Vonage and its surcharges over the last year

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Mar 09, 2005 Posts: 3

What is up with the cost of Vonage going up. Are we helping pay for the lawsuits. Since September 06 my bill has gone up $1.27. I am actually contemplating contacting my State Attorney General or BBB as there is no way a bill can fluctuate so much yet not change anything:

9-06 $17.99
10-06 $18.89
1-07 $18.91
4-07 $19.00
8-07 $19.10
10-07 $19.12
11-07 $19.26

So a 3rd of my bill is now taxes and surcharges

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Mar 09, 2005 Posts: 3

Also isn't Vonage charging sales tax wrong:

Residential Basic 500 Minutes Plan $14.99
Regulatory Recovery Fee $0.99
Emergency 911 Cost Recovery $0.99
Federal Universal Service Fee $1.11
Sales Tax $1.02
Total Amount $19.10

Shouldn't sales tax only be on the $14.99. Currently they are charging sales tax after adding the monthly cost plus the regulatory fee and e911 fee. Sales tax in my state is currently 6%

So $14.99 + .99 + .99 = $16.98 *6% = $1.02

Posts: 1327 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 1327

I would think they are allowed to charge tax on the service fees.

Here is my bill for Canada, and I don't have to pay some of the fees you pay.

Charges Detail
Description Amount
Canadian Employee Unlimited Plan for 1-(xxx)-xxx-xxxx (07/Nov-06/Dec) $31.99
International Calls for 1-(xxx)-xxx-xxx (07/Oct-06/Nov) $0.42
Provincial PST $2.59
Federal GST $1.94
Total Amount $36.94

Any taxes that are collected are sent into the government Vonage can't keep those.

Posts: 448 · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:41 am Post subject:

roscopco wrote:

Canadian Employee Unlimited

Are you a Vonage employee???

Posts: 1327 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 1327

No, but I called for a better price so they gave me this employee price.

Posts: 448 · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:45 am Post subject:

So maybe you're an honerary employee. Cool

Posts: 1327 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 1327

maybe I should run a call center tech support from my home.

Posts: 42 · Full Forum Member Joined: Aug 12, 2007 Posts: 42

sarcoptic wrote:

4-07 $19.00
8-07 $19.10
10-07 $19.12
11-07 $19.26

I have had Vonage for this entire time frame and my price hasn't changed by a cent. I am not sure of the area that you live in but perhaps you should look at what part of your bill is actually increasing.

If your state or city or county has changed their 911 fee or any other fee that is the amount that should be different. Before you go contacting the AG in your state check and make sure that you actually have a complaint.

Also, charging tax on the fees and other things like 911 is up to each state. It is still certainly possible that Vonage is over charging on taxes if they are simply taxing everyone for all of it, but it is also possible that your state requires Vonage to collect taxes on your final bill amount and not just the portion of the bill that is actually for services provided.

Vonage does not tax my entire bill as my tax portion would be .45 higher if they did. I can't tell you what the portion excluded from taxes is because sales tax is the last item on the bill, but they are clearing not taxing me for every item on my bill.

Posts: 14 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jul 02, 2006 Posts: 14

Besides Vonage, I also have a landline. In my county, telephone companies, both landline and wireless, had (don't know if it still exist) to charge a county tax of $2. However, Vonage never charged me that and I have 911 setup and my billing address at my home location. This $2 was on top of a state and county 911 charge.

Posts: 203 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Mar 04, 2006 Posts: 203

Jan 13, 2007 $30.24
Feb 13, 2007 $30.24
Mar 13, 2007 $30.24
Apr 13, 2007 $30.39
May 13, 2007 $30.39
Jun 13, 2007 $30.39
Jul 13, 2007 $30.39
Aug 13, 2007 $30.54
Sep 13, 2007 $30.54
Oct 13, 2007 $30.57
Nov 13, 2007 $30.80

And that is why I only have 1 line with Vonage now instead of 4. My company pays for this one or it would be gone too. When I get around to it I'll port it out too.

It is usually the Federal Universal Service fee that goes up. The fee is not changing. Vonage is.

over 23% fees? I don't even think Ma Bell has balls that big.