Vonage VoIP Forum Digest - October 13, 2005

October 13, 2005

By Daniel Connor

Welcome to today's edition of the Vonage Voip Forum Digest. 

In today's edition, we'll look at one investment banking analyst thinks about Vonage, and visit another one of those pesky "is Vonage for sale" rumors. We'll also look at a new Vonage Voip Forum threads about transferring toll-free numbers, and a thread with details about Vonage equipment shipping to Canadian customers.

Vonage In The Headlines

Analyst Says Vonage Has "Strong Business Model"

A report just released by investment banking firm Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co. cites Vonage as one of just a few companies that have built "strong business models based on Internet protocol technology, 'riding over the top' of networks built and managed by cable and telecom service providers."

Reporter Keeps Hearing Those "Vonage for Sale" Rumors

Over on the Light Reading website, reporter Mark Sullivan says he has been hearing talk that investment bankers are working with Vonage on a possible sale of the company. Mark even has a candidate in mind: Atlanta-based BellSouth.

"Rumors have been circulating for weeks that one of Vonage's suitors is BellSouth Corp. a notion Vonage has never denied," Mark writes. "Board members at one Vonage competitor are so sure (BellSouth) will take Vonage that they have begun strategic planning as if the deal had already occurred."

On The Vonage Voip Forum

Back on Friday, Vonage Forum Member Compuweb started a thread about a subject that comes up here from time to time. He named the thread, Transferring Existing Toll-Free 800 numbers.

"Can I transfer my existing 800 number or toll-free number to Vonage?" he asks. "If not, will this be an option in the near future? If not, what are some solutions that can allow me to use my existing 800 or toll-free numbers while also using Vonage?"

Then, guess what. Jhall, who is one of the Vonage employees that is an actual member of our Forum answered by saying in part, "The answer to the first question is no, at this time you cannot port over toll-free numbers or fax lines."

I replied next. "But he/she could certainly point their current 800 number to their Vonage number and it will work," I wrote.

Vonage Forum Member themew weighed in next. 

"Right - but then he'd still pay for inbound calls from whoever hosts his 800 number," he wrote. "I have two 800 numbers hosted by (another phone company) and would still have to pay my "X" cents per minute on inbound calls. 

Themew then mused that "it would be nice to port the 800 numbers over to Vonage and add Vonage business lines to piggyback the 800 numbers and pay either no inbound or a lesser inbound that my current plan."

This comment spurred Compuweb to answer, "Right, I would still have to pay the "x" cents / minute for all inbound calls. It seems like this would prevent many businesses from switching." 

Compuweb adds that he has a toll-free vanity number that has been in service for many years. "There's no way that I can give up the number."

Then, wouldn't you know it. Along comes Trowski, one of our most frequent and helpful posters.

"Actually, I have an 877 number forwarded to my home office number, and technically I pay more for the actual forwarding cost ($50-60?) than I do for the minutes," he writes. "I have my offices call my 772 number (let them pay for the cost) and usually can take my clients calls, or tell the clients I am with someone else and will call them right back...makes me sound even busier than I actually am. Just an idea..."

Yea, when it comes to ideas, Trowski never has them in short supply.

On The Vonage Canada section of the Vonage Forum, a new thread called Order shows "Completed" but no Shipped email finds Vonage Forum Member VoIP4Less wondering about the issue he decided to name his thread about.

"I ordered Vonage a week ago and the status has been 'completed' for several days, but i never received an email stating it has shipped, nor is there any form of tracking info," he wrote late Tuesday. "Anyone know where in Canada the routers ship from?" 

VoIP4Less got his Vonage equipment yesterday, but in light of this question, Vonage Forum Member AND Vonage employee WoW made a post that will shed some more light on this issue.

"All devices are shipped from Edison, NJ. We do understand the concerns regarding shipping and billing dates, these issues are being discussed and revised as we speak." 

Next, WoW (whose first name is Oscar) offers a progress report: 

1) All Canadian shipments will soon originate from Canada. 

2) New activations are now available via retail stores such as Future Shop, Best Buy, Staples to allow customers to purchase the device and activate it right away. 

"We are listening closely to our customers," he writes. "Vonage is willing to learn and grow together to make this better and better. If you have any concerns regarding your billing, please contact us at 1877-272-0528 and speak to an Account Manager."

As we close out today's Digest, I'd like to remind you once again about some more options you have to receive the Vonage Voip Forum Digest every day. If you go to this page: http://www.vonage-forum.com/syndication.html, you will see a list of RSS Newsreaders from which with one or two clicks, you'll be able to get your Digest delivered directly to your Newsreader each morning. The Newsreaders we've linked to on that page include such reliable and trusted services as Bloglines, Feedster, My Yahoo!, Newsgator and Feedburner. I am open to add others, just contact me with the info of the Newsreader.

That's what's hot about Vonage today. We'll be back on Friday morning with our next edition of the Vonage VoIP Forum Digest, including our very popular In The Blogs feature!!