April 17th, 2007

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Technology
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Vonage Didn’t Want My Money

You know, it’s striking how quickly a company can antagonize me. I called Vonage tonight, eager to sign up for their basic package, as part of our ongoing international phoning strategy.

All I wanted was a basic package, so that I could have their voicemail-to-email service. People call our mobile numbers in Vancouver, and the call gets forwarded to our Vonage number. They leave a voice mail message, and the message gets emailed to me. Simple, right?

Unfortunately, they won’t let me sign up for any Vonage service without also giving me some hardware. Some of the hardware is free, but I don’t want any of it. Vonage confirmed that I don’t need it for my particular problem.

Perversely, I want to cut them a deal, but they won’t take it. I want less from them (that is, no hardware), but I’m willing to pay the full price for the service. I spoke to two different agents, and neither could help me. I asked to talk to a manager, they put me on hold, and I got bounced to some French language telephone blackhole.

Adieu, Vonage, I hardly knew you. Bonjour Primus. I’ll call them tomorrow morning to see if they won’t send me hardware.

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Comments: 5 Responses so far

Mike K.
April 17th, 2007
8:32 pm

Sucks to be Vonage… be careful with Primus though, I’ve heard some horror stories about billing errors with them. That’s what sent me to Vonage in the first place. Now I run my own PBX system with Trixbox (http://www.trixbox.org) and Unlimitel.ca and everything just works.

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Michael Buckbee
April 18th, 2007
5:03 am

Darren,

You might want to do a quick search for the current Verizon vs Vonage patent death battle.

I’m not sure if it’s lifted, but Vonage was actually barred from signing up new accounts and looks to be in serious trouble.

I’m presuming since you don’t need hardware you were planning on using Vonage’s softphone. Why not just use Skype with a Skype-In number (or one of the SIP phone setups?)

- Mike

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John
April 18th, 2007
7:08 am

I just cancelled my vonage account last week (was cheaper to just up my cell plan – oh the irony) so I’ve got a vonage box you can have if it helps you in any way. I don’t really know what else to do with it since it’s for Voip only. Perhaps it’s MAC address will let you get past the Vonage requirements.

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Todd Sieling
April 18th, 2007
7:44 am

I had heard the same thing about Vonage and the ban on signing up new customers. Maybe it only applied in the US market? It is worth checking out, but if they do sign you up you can likely bank on being someone else’s customer soon as they’re ripe for acquisition.

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Patti
April 18th, 2007
5:27 pm

I wouldn’t sign up with them if I were you anyway. We do have them & liked it for the most part & now just waiting until the higher court decides if they can keep letting customers make regular calls. They can still sign up customers but April 24 is the day for the court to decide if they will let them keep doing that & IF Vonage can use Verizon’s so called patents i.e. getting phone calls on & off the internet. I’m wondering we will be able to port our # to another service or not. Check the news on google for what’s going on. Good luck whichever way you go. Everybodjes VOIP is in danger.

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