Vonage Fair Useage Policy?

Posts: 14 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 15, 2006 Posts: 14

Very well put !

Only question.. I was told earlier on today that Vonage to Vonage calls would still be unlimited. Have you been told differently by Vonage CS?

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 25, 2008 Posts: 4

That's half the problem, I couldn't get a straight answer out of customer services when I called them; when I asked the question about calls to other Vonage users directly I was told that whilst they thought these calls WOULD be subject to the 2000min cap, they couldn't tell me for definite because they didn't really know themselves and wouldn't want to give me misleading information(!)

I've no idea whether customer services have been genuinely left in the dark about this (and if they're treating their staff in this manner I frankly don't hold out high hopes of receiving adequate service as a customer) or whether they're being deliberately cagey because they ARE going to limit Vonage-Vonage calls too and in doing so negate one of the main benefits of the service. I don't see how they can justify such a move, since surely it doesn't cost them anything if there's no external telco involved, but who knows?

Posts: 14 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 15, 2006 Posts: 14

Interesting - I was told that by Vonage CS yesterday that they wouldn't be capped although I suspect that the person I spoke to would have agreed that the moon was made of cheese to get me off the phone - they sounded so miserable.

I've sent them an email asking for clarification and I'l report back if I get a response.

Posts: 109 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Mar 30, 2005 Posts: 109

Of course we don't know if they will implement the fair usage policy. It may be an empty threat to try hit some real abusers (not us at 1 hour a day).

What does it cost Vonage if customers exceed their usage policy?

(1) network or computing system capacity issues
(2) additional termination charges from other networks

(1) would have always been the case
(2) these may have increased recently. Any one know, these are the costs other phone companies charge to complete a call within their network.

The fair usage policy isn't in any way a means of generating more revenue, it's a means of containing cost possibly.

But I suspect it's a cocked-up calculation to try manage down system capacity issues. Really an hour a day is not realistic; anyone who knows the UK market will know eg BT plans which allow far more than that a day.

Posts: 14 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 15, 2006 Posts: 14

I'm sure you're right about the cost control - like I said earlier I think these are pretty desperate times at Vonage particularly in the UK

My issue with this and 'abusers' is that if you offer a service as unlimited then how can you abuse it by using it as much as you want? If Vonage don't want to offer an unlimited service then don't - nobody's forcing them to.

If they offered

"Free international and national calls up to 2000 minutes per month after which you will be cut off without warning, your telephone number confiscated and without refund of any advance charges paid"

then that would at least be honest.

Would you have signed up to that because that appears to be what we have got now?

Posts: 14 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 15, 2006 Posts: 14

Got my first email response. I asked

I would like you to clarify whether this 'fair' usage amount is inclusive of calls to other Vonage customers ie will Vonage to Vonage calls from the UK to, for example, the USA continue to be free and unlimited or are
the included within this cap?

I got the following response

Thank you for choosing Vonage, the #1 rated digital phone service!

I understand you need clarification about the new Fair Usage Policy.

The fair usage policy has been introduced to UK customers to ensure that all customers are using our services for normal and reasonable purposes, and not anything contrary to the usage patterns they have subscribed to. The service is subject at all times to a limit of 2000 minutes in aggregate during each monthly billing cycle for outgoing inclusive calls to international countries specified in your call plan and for outgoing inclusive calls when calling UK landline numbers starting with 01, 02 and 03.

I am sorry to inform you that the new Fair Usage Policy applies to all our calling plans, including those pre-dating the current version of this Fair Usage Policy. Calls included in your call plan have a maximum call duration of 4 hours per call, after which time the call will be disconnected.

If you still do not agree with this Fair Usage policy, you can disconnect your service by calling our Account Management department.

For more information on our Terms of Service with regards to the Fair Usage policy, please visit sections 4.10 and 7.2 in the below link:

http://vonage.co.uk/features_terms_service.php?lid=footer_terms

If you have any questions, your Vonage team is available to assist you from 8a.m. to midnight, 7 days a week. Contact us whenever and however it suits you!

- On-Line Help Centre at http://www.vonage.co.uk/help.php
- Contact Us at http://www.vonage.co.uk/help_contactus.php
- Or call us free by dialling 150 from your Vonage line or FreePhone 0800 008 6000

If you call us for Technical Support, in order for our highly trained specialists to successfully assist you, it is highly recommended that you are
near the Vonage device you are calling about and in the location you intend to use your Vonage service.

Thanks again for choosing Vonage, a better phone service for less!

Sincerely,

Vonage Customer Care

ie no answer to my question. I presume the answer was either from a machine or a moron.

When I have gathered up the necessary mental fortitude I'll try CS again.

Posts: 14 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 15, 2006 Posts: 14

I've now had it confirmed that the cap DOES include Vonage to Vonage calls

I understand that you would like to know if the fair usage policy will apply to Vonage to Vonage calls also.

Unfortunately the fair usage policy will apply to Vonage to Vonage calls also. Since this policy includes 2000 minutes in aggregate during each monthly billing cycle, Vonage to Vonage calls will also apply. I apologize for any inconvenience that may have been caused.

If you have any questions, your Vonage team is available to assist you from 8 a.m. to midnight, 7 days a week. Contact us whenever and however it suits you!

This makes their 'service' completely useless to me so I'm going to have to find an alternative. I don't know any other VOIP provider that limits in network calls like this.

Posts: 15 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Aug 25, 2006 Posts: 15

I'll be calling to cancel first thing monday afternoon as soon as cancellation line reopens (and as I've been there since august 2006 they can't do anything to me)

I know that Vonage US was in financial trouble but didn't expect anything like this to happen. I've went to skype as they have their 10000 minutes per month plans and I'll use nowhere near that per month. Ordered new devices too so that I can use it when away from a PC.

Why would vonage do this now and more or less without warning and no grace period? i.e. a few weeks notice or something to move to a new provider or whatever?

Posts: 9 · New Forum Member Joined: Sep 02, 2005 Posts: 9

Hitting the uk users only ? 2000 mins is quite a miserable capping. I feel that Vonage will destroy the uptake of new customers and lose many existing customers ...and I understand they are struggling anyway.
Oh well was good whilst it lasted !!

Posts: 9 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 17, 2008 Posts: 9

I've filed complaints with watchdog and local trading standards, particularly in respect of the intentionally misleading information on the website.

Has anyone seen that advert http://vonage.co.uk/uk_tv_ads/index.php recently, if so what channel and when - I need this information to file a complaint with advertising standards too.