I decided to cancel today.

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 27, 2008 Posts: 4

cargojack wrote:

Are you saying that you are cancelling yoru service because you did not get a free hardware update?

When you want a new cell phone, does your cell phone company give you a free phone without asking you to extend your contract? Vonage is not doing anything different than the cell companies.

When my adapter eventuallu fails, I expect that I will have to buy a new one, call Vonage and have them register my number sto the new adapter. I do not expect them to give me a free adapter.

If they want to sign me a new 2 year contract I expect a hardware upgrade. I can get a a free adapter by signing a two year agreement elsewhere.

They informed me I wasn't signing a new contract and offered me a deal to stay. So I agreed what do you expect me to say.

I mean come on I was like I would like to cancel. The lady said may I ask why. I said I dont ant to sign a new two year contract if I am not getting a new wireless Vonage device. She was like hold on. She came back and asked me where did I see I had to sign a new contract. I showed her in the TOS 6.7. She read it and was a little confused. She said hold on I have to go ask my supervisor about this. She came back and said sir you dont have to sign a new contract. I said ok. She said I would be willing to give you 2 months free and each month after that is $14.99 per month for one year. This is for the same service you have now. I said the unlimited package. She said yes. What was I supposed to do say no mam, I would like to keep it the way it is now. Since I dont have to sign a contract I dont wish to take you offer.

Yeah you fell and bumped your head really dam hard.

Posts: 831 · Vonage Forum Evangelist Joined: Jun 08, 2007 Posts: 831

Sounds like a great deal . . . .obvious Vonage does not wish to lose customers, a shame you have to threaten to cancel to get a deal!

Posts: 111 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Jan 26, 2008 Posts: 111

ed56 wrote:

cargojack wrote:

Are you saying that you are cancelling yoru service because you did not get a free hardware update?

When you want a new cell phone, does your cell phone company give you a free phone without asking you to extend your contract? Vonage is not doing anything different than the cell companies.

When my adapter eventuallu fails, I expect that I will have to buy a new one, call Vonage and have them register my number sto the new adapter. I do not expect them to give me a free adapter.

He (nighthalk) first said he cancelled, because they would not give him new equipment and he was under the assumption that his contract auto renews for another two years WITHOUT any benefit. I think that is an incorrect assumption.

Then it appears he talked to Vonage, who gave him 2 months free and unlimited service for 14.99 vs 24.99 without a commitment, ie month to month.

I wonder if the 14.99 is for the 500 minute plan. If unlimited, nice deal!

I hesitated to jump in here for a while, but the notion keeps bugging me from time to time. Rolling Eyes

Now this is not going to be a tip for this individual so much as a way to get something off my chest.

I mean let's face it. This guy seems to be incapable of writing a coherent sentence. The guys who followed up were struggling to understand his beef. Me too for that matter.

Now anybody who has spent any time on the 'net knows that you meet your share of psychotics and schizoids. And I alluded to that aspect earlier about the people who think if it's on the net it ought to be free. (That the folks who devote their working lives to providing it wouldn't get a pay check that way never enters into their thinking.)

If this individual is one of them it should be obvious to Vonage that to let him go is more of a gain than a loss. I mean to strive for 100% customer satisfaction in this world is not onlly unrealistic, it is idiotic and pollyannaish Exclamation

It would be like Chamberlain returning from Munich and announcing that he had reached the man on an intellictual level and had talked some sense into him.

Now, having said all that, I think I see what this guy is driving at. And if this is not a correct assessment, let it stand for the purpose of my argument anyway.

I think he thinks that he got his adapter free in the beginning and now that he is opting for a better plan (his upgrading?) and entering into a new contract then he should be entitled to a new device comped by Vonage.

Now as much as I am a guy who hates the parasites on this planet, I too have a problem with this business of furnishing a free gizmo to get a ring in the customer's nose and then when he is comfortable and would have to go to the trouble of changing companies (normal human inertia at having to face the unknown -- which is what is hoped can be exploited here) that now we can get him to foot the bill for any future devices or replacements.

In other words, let's dangle a freebie in front of the dude and get him signed up and see if this sale sticks on the wall. Eek

Let's say that you want electrical service to that new house you bought or built. The company says fine. We will provide you a meter free of charge at signup, but you are responsible for its maintenance, upkeep, and replacement after the warranty period. Give us a call if it looks like it is spinning like a gyroscope and we will connect you with a gal in New Dehli.

Now I am not picking on Vonage alone here. Verizon does me the same way with their router. Mine went out after one year but fortunately I had signed up for TV service after my initial signup, and that extended the warranty on the device somehow. But when that comes to one year then it's 140 smackers for a new one.

HUH Exclamation

"Yessir! The STBs are covered month-to-month because you rent them. If they go bad we send you a new one. But the gateway that provides your on-screen Program Guide, your Video On Demand, your pause, play, rewind and all that? Naw. You gotta provide that yerself. It's not part of the service we contract to supply you." Embarassed

What's next? The Electric company starts renting you the aluminum feeder they sting/bury to your premise?

[Update: Talked to someone in tech support who negated that info that I was told by someone in Verizon C/S. When I have TV service the gateway/router stays covered and does not go out of warranty.
Whew! Some sanity here!!!]