Cancellation problems.

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 12, 2006 Posts: 8

I'm so pissed at Vonage right now. I tried to cancel my service a month or two ago, and they told me I would have to pay a $39.95 cancellation fee because I signed up for a year. No problem. I decided to downgrade my service and keep it until the end of my year. I paid everything like I was supposed to. My year is up on Wednesday. So I call today to cancel, having paid everything I was required. I had to sit on hold for 35 minutes to talk to someone because even though it's an internet phone service, you can't cancel your service on line. I get this guy who isn't allowed to tell me his last name, and he says if they cancel it now I will still have to pay a $39.95 fee. But, I can call on Thursday and will not have to pay. So I asked him if he can just cancel it for me on Thursday and he says he will be too busy and that I will have to just call back and wait for 35 minutes again. I ask for a manager and he tells me he is the highest up. So I finally get out of him his supervisor's name, and he tells me she doesn't do call backs and will not take calls. I asked him how long it takes to cancel an account. He says a couple minutes. But he still will not do it for me on Thursday. I then asked to talk to someone else there and he says he can't transfer me and I will have to call back and sit on hold for another 35 minutes. I wish I could find someone at Vonage to talk to about this, but I can't get anyone high up. Stuff like this really pisses me off, because I am the customer service supervisor at my company, I know that he could do this if he wanted to and this is just rediculous.

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 12, 2006 Posts: 4

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Other people have written about this problem & so why does Vonage play dumb?

I called Comcast on May 1 to switch my service from Vonage to Comcast. I also wanted to retain my old phone number. Comcast told me that I had to wait 10-15 days because it takes that amount of time for Vonage to release my old phone number.

On May 18, Comcast came into my house and installed my new phone service.

On June 11, I got billed by Vonage. When I called they told me that my service was still active.

On June 12, I called Comcast who told me that they will contact the FCC because they have been granted my phone #.

I found out that I have 2 phone servers -- both Comcast and Vonage & they're both billing me.

The next Vonage customer service person (June 12) told me that I had to call to cancel my service. I told them to go ahead and cancel it. They informed me that I needed to pay $39.99 to disengage because my service would be one day short of a year.

Idiots. I joined Vonage on July 10, 2005 & I'm paid up until July 9th, 2006. I would call it one year! It covers 365 days.

Once the math problem was solved (another call, another long wait) -- a "higher up the rank" customer service person tells me that I can't cancel until July 9th and to call back to cancel on that day. I need to call on that day and that day only.

But didn't I read somewhere that we need to cancel 10 days in advance?

I've read other complaints with the same story. Shouldn't they learn from this? It's a scam.

I originally wanted to cancel because my phone connection was "broken up" and friends also complained about a constant beep on my line. Now, even if the telephone connection was crystal clear -- I would cancel because I feel that they have bad policies. They won't allow you to cancel and continue to create roadblocks so that days go by and dollars add up.

Vonage is stealing money from folks like us.

Posts: 54 · Full Forum Member Joined: May 08, 2006 Posts: 54

If you really want to cancel just change your credit card number. Then you can cancel on your terms and not by the one some moron in India decides to make up as he/she goes along.

Bob

Posts: 56 · Full Forum Member Joined: Apr 27, 2005 Posts: 56

For anyone who wants to cancel, they have to get thru to accounts management in New Jersey. Time : 8:30 am - 9:00 pm EST, Mon - Fri. None else has the authority to cancel.

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 12, 2006 Posts: 8

I sent this to Vonage Customer care. I'll post their reply when I get one.

I called yesterday to cancel my account. I understand that there is a $39.95 fee for early cancellation. My year is up this Wednesday. I had to wait for 35 minutes on hold yesterday to talk to someone who told me that even though I paid for this month, and my year is almost up and I don't owe anything else to complete that year, I would still have to pay a fee to cancel it 2 days early. But I could call back on Thursday, probably wait for another 35 minutes to talk to someone, and cancel it then. I then asked him how long it takes to cancel an account and he told me a couple of minutes. I asked him to take my name and just cancel my account on Thursday morning so I would not be charged for another month. He would not do this. His name is Travis and his employee number is 25186. This is rediculous. If I have to wait until thursday to call back and I get charged for another month before I can cancel, I will make it a priority to tell everyone I know not to use Vonage. I've already posted this on the vonage-forum website and some others. Please do the right thing here and just cancel my account. You can call me at (***) ***-**** or email me at matt@*************.com. 10 minutes of your time could save you from losing an unlimited amount of new accounts. I am the customer service supervisor at my company, and I know this can be done.

Matt

Posts: 409 · Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:58 am Post subject:

theshine wrote:

I sent this to Vonage Customer care. I'll post their reply when I get one.

I called yesterday to cancel my account. I understand that there is a $39.95 fee for early cancellation. My year is up this Wednesday. I had to wait for 35 minutes on hold yesterday to talk to someone who told me that even though I paid for this month, and my year is almost up and I don't owe anything else to complete that year, I would still have to pay a fee to cancel it 2 days early. But I could call back on Thursday, probably wait for another 35 minutes to talk to someone, and cancel it then. I then asked him how long it takes to cancel an account and he told me a couple of minutes. I asked him to take my name and just cancel my account on Thursday morning so I would not be charged for another month. He would not do this. His name is Travis and his employee number is 25186. This is rediculous. If I have to wait until thursday to call back and I get charged for another month before I can cancel, I will make it a priority to tell everyone I know not to use Vonage. I've already posted this on the vonage-forum website and some others. Please do the right thing here and just cancel my account. You can call me at (***) ***-**** or email me at matt@*************.com. 10 minutes of your time could save you from losing an unlimited amount of new accounts. I am the customer service supervisor at my company, and I know this can be done.

Matt

Make sure you do this also Matt..

2. SERVICE
2.1 (a) Monthly Term. 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.

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 12, 2006 Posts: 8

So here are my responses. My questions are in italics:

Dear Matthew,

Thank you for Contacting Customer Care.
As we understand from your e-mail you like to know about the account status and to cancel your account.
We apologize for all the frustrations you experienced to get this
matter resolved.
Our records indicates that your account is still active.
The request for cancellation that come through email are unable to
processed due to security reasons. We understand that it is unfair to ask you to contact the customer care. However, at this time that is the only option. Hence, we suggest you to call Customer care and speak to a live agent, to get the account canceled. Again, we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.
As per our policy we are unable to cancel your account for the above reason, even email department is not the position to authorized the credit. However, we suggest you to call Customer care and speak to a live agent, they will surely assist you in resolving your issue. Again, we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.
If you have any questions now or in the future Vonage DigitalVoice
Customer Care is eager to assist you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Please visit our help center at http://www.vonage.com/help.php or send
us an email from our Contact Us page at
http://www.vonage.com/help_contactUs.php.You can also call us Toll
Free at: 1-VONAGE-HELP 1-866-243-4357.

I know I have to call to cancel. That's not the point. Why can't I cancel today, having paid everything I was required to and now 1 day before my year is up. I owe Vonage nothing more. Why do I have to call on Thursday and wait for 35 minuites to talk to someone. Why can't I call today and have them cancel it without a $39.95 fee? If I wait until Thursday I will be charged for another month. Is this a scam to get another month out of people who want to cancel?

By the way, Travis, employee number 25186, was very incompetent as a customer service representative. I don't believe it is totally his fault, but you advertise you have good customer service, and what I experienced yesterday was very, very bad.

Dear Matthew,

Thank you for contacting Customer Care.

We understand your concern in canceling your vonage account.

We regret to inform you once again that you need to call up the
customer care on Thursday to cancel your vonage account. Our intension is not make your call our customer care and wait for a long time on hold, but at this time this is the only option available. Also we would credit the plan charges if in case the invoice gets created on Thursday before you cancel the account.

I'm now hearing that I have to write to Vonage 10 days before I want to cancel my account or I will be responsibler for the next month. Is this true? If it is true, why was I not told this by Travis employee # 25186 last night?

Dear Matthew,

Thank you for contacting Customer Care.

We understand that you want to know the procedure of canceling the service.
We like to inform you that, if you want to cancel your service you
have to call our Toll free number and speak to the Account Management.
Our Account Management Department is available to assist you Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. EST. The Vonage Toll Free number is given below.

NOTHING BUT A COMPLETE RUNARAOUND

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 12, 2006 Posts: 4

I'll be darn -- I'm having the very same experience as Matt. Caught between a rock and a hard place -- you have to cancel AFTER they've already billed you for the additional month (that you don't want)!

I spoke to a woman. After my rants, she noticed that my card runs out at the end of the month and actually told me that was my best way out!

I'll do my best to warn others. Do NOT sign up with Vonage.

Posts: 54 · Full Forum Member Joined: May 08, 2006 Posts: 54

As I've said before, just change your credit card number. Since Vonage is making it so hard to cancel, let them contact you when the charge won't go through. Then decide to answer the phone when you feel good and ready to do so.

Bob

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 12, 2006 Posts: 8

I have to say that Vonage actually stepped up and corrected my problem. I called their Executive Respone Team number. You have to leave a message and it says someone will contact you within 4 hours. I never expected a call, but I got one within 4 hours. They were very polite and helpful and actually took care of what I needed. I'm still not happy about the time it took to get to that point, but I do have to say that they did appologize profusely and took care of what I needed.

Point is, keep the number posted here for the Executive Response Team. It seems like the only way you can get someone that has any real power to do anything.

Vonage is no longer on my **** list anymore.