Contingecy plans - what if vonage goes down bad?

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 5:41 am Post subject:

As a Vonage customer, I fail to see what bag I will be holding. A 2+ million customer base is a valuable thing, indeed. Even if Vonage folds, they aren't going to be stupid enough to just shut down the network, they are going to liquiddate their customer base and servers to someone else, who will no doubt continue operations. Things may change, prices may even go up slightly, but I'm fairly confident that something resembling Vonage will continue operations with the current customer base.

And, if not, we simply sign up for an account with another provider, and life goes on.

Posts: 14 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Aug 28, 2006 Posts: 14

Want to hear a good one? If they can't sign up new customers, I don't know if I am new or old.

I did have an account with them but when I filed for divorce a few weeks ago, my wife did all kinds of things against me including signing into the Vonage account and changing the email address from mine to hers and putting her name there. When I found that out, primarily because I couldn't log into my account, I called Vonage and they couldn't do anything to help because now she's listed as the account holder even though they can clearly see that I opened up the account and was even still paying for it. I find it hard to believe that someone can take over an account without authorization from the previous party.

Oh well, guess we'll find out what happens when I move into my new place and see if I can get Vonage again.

Posts: 433 · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 2:35 pm Post subject:

Sorry to hear that but actually she did have authorization because she was able to sign into your account. Share your passwords with nobody is my motto. Good luck to you.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 10, 2007 Posts: 2

sinceMay2004 wrote:

jduffy wrote:

I am worried about my service and keeping my number. So if they don't end this in a few days, I am thinking of moving to AT&T CallVantage or some other Voip service.

The patent infringement lawsuit could follow you to next service...and the next service...and the next service...IMOHO, stay here, unless you have a different reason, other than the suit. But you have to do what your mind allows.

I think not! I have not heard any comment from patent attornys, or other experts to indicate anyone else is infringing. In any case, no judge wants to be the guy who cut off 2.2 million customers from their phone service..particularly 911. I would think that Verizon would care too, or maybe not...they know we are hardcore enough never to go to Verizon for service ever again...In fact I just switched my cell service to AT&T...So they already know they are the bad guys.

However, all said and done I now have list of all the other Voip providers, just in case....

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 7:14 pm Post subject:

I suspect Verizon is making a big deal about Vonage because:

(a) Vonage is one of the leading players, with a large established customer base. Sets a really good precedent.
(b) Vonage has a large customer base, many of whom are made up of Verizon defectors.
(c) Vonage is in a somewhat shaky financial situation.

Assuming Verizon wins on appeal, I strongly suspect that Verizon *does* intend to go after other companies. Later. After they have their clear legal precedent. After they have leveraged their monopoly to either destroy Vonage or (what is probably their preference) acquire Vonage at a greatly reduced market cap.

After all, Verizon can easily offer a solution that preserves the 2+ million customers' 911 services - allow Verizon to buy Vonage outright in a sweetheart stock deal, as the only alternative to Vonage folding entirely. If Verizon's patents hold up, then all Verizon needs to do to satisfy regulators is come up with a plan to keep those customers with their 911 access - and continuous service under a new brand name would certainly fit THAT bill...

If the courts truly hold up the patent suit, which I doubt.. but if they do... the court have little choice but to let that deal happen. Vonage would have been found to be the "bad guy", and as the victim, Verizon could certainly ask for an alternative to a complete shutdown. Once Verizon offers the judge a way out - a way to punish an infringer without costing millions of people their 911 access - it'll be a done deal.

Then, when Verizon has an established Voip service with 2.2 million customers (the company formerly known as Vonage) they can turn around and leverage their patent to try and destroy their new direct competitors, and/or buy them out.

Posts: 233 · Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 4:39 am Post subject:

Quote:

Then, when Verizon has an established Voip service with 2.2 million customers (the company formerly known as Vonage) they can turn around and leverage their patent to try and destroy their new direct competitors, and/or buy them out.

OK, I've got my contingency plan for that occurance. I've got tin cans and string. Unless I have no knowledge I am not ever going to use Verizon again. I have to agree that I don't think Verizon will win.

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 5:24 am Post subject:

Well, granted. If Verizon wins, though, the "contingency plan" would be to stay with the "new Verizon-Vonage" just long enough to get my number LNP-transferred to SunRocket or Packet8 or someone.

The point is, there's no real need to panic about "losing Vonage" at this point. Even if Vonage loses, I find it highly unlikely that any Vonage lines will be shut off - as many people have already mentioned, the impact of denying 2+ million people 911 service is something no judge would impose. So your phone line will probably continue working, and you'll have time to jump ship if you don't like the new owner.

Posts: 61 · Full Forum Member Joined: Mar 09, 2007 Posts: 61

My vary first Voip was Packet 8. If you like that echo sound this is the place to go. I hated it, everyone I would talk with would say "are you on a cell phone?". I gave them 6 months before I switched to Lingo and was with them for 2 years. I really liked them, no problems but one main one. I use a software called homeseer, it operates my phones, house lights and other things. Its a really great system. For some reason Lingo's caller id would not work right with my system. If you don't use homeseer, the caller ID works great, but homeseer just would not recognize it. This is why I switch to Vonage, because people on our message board suggested it. I was really glad that I did. Everything runs great for me with Vonage, but to be truthful, I am scared about what all is going on. I don't know if I would have switch to Vonage if I would have known. I cant say I am not happy with the service, but I will say I am concerned what is going to happen. I would rather fight then for them then switch, but I can not do it alone. So being truthful, I also am looking and I hate it. But just in case I will be ready.

Posts: 172 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Apr 19, 2006 Posts: 172

Vonage has been rated as the #1 digital phone service with more than 2.2 Million customers so it would not be possible the service would be shut down right away. In fact, I personally don't think a leading Voip provider with that huge customer network would be forced to shutdown. There is a possibility though someone would take over and would be providing the service to existing customers but operation would still continue.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 10, 2007 Posts: 2

Does anyone know if Time Warner and Comcast and Cox Cable and all these TV cable guys have infinged on the so call Verizon patents? Or are those just too big for Verizon to go after? Because I am sure they have more than 2.2 milion customers each! Correct me if I am wrong someone.