tricks to suck your money

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: May 20, 2006 Posts: 4

I recently cancelled Vonage service. There is $39.99 fee which I never knew about.

Also it charged me in advance for one month service fee, they won't return those money, another trick you may need to know before you consider their service

Posts: 1123 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: May 26, 2005 Posts: 1123

Gee, maybe you just can't read?

http://www.vonage.com/help.php?article=362

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

I agree that they do tell you about the cancellation fee if you read everything. I even agree that it's not all that hard to find. On the other hand, one of the first things they hit you with in the advertising is "no annual contract". A lawyer would might say that a cancellation fee is not the same thing, but it seems like a distinction without a difference to me.

Posts: 409 · Posted: Sun May 28, 2006 9:23 am Post subject: Re: tricks to suck your money

CMDL wrote:

I recently cancelled Vonage service. There is $39.99 fee which I never knew about.

Also it charged me in advance for one month service fee, they won't return those money, another trick you may need to know before you consider their service

Its only fair to insert the CORRECT information.

So, As is stated in the terms of Service:

Service is offered on a monthly basis for a term that begins on the date that Vonage activates your Service and ends on the day before the same date in the following month. Subsequent terms of this Agreement automatically renew on a monthly basis unless you give us written notice of non-renewal at least ten (10) days before the end of the monthly term in which the notice is given. You are purchasing the Service for full monthly terms, meaning that if you attempt to disconnect Service prior to the end of a monthly term, you will be responsible for the full month's charges to the end of the then-current term, including, without limitation, unbilled charges, plus a disconnection fee, if applicable, all of which will immediately become due and payable. You will also be responsible for the next full month's charges in the event that you do not provide the requisite ten-day notice of disconnection prior to the expiration of the then-current term. Expiration of the term or disconnection of Service will not excuse you from paying all accrued and unpaid charges due under this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if you disconnect Vonage service after the Money Back Guarantee period (see section 3.7), but within the first twelve months, Vonage charges a disconnection fee of $39.99 per line.

Its alot of fine print to read but in the long run it pays to read it all, so your left with no suprises.

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: May 28, 2006 Posts: 1

Don't you find it still kind of lame or even unethical to advertise so much about no annual contract but have a cancellation fee if you cancel within first 12months... lol...

Posts: 26 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Jan 19, 2005 Posts: 26

is it 12 months and then cancel with no fee or is it no fee as long as you cancel at the end of the month? I can't read.

Posts: 293 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Jan 22, 2006 Posts: 293

Excerpts from a couple competitors' TOS:

"....if an End User terminates Voice Service within twelve (12) months of the initial purchase of the Services, ******* shall charge a Disconnection Fee of fifty-nine dollars...." (Company advertises risk-free service)

"..., if you disconnect your service between 30 and 365 days after signing up for it, you will be assessed an early termination fee." (Another company)

"Customer will be charged a disconnect fee of US$49.95 per voice line upon termination of Service for any reason or for convenience of Customer, ...." (goes on to list a few unrelated exceptions including service issues and periods over 12 months)

Bah, I'm not going to look at any more. These are just the first three companies that popped into my head.

badbeat, I won't say it is lame or unethical. I will say it appears to be typical.

CMDL, you accepted the TOS when you signed up. Honestly, in that you never knew about them does not constitute it being a trick to suck your money.

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 16, 2006 Posts: 8

Yes..I still look at it as a Cheap-Trick.

What Vonage is doing might not be illegal, and may be we may not succeed if we file a suite. But it doesn't mean it is ethical. And definately it is an annoyance.

And showing other competetors are doing the same is not a valid argument. If you kill 10 people, and argue that you are better than an international terrorist like laden, you think you gain points?

Iam a Vonage customer and happy with the technicalities, but things like this really scares one away

Posts: 293 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Jan 22, 2006 Posts: 293

Forgive me, I wasn't trying to defend Vonage business practices. I'd like to remain neutral on this one. My post was merely intended to balance and mildly moderate what I viewed as a bias. I`m certain the original post was intended to scare those thinking of signing up. (If I am wrong, I`m sorry) Therefore, I did not question nor intend to defend the fee. I just pointed out that it is typical.

Quote:

What Vonage is doing might not be illegal, and may be we may not succeed if we file a suite.

That statement does not and should not correlate directly with the ethics portion of it.

As far as me showing what other competitors are doing, it was not intended to be an arguement. Putting it on the same plane as killing 10 people shows as much.

Essentially, my points are:

There are apparently provisions and laws that allow Vonage and others to assess a cancellation fee. Vonage is not unique in this and is in line with the competitive market.

I have little sympathy for those that chose not to read the find print and accept the terms of service. The blame for the ignorance is not the fault of Vonage. So accusing Vonage of cheap tricks is lame, ignorant, and indicative of lack of business sense.

Now, as I am done with this thread, let me give my personal feelings. I do not like the cancellation charge, and worried about it at signup. I went ahead with sign-up, fully realizing what it would cost me get out of the service. I`m thankful the service has truly worked for me as well as I hoped.