at any time. Click here
to contact one of our Account Executives for details.
E.164 Numbering is the international standard
for assigning telephone numbers. Almsot all of Bandwidth.com DIDs are E.164-compliant, which means that phone
systems anywhere in the world can reach them.
How much internet speed do I need?
Each business is unique in its communications requirements. Your
bandwidth needs depend on how many users you have at your location,
and what those users are doing. Bandwidth.com offers premium
fractional T1, T1,
fractional T3,
T3, and
optical data
connections. Our Account Executives can help you determine
which of these options is best for your situation.
For most customers in most geographic locations, it takes about
35-40 days to install a new T1 connection.
Bandwidth.com coordinates every step of the process, from signing the contract
to scheduling the installation. With our unique Customer Portal,
you can manage every step of your installation process. You're not left with uncertainty about when installation events will take place,
allowing you better to coordinate the resources necessary for setup. Additionally, our customer support team is ready
to assist you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Our T1, DS3,
and optical data lines are private
connections with private ports. We believe our small and medium-sized
business customers deserve the speed and security that can only
be delivered by a dedicated, private line. Our pricing includes
the port and the loop charge together, providing for a seamless,
guaranteed data connection.
Yes. Bandwidth.com believes consistent, reliable data and voice
connections are essential to success for our small and medium-sized
business customers. We pride ourselves on providing this service,
and this guarantee is tied to our industry-leading SLA.
You will always receive the specified speed capability.
Is Bandwidth.com an agent or are they the provisioning company?
Bandwidth.com is the
provisioning company.
We are not an agent. We manage the customer's implementation, billing, and support,
24x7. An agent will sell the transaction and then allow another
company to manage all of the support and implementation. You may
never hear from that person again, whereas at Bandwidth.com, we
handle all of this in-house. This guarantees a seamless data and
voice experience.
Bandwidth.com realizes that when your internet access is down,
your business is not making money. Therefore, we guarantee that
when you call our 24x7 service department, you call will be answered
- by a live technician in our Cary, NC service center - by the
third ring. Most of the problems are such that we can solve them
remotely. We have extensive relationships with each carrier, so
if there is an issue, we have the ability to resolve it quickly
and efficiently. When you sign with Bandwidth.com, you receive
the added value of our experienced, dedicated in-house service
and support geared for small and medium-sized business.
How many IP addresses are needed for a T1, DS3, or NxT1?
This depends on your network. If you want to add voice or other
SIP trunking,
that would determine the IP
addresses you need. This depends on the size of the company.
Each device that is connected to the Internet through your router
requires its own IP address. Bandwidth.com's experienced service
technicians will guide you through the process of determining your
needs and provisioning the required resources.
Bandwidth.com offers small and medium-sized business a number
of options in terms of equipment choice. An Account Executive
will guide you through the process, helping you to decide whether
it makes sense to purchase or lease your equipment, and what equipment
to purchase or lease, based on your business plan. Call today
to find out how Bandwidth.com can help your company succeed.
What equipment is required for the activation?
Bandwidth.com will handle connecting the data to your business
location. All you need to provide is a router
and cables. Bandwidth.com's experienced Account Executives will provide the correct equipment
during the initial order process, making it as seamless as possible,
so you can get back to the business of doing business.
What sort of installation support do you provide?
When you sign a contract with Bandwidth.com, an installation representative
will guide you through every step of the process, from scheduling
to initialization. We acquire the connection to the local and national
carriers, activate the service, and coordinate service personnel.
Additionally, we will provide you with a detailed chain of command,
so you know who is responsible for every step of the process.
What is the extent of the customer's participation in the activation?
Bandwidth.com organizes the entire installation process. The customer
has to be on-site during the activation process and have their
router, as well as the correct cable connection from the T1
to the router. Bandwidth.com's experienced Account Executives
will provide the correct equipment during the initial order process,
making it as seamless as possible, so you can get back to the
business of doing business.
Bandwidth.com works directly with the carrier to make the
installation process as quick and painless as possible. For most
small and medium-sized business customers, the process will take
30-45 days, depending on the location of the installation. Our
experienced service and installation team will guide you through
the process, every step of the way.
I need my access sooner. Can the installation finish before the 30 to 45 business day interval with out an expedite?
Yes. In some cases, if the customer's site is ready, the process
can move more quickly. Ask one of our Service Representatives
what you can do to make sure the process is as short as possible.
What is an expedite?
Bandwidth.com recognizes that small and medium-sized business
need their data connections to be on line as soon as possible.
With some carriers, the installation process can proceed more
quickly with an expedite order.
This feature costs more up front, but results in a shorter installation process. With
an expedite, the carrier will have an install done in 15-20 business
days instead of the regular 30-40.
A demarc is the door to your
T1. The carrier will
make a connection from its network to your physical location.
It looks like a normal phone jack, and is where you "plug
in" to the internet.
A demarc is the main point of entry
to the facility, which is determined by the carrier. That's where everything comes into
the building. With a demarc extension,
the carrier will extend the demarc from the point of entry to the customer's specified
location.
This cost varies with the carrier.
Some carriers do it by the hour, others have a pre-set fee. It could also depend on
whether the T1 is already installed, or if it is requested before
the install. The carrier will add more fees if the line is already
installed, so be sure to specify where you want to "plug
in" before your installation is scheduled.
No. If customers want an extension, they need to have it set up
beforehand.
What is the MPOE?
MPOE stands for main point of entry.
This is the same as the demarc.
Who determines the MPOE?
The carrier determines the
MPOE. The customer does
not have input in this process. This is the point of having a
demarc extension.
A smart jack is the same thing as a demarc.
It is where you "plug in" to the Internet.
Installation of a new T1
line typically takes 30-45 days. A Bandwidth.com installation specialist will guide you every step
of the way. Bandwidth.com values transparency and accountability
throughout the process. To that end, we offer you a tool with
which you can monitor every step of the installation and activation
process, so you can have complete confidence.
Bandwidth.com works hard to get your business up and running as
quickly as possible. Our installation specialists will get your
order provisioned in the same business day.
Why do the dates on the tasks keep changing?
Bandwidth.com believes in complete transparency throughout the
ordering and installation processes. Through our unique Customer
Portal system, you can track your order every step of the
way. Our technicians will provide detailed notes and due dates
for the various tasks so that you can keep abreast of the progress.
Occasionally, a date may have to be moved back to accommodate
a carrier's schedule. We do our best to minimize any such extensions
and will always let you know what is going on.
How long is it going to take to fix my issue?
Bandwidth.com takes customer support seriously. We employ highly
trained technicians to keep you up and running. Many problems can
be resolved remotely, while some problems require a more in-depth
approach. Our SLA
details the specific customer service guarantees you can count on.
If there is an issue that we were not able to resolve within the
time specified in the SLA,
just email our Customer Care Specialists (customercare@bandwidth.com), who will work with you to arrive at a solution.
Bandwidth.com works to get you up and running as soon as possible.
Our billing department will begin billing two days after we inform
you that your system is ready for activation.
What happens if I move?
Bandwidth.com's Customer Care Specialists work hard to make your
company's move as seamless as possible. They will make the necessary
arrangements with your carrier to set up your service and get
it connected at your new location.
Does Bandwidth.com support / provide email servers?
At this time, Bandwidth.com does not support or provide email
servers. We recommend that you seek service through a third party.
How do I disconnect my service?
If at any time you choose to terminate your service with Bandwidth.com,
let us know 30 days prior to the final date on which you need
access to your service. We'll handle the rest.
Does Bandwidth.com have manuals for my phone system?
Manuals for phones and systems provided by Bandwidth.com can be
found at the following locations:
a.
b.
c.
How can I open a trouble ticket?
If you are having difficulty with your Bandwidth.com services, you
can get the ball rolling quickly by opening a trouble ticket online.
Point your browser to the my.bandwidth.com portal,
then click on "Support cases." Additionally, you can call one of our Customer Care
specialists at 1-800-409-4357, option 1,1,1. The specialists are
trained to get you the answers you need. To help speed up the trouble
ticket process, please make sure to include the following information:
1. Service address affected
2. Local Contact name, number and access hours to site (this needs to be a contact at the location of the circuit.)
3. Circuit ID
The my.bandwidth.com portal is the
key to managing your Bandwidth.com services. Through the portal, you can track what's happening with your account,
from installation, to activation, to support. You can change some of the options for your services
as well. Go to http://my.bandwidth.com
to see the options.
Bandwidth.com offers our customers the opportunity to pay their bills three simple ways.
1. Mail:
Bandwidth.com
Attn: Accounts Receivable
4001 Weston Pkwy
Raleigh, NC 27513
2. Online:
Point your browser to https://www.bandwidth.com/tools/pay
to begin.
Bandwidth.com accepts Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.
3. Phone:
Contact one of our Customer Care Specialists at 1-800-409-4357,
option 1,1,1 and they will create a billing ticket with all your
payment information. Billing will contact you regarding the ticket.
To upgrade or downgrade your service there are several options that
can be discussed with your Account Executive. If you are not sure
of your Account Executive's contact information, please call Customer
Care at 800-409-4357 options 1,1,1 and they will provide
you the information.
What sorts of guarantees on latency does Bandwidth.com offer?
Bandwidth.com offers each of our customers an industry-leading
service level agreement.
Our overriding concern is customer satisfaction, and this is reflected in our commitment
to service excellence, as reflected in our SLAs, which
provide specific performance and service guarantees. The end result
is that our small and medium-sized business customers can enjoy
complete comfort and confidence.
Each carrier has its own SLA,
and inside the SLA is a latency guarantee. AT&T is in the 30 ms range; Covad is 110
ms range. Some smaller providers might not have any latency guarantees,
or the maximum latency rate guaranteed might be very high, which would not be good for voice traffic.
Bandwidth.com offers 24x7 in-house support here in Cary, NC. It
makes the entire experience transparent to the customer. Our small
and medium-sized business customers have found this to be a terrific
added value to Bandwidth.com's service.
Does Bandwidth.com guarantee that my employees will achieve 1.5mg uploads/downloads?
Yes. Bandwidth.com believes consistent, reliable data and voice
connections are essential to success for our small and medium-sized
business customers. We pride ourselves on providing this service,
and this guarantee is tied to our industry-leading
SLA..
You will always receive the specified speed capability.
Bandwidth.com realizes that when your internet access is down,
your business is not making money. Therefore, we guarantee that
when you call our 24x7 service department, you call will be answered
- by a live technician in our Cary, NC service center - by the
third ring. Most of the problems are such that we can solve them
remotely. We have extensive relationships with each carrier, so
if there is an issue, we have the ability to resolve it quickly
and efficiently. When you sign with Bandwidth.com, you receive
the added value of our experienced, dedicated in-house service
and support geared for small and medium-sized business.
What guarantees does Bandwidth.com offer for its VoIP service?
Bandwidth.com has the industry's leading VoIP SLA. Our
VoIP services is guaranteed to have maximum uptime and minimal
latency and
jitter issues.
Click (here) to read what some of our
customers have had to say about their VoIP service.
Our customers can choose from several convenient payment options.
We accept major credit cards and scheduled bank drafts.
What is MRC? What is NRC?
These acronyms refer to specific types of charges on your bill.
MRC stands for Monthly Recurring Charge, and typically refers
to the monthly payments you make for your services. NRC means Non-Recurring
Charge, and is the money you pay initially for installation and
initialization services.
A DID cost recovery fee is a government-mandated fee charged
by all telecommunications providers to cover the cost of 911 service
and various charges incurred by the provider. It is assessed at
the same rate for each DID.
If you need a copy of your invoice, simply call or email one of
our Customer Care Specialists at (800) 409-4357, options 1,1,1, or customercare@bandwidth.com, who are trained to assist you.
How are late fees assessed?
Late fees are assessed to the billing cycle two months prior to
the current billing cycle. Therefore, if your payment is late,
the late fee will not appear until another billing cycle has passed.
Why isn't my invoice charge equal to my MRC?
Your invoice charge includes your Monthly Recurring Charge (MRC)
as well as any additional taxes, late fees or additional
charges that may be assessed.
VAR sales
What is a VAR?
VAR stands for value-added reseller. A VAR is a company that bundles Bandwidth.com
services with its products. For example, a company might sell IP phones like the
Cisco 7960. If that company becomes a Bandwidth.com VAR, it could offer its customers
Bandwidth.com service along with the phone system, making the most of their new
equipment. VARs allow their customers to achieve greater returns on their infrastructure
investments by bundling the services that enable them to use that infrastructure most effectively.
Why does Bandwidth.com partner with other businesses?
Bandwidth.com is in the business of providing outstanding voice and data services to
our customers. We partner strategically with reputable companies offering quality products
in order to provide total business communications solutions to our customers.
Who are some of Bandwidth.com's partners?
Bandwidth.com works with VARs which sell PBX equipment from the
top manufacturers,
including Allworx, Mitel, Fonality, and ShoreTell.
A customer who buys a phone system and Bandwidth.com
VoIP
service from a Bandwidth.com-certified VAR receives a total business
communications solution. Their PBX equipment has been tested to ensure
interoperability with Bandwidth.com?s
SIP trunking
technology, and they receive dual technical support ? from the VAR and from Bandwidth.com.
It's easy to become a Bandwidth.com VAR. For a small minimum commitment, you
can enter into a strategic relationship that will enable you to offer complete
business communications solutions to your customers. Call (888) BWC-VARS (888-292-8277)
today to speak with a Channel Account Manager about becoming a Bandwidth.com VAR.
What are the benefits of partnering with Bandwidth.com?
When you become a Bandwidth.com VAR, you enter into a strategic relationship
that will help you sell more PBX equipment and help your customers achieve maximum
return on their telecommunications investment. As a VAR, you receive access to
sophisticated online pricing and support tools, sales leads from Bandwidth.com,
and access to an aggressive, tiered commission schedule.
What percentage of Bandwidth.com's business is through VARs?
A significant portion of Bandwidth.com's business comes through our VAR partners.
Call 888 BWC-VARS (888-292-8277) for more information.
What are the requirements of the VAR relationship on my end?
As a Bandwidth.com VAR, you agree to a minimum monthly sales commitment and to
abide by Bandwidth.com's business practices. That's all you have to do SIPlify
your sales with Bandwidth.com.
How does the VAR commission system work?
Bandwidth.com operates an aggressive, generous commission schedule. For every sale
of Bandwidth.com services you make, you receive a commission. Contact Doug Bescher,
Channel Account Manager, at 888 BWC-VARS (888-292-8277) for more details.
Why should I bundle Bandwidth.com's service with my product? What are the benefits to my customers?
Becoming a Bandwidth.com VAR enables you to offer your customers a superior product
package, including lower pricing and faster return on their investment. Bandwidth.com
service offers outstanding business
features,
such as disaster recovery (the ability to route calls to a different office in the event of
a PDX failure.) Bandwidth.com's proven
SIP trunking technology offers your
customers a better value compared to traditional TDM services. Additionally, your customers
receive 24x7 Bandwidth.com support for their
VoIP services.
Bandwidth.com has more than 100 VAR partners around the country offering Bandwidth.com
service to their customers. Some of the largest national telecommunications equipment retailers,
including CDW,
are Bandwidth.com VARs.
Call 888 BWC-VARS (888-292-8277) to begin a partnership with Bandwidth.com.
Channel Account Managers are standing by to assist you.
Engineering
What is NAT traversal?
NAT means Network Address Translation.
When you connect to the Internet, information you send and receive is typically passed through
a firewall, which protects your network infrastructure from hackers. Each individual network
that is connected to the public Internet is identified by an IP address. Devices on the
outside of your firewall see your publicly-routed
IP Address; devices
on the network inside of the firewall are addressed with private, non-routable IP addresses.
When information passes through the firewall, it does so in the form of data ?packets.?
Each packet contains an IP address, telling it where it?s from and where it?s going. When a
packet passes through the firewall to the public Internet, the private IP address is replaced
with the publicly-routed IP address. When information passes from the public Internet through
the firewall, the publicly-routed IP address is replaced with a private one and routed to
the appropriate device.
How is SIP affected by NAT traversal?
SIP messages, which are
carried inside of data packets, also include IP address information. Traditional NAT does
not ?open the packet? to change the IP information inside the SIP message. Therefore,
the VoIP provider will not be able to send the call to the appropriate location. SIP
requires a device to open the packet and adjust the IP information as it passes through
the firewall.
Some firewall devices, known as Application Layer Gateways (ALGs), have the ability to make
this change inside the SIP message. Though several ALGs are capable of SIP NAT traversal,
Bandwidth.com supports the Ingate SIParator and Edgewater Networks? EdgeMarc
router. Other firewalls, including Sonicwall and Cisco ASA/PIX, have this capability,
but Bandwidth.com can only provide technical support for the Edgwater and Ingate ALGs.
How do I know that I?m having a NAT-traversal issue?
NAT-traversal problems manifest themselves in several easy-to-identify ways.
If you are experiencing any of the following
problems, you may have a NAT-traversal issue:
1. Are you having one-way audio?
2. Is the call setting up (ringing), but missing sound?
3. Are calls not setting up in the first place?
If you are experiencing any of these issues with your VoIP service,
call Bandwidth.com?s Customer Care Specialists at
1-800-409-4357, options 1,1,1.
How do I handle a NAT-traversal issue?
Bandwidth.com has several different options to help you deal with technical
difficulties. If you are a
Managed Network Services
subscriber, we will take care of the problem from start to finish. If you don?t subscribe to MNS,
call our Customer Care Specialists at 1-800-409-4357, options 1,1,1.
If your network uses the Ingate SIParator or the Edgewater EdgeMarc ALGs, we should be able to
troubleshoot your problems remotely. If you don?t currently use one of these Bandwidth.com-supported
ALG devices, there is another option. If you assign a public IP address directly to your phone
system, you will obviate any NAT-traversal issues, because there is no translation necessary.
This option does, however, leave your system vulnerable to attack.
Bandwidth.com does not recommend this option.
Bandwidth.com supports two ALG devices: the Ingate SIParator and the Edgewater
EdgeMarc router. Other devices capable of SIP packet translation are available,
but Bandwidth.com does not offer technical support for their use.
What is an ALG?
ALG stands for Application Layer Gateway. An ALG is a device that handles
translation of the packet IP addresses (and for Bandwidth.com VoIP service, the SIP IP
information inside the packet) as they traverse the firewall.
Bandwidth.com supports the use of the Ingate SIParator and Edgewater EdgeMarc ALGs.
It is important to remember that ALG devices are designed to handle a specific number of
concurrent calls. Be sure to purchase an ALG that fits your business needs. Bandwidth.com?s
Account Executives can help you determine which ALG is right for you. Call
(800) 808-5150, options 2,1, to speak with an Account Executive today.
What is a SIP-aware firewall?
Another name for ALG, a SIP-aware firewall is a device capable of handling the
translation of SIP-packet IP addresses as the packets traverse the firewall. Bandwidth.com
provides technical support for the Ingate SIParator and the Edgewater
EdgeMarc firewalls for SIP-packet translation.
What is far-end NAT traversal?
Far-End NAT traversal is a method of accomplishing NAT.
See "What is NAT traversal?" for more information on NAT traversal. Bandwidth.com does not utilize Far-End NAT
Traversal, because doing so would introduce unnecessary delays and latency into our customers' voice traffic.
Bandwidth.com places paramount importance on the voice quality of our service, and we feel that accomplishing
NAT traversal on the customer's premise is a far mroe effective and efficient technique.
QoS stands for
Quality of Service. Quality of Service
(QoS) is the idea that transmission rates, error rates, and other characteristics can be measured, improved, and, to some extent,
guaranteed in advance.
Is the sound clear? Is there any jitter or latency? These are questions that determine the level of QoS. At Bandwidth.com, we
pride ourselves on being an industry leader in QoS. Our engineers work tirelessly to ensure for our customers the highest possible
level of QoS.
How does Bandwidth.com ensure call quality?
There are a several methods of ensuring the highest possible call quality. Bandwidth.com recommends using a dedicated data connection
of at least T1 speed, along with a properly-configured router using the latest QoS technologies. Click
here to read about different methods of achieving call quality.
Bandwidth.com is dedicated to providing the highest possible level of call quality. To that end, our experienced engineers and
technicians develop and test the latest QoS techniques. Bandwidth.com VoIP service currently uses several techniques to ensure
QoS, including TOS-splitting, traffic shaping, and voice-optimized internet (on some phone systems). Click
here to read more about the latest QoS technologies.
A dedicated voice connection is an Internet connection used solely for voice traffic. It carries no data packets, so traffic congestion,
latency, and jitter are not issues. It is one of the best ways to ensure call quality, but it is generally not cost effective, because
it requires the purchase of an additional T1-class Internet connection.
What is TOS?
TOS stands for Type-of-Service splitting. It is a way of classifying and prioritizing the traffic on a data connection to give priority
to voice traffic. If voice packets are held up by data traffic, latency and jitter issues can arise. Data packets, on the other hand,
can handle slight delay far more easily. Bandwidth.com currently utilizes TOS-splitting on outbound VoIP calls over Sprint's and Qwest?s
T-1 lines (Optional).
What is Traffic Shaping?
Traffic shaping is a technology used to enhance call quality. Used by EdgeMarc routers, traffic shaping software can differentiate
between voice and data traffic. The software then ?throttles back? the speed on the data traffic to make room for the voice traffic
to proceed on the network unimpeded.
What is Voice Optimized Internet?
Voice Optimized Internet (VOA) is a technology Bandwidth.com offers to ensure call quality. Essentially,one circuit (ADSL, SDSL, or T-1)
is delivered to the customer site. The circuit is provisioned with two separate IP addresses one for data traffic and the other for
voice traffic. Using this method, the voice traffic is prioritized from the customer premises all the way to the carrier network. This
reduces the congestion for both inbound and outbound voice traffic.
Are my VoIP calls secure?
VoIP traffic is as secure as any other data traffic you send out onto the public internet. There are ways of making the system more secure,
including some technologies currently undergoing testing by Bandwidth.com engineers, but none of the available technologies is yet universal.
The best way to ensure security for your VoIP traffic is to employ the use of a SIP-enabled firewall, such as the Edgewater EdgeMarc or
Ingate Firewall.
Is my VoIP system secure?
Your VoIP system is as secure as any other data leaving or entering your network. If you employ the use of a SIP-enabled firewall, your
VoIP traffic is relatively secure. For someone to gain access to your VoIP calls, they would have to steal all of the packets leaving
your network. The only way to do that is to be physically present at one of the points of transmission.
What is TLS?
TLS is software with the ability to handle secure signaling, including SIP signaling, using secure certificates similar to the way some
web sites use certificates to ensure secure financial transactions. Bandwidth.com engineers are currently testing TLS technology, but
because it is not yet universal, it is not ready for implementation.
What is SRTP?
SRTP is a way to encrypt the signals carrying the voice information over the Internet. It is still in the development stage; Bandwidth.com
engineers are testing and monitoring its progress to determine whether it can be of use.
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