Fact: Online Numbers Are Broken

[pluto]

A warning for existing and potential customer for online numbers: Online numbers have been broken for several months.

The problem is that many calls to the online numbers are not going through.  People calling your number will notice this is various ways, for example calls going straight to voice mail, obtaining a busy tone, etc. 

People who are supposed to receive the calls may or may not notice the failure,  depending on whether they have alternative lines of communication open to their would-be caller.

In case anybody thinks I am making this up, Skype forum moderator Norman Musgrove confirms the existence of the bug here: Link

However, this is the only official confirmation I have been able to find.

Otherwise Skype are refusing to acknowledge the problem, IMO probably concerned by the potential negative business impact on reputation and profits given the entirely reasonable demand that users should be compensated for this.

It is an absolute scandal and a disgrace the way Skype/Microsoft are treating their customers.

I want a progress report on bug tracking and I want compensation for the failure of the service.

[phenoptix]

I've been experiencing problems for months and all the "support" section gives information on is "how to pay" great! Also tells me all services are working properly. Currently I'm having customer calls go straight to voicemail, and skype are emailing to tell me that I have voicemail but the skype client won't allow me to hear that voicemail until around a day afterwards.

[pluto]

I can only sympathise, phenoptix; I know what you're going through.

Here's a little tip that makes this unbearable situation just a little easier; instead of applying the lame official Skype fix involving deleting the xml congif file changing the privacy settings and then waiting for 5 minutes, I have found it modestly superior to just run the Skype application installer.

The result is still no more than 18-24 hours of normal service, but at least you are not sat around twiddling your thumbs for 5 minutes, wondering what on earth you are doing wasting your time on this ritualistic nonsense.

[itsadam]

I've deleted the whole lot of application data stored by skype and re-setup the thing like a fresh install and that didn't work.

Do I need to actually remove the app - reinstall it and then try? Because I've done that too and the number still is always engaged :S

[pluto]

The non-fix fix offered by Skype is to delete the shared.xml file (see https://support.skype.com/en-us/faq/FA10981/How-do-I-delete-my-shared-xml-file )

Then:

1) switch privacy settings to only allow callers on your contact list

2) Wait 5 minutes

3) Switch privacy settings back to allow any callers.

4) Hey presto your online number service is now restored for anything up to 24 hours!  Wowza.

I get the same results just running the skype windows installer on top of the existing installation.  i guess it just overwrites the existing file.

[itsadam]

Mate - Been there, done that.

Deleted the shared.xml, and even the config.xml as requested by skype support via LiveChat.

I ring the number I get clicking and static and then engaged tone :/

Been like this for the 4 days I've had the number.  Quite disgusted to be honest

Thanks for your help though, will give kudos - You seem to do more than the skype staff on here :/

[itsadam]

Update:

Had a full refund, ordered skype premium again, ordered a different online number.

THE SAME ISSUES STILL EXISTS.

Number ALWAYS busy, and if you call 44 number from a mobile it goes to a message saying this:

"Calls to this number are not being connected. If you have dialed correctly, this number is not avaliable on this network"

Identical issue as before and skypes "Agents" are being very slow and pointless in live chat.

Also Skype are oblivious to the fact that there's truely something wrong with their online numbers, I know they work, and I know they work well - where I used to work had one and it was awesome.

[pluto]

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itsadam wrote:Also Skype are oblivious to the fact that there's truely something wrong with their online numbers, I know they work, and I know they work well - where I used to work had one and it was awesome.

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Sorry to hear of your ongoing woes.

Must say though the fault developed a few months ago on numbers that I have had for many years that in the past worked flawlessly.

I think it has got to be a system issue, and it seems to me the simple way to fix this is to roll back the Skype client to a point where everything was working.

I find it implausible that Skype haven't considered this, and the fact they seemingly can't be bothered to forsake the advertising based content in the the newer client versions really pisses me off.

[keithf]

i just renewed my online number and now when my wife calls it it will not go thru. so i called her and now my number is coming up a completely different number. different area code and everything. so she tried calling it and it doesn't work either. is there a way to contact skype about this?

[peternneilson]

I have just purchased an online number and it rings when its called but not me!! Its not working and i am paying for it. Very bad service.....