Personal vs Business?

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Dec 31, 2005 Posts: 4

Hello-

Maybe I am overlooking something silly, but why would someone go with the business package over the personal? They both seem to have all the features, the business just includes a free fax line (which you can add-on to personal for just $10/mo).

Business
$50/mo

Personal
$25
$10 fax
$35

$15 cheaper to just add on to personal, plus get all the unlimited minutes. Add-on lines are cheaper for personal, as well.

The *only* reason I could see using a business POTS line is to get a business name to show up on the caller id (nevermind billing issues). Unless there is some special level of service that the business side offers over the personal, it just seems silly.

Can anyone correct me or tell me what I'm obviously over-looking?

- Kevin

Posts: 3198 · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 8:32 am Post subject:

besides ethical reasons, Vonage could potentially switch you to the business plan if you use a ton of minutes during 8-5 and 0 minutes after that every day.

Posts: 159 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Aug 05, 2005 Posts: 159

Just curious, where does Vonage state that you cannot use a personal line for business? I'm not following the ethical comment.

Posts: 350 · Vonage Forum Evangelist Joined: Dec 04, 2005 Posts: 350

kpdillon wrote:

Just curious, where does Vonage state that you cannot use a personal line for business? I'm not following the ethical comment.

That pesky document called the Terms of Service that everyone agrees to yet no one reads...

2.2 Residential Use of Service and Device. If you subscribe to Vonage's residential services, the Service and the Device are provided to you solely for residential use. You shall not resell or transfer the Service or the Device to another party without our prior written consent. You are prohibited from using the Service or the Device for auto-dialing, continuous or extensive call forwarding, telemarketing (including, without limitation, charitable or political solicitation or polling), fax or voicemail broadcasting or fax or voicemail blasting. We reserve the right to immediately terminate or modify your Service if we determine, in our sole and absolute discretion, that your use of the Service or the Device is, or at any time was, inconsistent with normal residential usage patterns. In addition, you will be required to pay our higher rates for commercial service for all periods in which your use of the Service or the Device was inconsistent with normal residential use.

Posts: 159 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Aug 05, 2005 Posts: 159

I beg to differ, I did read the terms of service as I am sure others do as well. Again, where does Vonage state that you cannot use a personal line for business? I understand with either plan, I cannot telemarket, autodial etc.... but I don't see any rule or violation against using a residential line for either personal or business calls. I'm not looking to debate, I just have not seen that ever stated by Vonage in the Terms of Service or elsewhere.

Posts: 476 · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 12:40 pm Post subject:

kpdillon wrote:

I beg to differ, I did read the terms of service as I am sure others do as well. Again, where does Vonage state that you cannot use a personal line for business?

You're kidding, right? Did you even read the little blurb from the TOS?

Quote:

We reserve the right to immediately terminate or modify your Service if we determine, in our sole and absolute discretion, that your use of the Service or the Device is, or at any time was, inconsistent with normal residential usage patterns. In addition, you will be required to pay our higher rates for commercial service for all periods in which your use of the Service or the Device was inconsistent with normal residential use.

Posts: 159 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Aug 05, 2005 Posts: 159

I certainly did. Again where does Vonage state that you cannot use a personal line for business? Every household and business is different in terms of usage. And the usage policies ought to be followed. I'm certainly no lawyer but I don't see any rule against using my personal Vonage line to conduct business as long it's within the usage guidelines. i wouldn't try to setup a help desk call center with a personal line, but certainly I think its within reason and all rules to use a personal line to conduct business as long as it's within the "residential usage" limits that they refer. Again, I don't see where Vonage states that you cannot use a personal line for business. Tell me where I'm wrong.

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Dec 31, 2005 Posts: 4

I will interject here, since I started it.. Lol

As a single guy who usually uses his cell phone, my business/personal Vonage line would have CONSIDERABLE less traffic than say, a family of 5 with 3 girls.

I would also imagine with the push Vonage has now for getting subscribers, that they will likely change my service before dropping me as a customer. But I would definitely not set something up with a call center or consistent daily use between 9-5.

I use a personal line now for my business through Qwest, going on almost 6 years and no complaint from Qwest. I would think it's unreasonable for a service provider to chrage a customer $15/mo extra just because they *might* be receiving business calls on that line also. So, speaking of ethical.. Wink

That's my $.02, anyways!

Posts: 4 · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 2:00 pm Post subject:

I'd just like to pipe in here. I do use my Vonage line for business. I set it up that way, declared that it would be a home based business and am paying a business rate accordingly.

My usage is consistently under 1000 minutes per month, I asked to change to a residential package and was given a very difficult time. They did agree to switch me if I agreed to not use it for "business" which I clearly am.

I legally can't agree to that so I'm stuck paying a higher amount even though a family of 5 (possibly with 3 girls) would use more time.

I'm not happy about but I'm not switching. YET!

Posts: 4777 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4777

For what what it's worth, the phrase "the Service and the Device are provided to you solely for residential use" implies non-business use to me. Of course, I'm not a lawyer either.