If You're Thinking of Buying a Vonage Device off Ebay......

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

"I asked someone who was selling something whether it would work again and he said it would since he un-registered it. Not sure whether its actually true though. So many auctions are so deceptive about whether it can be used again."

Yeah, "unregistered it." That's a good one! Very Happy

Posts: 17 · Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 10:18 am Post subject:

Just to let you know, I fell victim to this (well maybe and maybe not).

Purchased a previously used Moto vt1005 on ebay for my Mother, who wanted Vonage desperately. In an effort to save her as much money as possible I went ahead and bid on the auction and won. $15 bucks can't beat that.

I did find out that they couldn't activate a previously used device the hard way. However I didn't give up, I went straight to a supervisor and voiced how crappy I thought that was. I suppose in an effort to get me to shut up, he made a trouble ticket out to have the mac from that device activated on my mother's account.. it worked!

Just thought I'd share my experience with this..

Posts: 497 · Vonage Forum Evangelist Joined: Apr 29, 2005 Posts: 497

michael197131 wrote:

I suppose in an effort to get me to shut up, he made a trouble ticket out to have the mac from that device activated on my mother's account.. it worked!

Other people have reported having this done for them, but many more people have been left with useless hardware. If you're already stuck with the hardware you can try, but I would not recommend buying used hardware expecting to be able to use it.

michael197131 - I get what you're saying, I just want to make sure others don't expect to have the same experience.

Posts: 17 · Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 10:42 am Post subject:

arcking wrote:

michael197131 wrote:

I suppose in an effort to get me to shut up, he made a trouble ticket out to have the mac from that device activated on my mother's account.. it worked!

Other people have reported having this done for them, but many more people have been left with useless hardware. If you're already stuck with the hardware you can try, but I would not recommend buying used hardware expecting to be able to use it.

michael197131 - I get what you're saying, I just want to make sure others don't expect to have the same experience.

I certainly wouldn't want anybody else falling victim to this like I did. It was quite a bit of trouble for me to go through, I think I spent a total of 3 hours on the phone trying to get this done, of course getting hung up on several times. Sad

bad cs Vonage..

I was just determined though not to get stuck with a useless adaptor.. The amount of trouble I went through was worth it, the end result is my Mom is saving a bundle on her phone bill and she kept her number. The porting process took 1 week btw.. from SBC.

Posts: 17 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jun 02, 2003 Posts: 17

bmetelsky wrote:

I wonder why EBay allows folks to sell used Vonage devices. Seems like it would be in their best interest to just not allow it. I'm sure they've gotten many complaints from people purchasing one of the used devices and then finding out they won't ever work for Vonage service.

Because Vonage devices can be unlocked to work with any Voip provider.

To make sure you can do it for the model on sale, be sure to google it first.

Jeff

Posts: 497 · Vonage Forum Evangelist Joined: Apr 29, 2005 Posts: 497

jlasman wrote:

Because Vonage devices can be unlocked to work with any Voip provider.

To make sure you can do it for the model on sale, be sure to google it first.

True, some sellers do know what they're doing, they may have good intentions.

There's still all this:

Quote:

Do not miss out on this great opportunity to own this router a lot less expensive than what you would be charged if ordering the service brand new!

Quote:

Linksys PAP2 2-Port Voice Over IP Adapter allows you to get telephone service through your high-speed Internet connection via Vonage

Quote:

All you have to do is plug the modem in and go to vonage.com to start your service!

Quote:

After activating with Vonage online, just connect up to two phones to the adapter, and you're up and running.

Quote:

This system is thru Vonage.

Quote:

This is a Vonage-ready, Linksys RTP300 router.

Those are all used Vonage devices, just the first page of eBay.

Posts: 241 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Mar 17, 2006 Posts: 241

I began to wonder what notice Vonage provides that they do not activate a used device (if not for this forum I'd be in the dark about it) so I perused the Terms of Service.

Quote:

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.

2.3 Small Business Use of Service and Device. If you subscribe to Vonage's Small Business services, the Service and Device are provided to you as a small business user. You shall not resell or transfer the Service or the Device to another party without our prior written consent.

2.4 Business Plus Use of Service. If you subscribe to Vonage's Business Plus services, the Service is provided to you as a small business user. You shall not resell or transfer the Service to another party without our prior written consent. You are responsible for supplying, operating and supporting the standard SIP based Customer Premise Equipment for use with the Service.

2.7.b) Unauthorized Usage of Device; Firmware or Software. Other than for Business Plus customers, you have not been granted any license to use the firmware or software used to provide the Service or provided to you in conjunction with providing the Service, or embedded in the Device, other than a nontransferable, revocable license to use such firmware or software in object code form (without making any modification thereto) strictly in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement

So I guess it's pretty clear that you aren't supposed to sell a Vonage adapter to someone else. Of course, it also says

Quote:

...we do not presently offer or support the Service in any countries other than the United States and Canada...We reserve the right to disconnect your Service immediately if we determine, in our sole and absolute discretion, that you have used the Service or the Device outside of the United States or Canada.

Posts: 277 · Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 8:59 pm Post subject:

pdhenry wrote:

I began to wonder what notice Vonage provides that they do not activate a used device (if not for this forum I'd be in the dark about it) so I perused the Terms of Service.

Quote:

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.

2.3 Small Business Use of Service and Device. If you subscribe to Vonage's Small Business services, the Service and Device are provided to you as a small business user. You shall not resell or transfer the Service or the Device to another party without our prior written consent.

2.4 Business Plus Use of Service. If you subscribe to Vonage's Business Plus services, the Service is provided to you as a small business user. You shall not resell or transfer the Service to another party without our prior written consent. You are responsible for supplying, operating and supporting the standard SIP based Customer Premise Equipment for use with the Service.

2.7.b) Unauthorized Usage of Device; Firmware or Software. Other than for Business Plus customers, you have not been granted any license to use the firmware or software used to provide the Service or provided to you in conjunction with providing the Service, or embedded in the Device, other than a nontransferable, revocable license to use such firmware or software in object code form (without making any modification thereto) strictly in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement

So I guess it's pretty clear that you aren't supposed to sell a Vonage adapter to someone else.

Well, no, actually its not really clear at all, when you notice that within the same Terms of Service it also says:

Quote:

2.13 Ownership and Risk of Loss. You will own the Device and bear all risk of loss of, theft of, casualty to or damage to the Device, from the time it is shipped to you until the time (if any) when it is returned to us in accordance with this Agreement.

Now, if you bought a car and the dealer said "you may NOT resell or transfer this car to anyone else ever, BUT you *do* own the car and bear all risk of loss of, theft of, casualty to or damage to the car" would you say its "pretty clear"? Actually, I'm not even sure its legal, let alone clear. Evil or Very Mad

Posts: 241 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Mar 17, 2006 Posts: 241

That just means if it breaks Vonage has no obligation to replace it.

The "no transfer" clause is how Vonage can justify refusing to activate a used box.

Posts: 277 · Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 10:28 am Post subject:

pdhenry wrote:

That just means if it breaks Vonage has no obligation to replace it.

"You will own the Device" just means if it breaks Vonage has no obligation to replace it?? Gee, that's not how MY dictionary defines "ownership." <shrug>