I am not getting what I am paying - Are You???

Posts: 49

I am posting this new thread as a Vonage customer, who is on disability, and Vonage has turned their back on me, and continuing to bill for service that I am not receiving.

The final word from Vonage about the problem I am having follows... (And I am a disabled and rely on inbound caller id name to know which Dr. is trying to contact me).

I have had a problem since October of 2005 and is addressed by Vonage below. Full telephone numbers have been made confidential to protect privacy of callers and called parties.

In Vonage Tech Support training, trainees are told that the name that will appear on a called party's phone will be "Vonage Customer."

It comes out as "Unknown Name".

I personally know of 24 customers whose businesses are being hurt by their business name coming in as "Unknown Name."

Not many people will answer a call when it comes in as "Unknown Name", because it does not have the Businessor the Individual's Name.

Think about it, you run a business, or are a residence customer - how many calls will you answer when the caller id shows only "Unknown Name?"

Not many.

Please post a reply if you are having the same problem and if you have been able to resolve it.

Thank you.

Posts: 881 · Vonage Forum Evangelist Joined: Nov 05, 2005 Posts: 881

I just noticed that when I make an outbound call from my Vonage line to a landline, "Unknown Name" does appear on the called caller id along with my phone number...I didn't know that "Vonage User" was suppose to appear. Can this be corrected?

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

No. It won't be changed.

Posts: 881 · Vonage Forum Evangelist Joined: Nov 05, 2005 Posts: 881

OK, that answers that. But, is it "suppose" to appear as "Vonage User"? Unless I've overlooked it, I did not see where it stated on the Vonage website that outbound calls from Vonage users would appear on caller id's as Vonage user.

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

Honestly, I've had mine come up as "Vonage User", "Vonage Holdings", and "Unknown Caller" at different times. I'm not sure there's anything on the website that explicitly says what it will say.

Posts: 39 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Dec 20, 2005 Posts: 39

My home phone and cell phone both have the capability of storing phone numbers/names in the built in phone directory. That pretty much solves the problem for me. If I get a call on either with a phone number that is recognized, then it also displays the name that I have programmed in.

Posts: 39 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Dec 20, 2005 Posts: 39

And - in response to the original poster's question - I believe I am getting more than what I paid for with Vonage. The service has been great since I ditched my traditional telephone service back in October, 2004. I have saved a tremendous amount of money. I have only needed Vonage technical assistance for one issue - that was resolved to my satisfaction within a reasonable amount of time. I could never go back......

Posts: 433 · Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 1:11 pm Post subject:

Me, also. I get more than Southwest Bell looney-tones can provide for the price. Of course, I understand that one item that does not work as "expected" can lessen the service good.

Just a thought,,

Posts: 881 · Vonage Forum Evangelist Joined: Nov 05, 2005 Posts: 881

Quote:

My home phone and cell phone both have the capability of storing phone numbers/names in the built in phone directory. That pretty much solves the problem for me. If I get a call on either with a phone number that is recognized, then it also displays the name that I have programmed in.

Inbound caller id is not the problem, its what appears on the outbound caller id. If you make a call from your Vonage line to the outside world and they don't have your number programmed into their phone, their caller id will display "Unknown Name" along with your number. According to "DJWildBill", their caller id should display Vonage user along with your number.

I agree with you that I get more for my money from the service and features provided from Vonage than I did with my former telco...BellSouth.

Posts: 9 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 10, 2006 Posts: 9

DJWildBill wrote:

I am posting this new thread as a Vonage customer, who is on disability, and Vonage has turned their back on me, and continuing to bill for service that I am not receiving.

The final word from Vonage about the problem I am having follows... (And I am a disabled and rely on inbound caller id name to know which Dr. is trying to contact me).

I have had a problem since October of 2005 and is addressed by Vonage below. Full telephone numbers have been made confidential to protect privacy of callers and called parties.

In Vonage Tech Support training, trainees are told that the name that will appear on a called party's phone will be "Vonage Customer."

It comes out as "Unknown Name".

I personally know of 24 customers whose businesses are being hurt by their business name coming in as "Unknown Name."

Not many people will answer a call when it comes in as "Unknown Name", because it does not have the Businessor the Individual's Name.

Think about it, you run a business, or are a residence customer - how many calls will you answer when the caller id shows only "Unknown Name?"

Not many.

Please post a reply if you are having the same problem and if you have been able to resolve it.

Thank you.

Just out of curiosity....

Why did you sign up for Vonage?

Was it the price?

Did you know exactly what you were getting?

I would have to assume you didn't.

I get inbound calls that say "unknown caller'. Usually, it a Cingular Cell call. It's not Vonages fault, because the same thing happens here with regular POTS. The two companies don't share phone number databases. So I'm not surprised the same thing happens on the outbound side.

I've also read some of your other... "posts". Do you have an actual issue? Or do all you want to do is whine how "Vonage doesn't treat me right. I don't get this, and I don't get that". It's NOT YOUR LOCAL TELCO. Live with it. Stop whining.

I'll even bet you never tested your '911' service, either.

As for using it for business....HA!

What ID-10-T would EVER fully depend on a new type of service for mission critical things like telephone ?

I say "Live with it, and stop crying." You can make/receive calls, right?
Thats about all Vonage promises. All the rest is "if service available"

And trying to get sympathy for your "on disabilty" statement doesn't wash with me either. I really couldn't care less. My wife is on disability. My father and mother are. So what? Deal with it. You are just a Vonage customer, same as I am. You don't get special treatment, and neither do I.