SPA525G: No Weather Information possible?

[Pasadena01]

Hi,

Since some month I cannot use the weather Web-Tool in the SPA525G. For all Towns or ZIP Codes it tells me, that there ist a Mistake in searching the town-Information.

I tried several Towns, which works several time ago. What happend? How can I check this or waht can I do?

Pasadena

[rutibuni]

Dan, I own the SPA and ATAs from a business perspective.  I agree with you in the past that Cisco's (Linksys) support model was very different from what it is today.  There is nobody from my team reviewing this community.  I actually stumbled onto this thread quite accidentally, because a customer opened a case on this only this month on it.  

We have a very well defined support process in place and many people ready to help through our support center which may be accessed here:  http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/web/tsd-cisco-small-business-support-center-contacts.html  

In the future should you have any issues that require Cisco technical support, please open a case so that we can provide you the support you need.

[Dan Lukes]

Unfortunately, there is no one from *any* Cisco's team reviewing this community. Cisco provide just no support here for SMB class of VoIP products at all. Same apply to SPA[35]xx class of devices. Questions I'm unable to answer remain unanswered (with rare exceptions).

I understand the most user questions are trivial question of RTFM style. Volunteers and enthusiasts can help here to save Cisco's money. But I expect someone will answer my questions in turn. Current Cisco doesn't work together with volunteers and enthusiasts but explore them instead. Note I'm still speaking about SMB Voip class of product as I have no information about other areas.

According current support model / center, yes, the guys are good for trivial issues like "can you verify the device is turned on ?" or "have your's Ethernet cable plugged in right socket" but nothing more.

If I provide packet dump revealing that SPA112 doesn't send DNS request, I really doesn't expect advice "your DNS server is misconfigured, check it's configuration". Damn - if device is not sending DNS request, then configuration of DNS server is irrelevant.

SMB TAC L1 support guys doesn't understand device logs, don't understand even basics of protocol used by device. And even L2 support seems not to be familiar with the product. If there is an easily reproducible issue but L2 guy question reveal he didn't tried to reproduce it, it's tiring.

If you wish for example, check ticket SR 632486791. After pile of irrelevant advices from L1 support guy it has been forwarded to L2. But even L2 technician never tried to reproduce the issue by self, despite it's trivial. Instead of it he is asking questions already answered, he ask for logs already provided and suggest "there's new firmware release, try it" despite he can verify within minute by self that new release changed nothing. Even after months the Cisco didn't confirmed he can reproduce the issue and claim there's firmware bug. Note I'm still NOT speaking about solution.

You are suggesting "open a case" to me. Be sure we tried it several times. I need no support with trivial issues and current support doesn't help with complex ones. Your advice is valuable for unskilled end user, but contact with SMB TAC is waste of time for skilled professional. So sorry I'm saying it in public, but such experience is based on more than one case and one than more customer.

But I should calm down NOW. This is offtopic in this thread (and I'm moderator of this community in advance). You have no power to change current (non-)support model and you are one of most helpful Cisco Employees within past two years in this community regardless the fact your advices are already verified not to work. You tried to help us, which is rare. So I should stop bark at you immediately. It's exceptional event that Cisco Emploee is willing to talk with us here. So thank you very much. You will be welcomed anytime.

Best regards

Dan

[rutibuni]

Dan, if you're not getting the support you need, you can always request that it be escalated.  We can't help if we don't know there's an issue.  You can escalate to your Cisco AM, your partner, or me if need be.  I'll follow up on the case # you mentioned above to see what happened there.

[Dan Lukes]

I'm elected Support community VIP, you know. I used my contact in attempts to escalate the issue. You are third Cisco's employee in a row with attempt to follow up the case mentioned. May be, you will be more successful than your predecessors. Thank you for your help.

Just note that the case in question doesn't call for fast solution. We have acceptable workaround for it. We will be happy enough if the Cisco will confirm we hit a bug that will be patched in the some distant future.

I wish the Cisco should be interested to be informed about bugs discovered by customer. Customer should not spent months in attempts to make Cisco aware of it. Cisco should not expect the skilled technician will spent so much time in attempt to help Cisco with their business.

I mean no escalation should be necessary to report firmware bugs - or the support model is broken badly.

[Dan Lukes]

The issue has been solved, so we can summarize.

The issue take 10 months until solved. Well, It may not be so easy to find new supplierof weather data at reasonable cost. Thus I don't consider 10 months inacceptable.

Despite of it, this bug IS evidence the Cisco doesn't respect customers.

Cisco is aware of the issue for 10 months or more. Despite of it, Cisco neither announced the Weather feature is broken nor they removed broken feature from interim firmwares. Issue is even not mentioned in "Open caveats" section of particular Release Notes

Every new customer during those 10 months has burned their time in attempt to make feature working.

So called "well defined support process" is tuned to make firmware bug reporting not easy. Cisco has found (this) support community, but their technician neither respond questions nor even monitor it. It's just another evidence Cisco is not interested in customer's feedback (beyond void claims).

OK, I will not claim the Cisco is giving up Cisco customers as someone may feel it inappropriate. Lets anyone make own conclusion.

[pleaselookformehere]

if this is solved then what is the solution? 

how to fix ?

[Dan Lukes]

You should consider to read the thread. Solution is highlighted comment ...

Note, the solution in question has been published about six years ago. It may work no longer - just because the weather data source is no longer available. End of SW Maintenance of SPA525G2 has been set to May 12, 2018. Thus if it doesn't work now, you can't call Cisco for help anymore.