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Vonage This is a long post, so get comfy, and bear with me!!
I'm a new user to Vonage,
This is a long post, so get comfy, and bear with me!!
I'm a new user to Vonage, signed up March 5th, and finally got the LNP from Telus to Vonage at end of March. After less than 3 weeks of using the service, I've almost gone nuts trying to get decent call quality. I can hear other people (most of the time) but they can't hear me, with punch outs and gaps in the conversation.
I've fiddled endlessly with the router to ensure correct settings, and double checked and cross referenced all the set up. Then, hearing about the 'Shaw' issue, I called Shaw and asked them if they could explain the poor VoIP performance. They gave me a lot of waffle but basically told me to either a) pay the $10 for QoS, or b) consider their amazing new Digi-Phone service which, the rep explained at length, functioned differently to VoIP.
I opted for the $10 QoS. After testing it out for a couple of days, it did absolutely nothing - service was just as bad with not even the most marginal of improvements. I then got the extra $10 XXtreme service.... still no help.
When I call Shaw, and ask about 'low prioritisation' of VoIP, they just say that 'all broadband providers are the same' and that Shaw isn't doing anything that anyone else is or isn't doing. But if I want to solve the problem, they have this great Digi phone service!
So, I've cut over to Shaw Digi-Phone and am awaiting LNP back from Vonage, this time to Shaw.
Still with me so far? Thanks for hanging in there... now for the interesting bit:
First - Shaw and Vonage LNP. Shaw advised me that I should *NOT* cancel with Vonage, that they will take care of it all directly with Vonage on my behalf, port my number on the 25th April, and have an engineer hook me up same day with no interuption of service. Any red flags guys?
How can Shaw cancel your service without you calling Vonage, or at least providing your instruction to Shaw in writing??
How can Shaw know that the LNP will take place on 25th April and that this will be the cutover day from Vonage??
So, I decide to call Vonage. I tell them about my QoS issues, and that I've been using it for just under 3 weeks now, and could I cancel under the Money Back Guarantee. The number for calling to cancel as listed on the Vonage website is wrong - it's a sales number. Long story short, I was given 3 different toll free numbers and had to redial and stay on hold almost an hour before finally getting through to the 'Account Management Department'. They basically said "so sad, too bad, even though you've only been actually using the Vonage service less than 3 weeks, the day you signed up online was 36 days ago, so no Money Back Guarantee for you".
To cancel, would mean a $49.99 termination fee, a $149.99 'rebate reclaim penalty' and a further month of service. This is in addition to the $40 activation fee, $30 shipping charges and $80 so far in months line rental/service package fees.
Total cost to try Vonage for 3 weeks and have a nightmare - $365 including tax. Phew!
If Shaw *is* degrading VoIP service somehow, then certainly that's not the fault of Vonage. However, to hear that a customer is suffering such poor service that they can't use your service, but to ding them for $365 for trying to use it for 3 weeks is just pure and simple gouging.
I've lodged a complaint with Vonage over the fees, but am not too hopeful as it's "all in the small print".
As for Shaw - whether they've purposely degraded the VoIP service or not, sadly, they are the winner. I can't deal with the quality issues and I've signed up for the Digi-Phone.
My STRONG ADVICE to anyone considering Vonage, or who has just got Vonage: Extensively evaluate the service AS SOON as you are connected. If you have ANY DOUBTS over quality, I would advocate against trying to work these out over a period of weeks as you may find yourself outside the magic 30 days, and in the same boat as me. Make sure you cancel WITHIN 30 days of SIGN UP if you have any quality issues.
Good luck.
Read The Full Thread: Help with Vonage / Shaw Issues
• I am experiencing outgoing call quality issues. Funny thing is inbound calls
• No one has any suggestions for me at all?
• similar problems, similar results, One thing worth mentioning is latency between
• You're getting a lot of packet discards, but still it seems like the numbers don't
• I'm having problems recently with my vonage service over shaw. Up until last week
• I smell a $10 rat....
Shaw wants us to pay $10 a month to turn on a "QoS" (Quality
• Exactly the same for me, as well. My Vonage was running stable and sounded crystal
• Looks like I'm not the only one experiencing this issue, and plus it also just started
• Shaw has been quietly offering the QoS tax....err enhancement for a few months
• I'm in Calgary, and I've been getting really bad ping times here:
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WhatNow posted "This is a long post, so get comfy, and bear with me!!
I'm a new user to Vonage," on 04/12/2006 |
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