I dont work for Gamtel but my source for the information that I had sent to the L regading the Phone problems, is the Managing Director of Gamtel. I hope that source is credible enough for you? Have a good weekend YN >From: "Touray, Maila" <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Gambia Phones Working? The Real Reasons >Date: Wed, 27 Dec 2000 22:59:39 -0500 > >Pope in what capacity are you dissecting and advising us on this issue - >what is your expertise? I've heard so many reasons that I really don't know >which one is authentic. I am not Doubting you, just trying to establish >credibility. >Thanks for the information. > > >Maila Touray > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Pope Pope [SMTP:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2000 11:23 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Gambia Phones Working? The Real Reasons > > > REGULAR CUSTOMERS (home lines, not calling cards, ) > > When you initiate a call to the Gambia this is what happens: > > 1. The traffic in most cases is routed from your carrier to >MCI/Sprint > 2. If network resources (circuits) are available, then your call >is >put through to the Gambia > 3. If their are no available network resources, then the call is >routed to the backup route point, which in this case is London > 4. If London has enough circuits open to fulfill your call, then >you >are connected to whomever you are calling in the Gambia, else you cant get >through > > The problem is three fold > > 1. US telephone traffic to the Gambia is mainly handled by Spring >and MCI who have a direct link to the Gambia. The voice traffic is directly >routed to the Gambia with London as backup. This means that if US call >volume to the Gambia is overwhelming, the excess traffic (volume) is routed >through London. > 2. Norway's telephone traffic to the Gambia is routed through >London > > 3. Belgium's telephone traffic was also being routed through >London >(this should not have happened and has since been rectified) > > Now, two reasons are responsible for the problem US Phone >customers >(not calling cards) are experiencing calling the Gambia > > 1. There are not enough dedicated circuits for the Gambia from the >US > 2. The volume of traffic that the backup Route point can handle, >which in this case is London > > Whenever their is network satuaration with call volume to the >Gambia >from the US, the excess call volume is routed through the backup route >point(London). London was at the same time being saturated with too much >voice traffic from other points to the Gambia. Specifically London was >being >over saturated with voice traffic from Norway and especially Belgium to the >Gambia. So essentially when the US circuits for the Gambia have too much >traffic, all calls from the US, Norway, Belgium and London were competing >for the same limited number of circuits in London. This was just too much, >hence some of the access problems people have been experiencing especially >from the US, Norway, London, Belgium and all other points in Europe or >elsewhere that are routing their traffic through London. > > The good news is, the highest volume of voice traffic to the >Gambia, >that was being routed through London, was coming from Belgium and Gamtel >has >since asked British Telecom to stop this. This has been corrected, I think >it was yesterday or so. So essentially, people should see marked >improvement >in accessing the Gambia, especially from Europe. This will also improve >access conditions for those in the US, since the backup point of voice >traffic (London) has more capacity to handle overflow traffic from the US. > > There will still be some problems for those in the US since two >factors affect their ability to call the Gambia > > 1. The number of available circuits > 2. The volume of traffic that the backup Route point can handle, >which this case is London > > The number of available circuits to the Gambia has not changed, >and >the only way that will be increased is if customers directly complain to >their carriers about difficulty in calling the Gambia. As I have stated >before, Gamtel has indeed asked MCI and Sprint to increase the number of >dedicated circuits to the Gambia. They have been denied this request, since >Sprint and MCI said they are not getting any complaints about difficulties >in calling the Gambia from the US. Now, like I said before, the only way >that can be fixed is if you complain. Even if your carrier is not MCI or >Sprint, you should still complain to your carrier, because regardless of >which Carrier handles your International calls, they in all likelihood, >route your calls to the Gambia through MCI and Sprint. > > CALLING CARD CUSTOMERS > > Your problem is three fold > > 1. Your prepaid platform operator (calling card company) has too >few >lines/circuits to fulfill your call > 2. There are not enough dedicated circuits for the Gambia from the >US > 3. The volume of traffic for the backup Route point (London) was >too >much > > This is what happens when you use a calling card > > 1. The traffic is in most cases routed from the Prepaid Platform >Operator (calling card company) to MCI or Sprint > 2. If network resources (circuits) are available, then your call >is >put through to the Gambia > 3. If their are no available network resources, then the call is >routed to the backup route point (London) > 4. If London has enough circuits open to fulfill your call, then >you >are connected to whomever you are calling in the Gambia, else you cant get >through > > Well, the only remedy is to buy a better calling card, say one >from >the big carriers, because they will definitely be in a better position to >handle and fulfill your call. > > It has been suggested by some that, maybe some of the problems are >due to Gamtel being unable to handle the volume of calls coming to its >network. This is not the case. Most of the problems people are experiencing >calling the Gambia are bandwidth related from the point of origin of the >call. From my understanding Gamtel is working to fix these bandwith/circuit >problems with their partners, especaily from the US and Europe > > Hope this helps to clarify the calling problems. Again, complain >to >your carriers if you want to see any permanent improvement, regardless of >whether you are in the US or elsewhere. I would encourage those in the US >and London to definitely complain because, most of the telephone traffic to >the Gambia is routed through the US and London. > > I will try and see if I can get an official statement from Gamtel >about these problems and what they are doing to resolve them. Thanks and >Happy EID to all > > YNjie > > > _____ > > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ><http://explorer.msn.com> > > << File: ATT69665.gif >> > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >You may also send subscription requests to >[log in to unmask] >if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your >full name and e-mail address. >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------