Great Offers While Cancelling Service!

Posts: 7 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 14, 2006 Posts: 7

I've been with Vonage since Feb 2006. While I initially loved their service, things went sour after a while.

The first two months were great. Awesome call quality, good prices, great features... the works. I decided that I wanted to get a cordless setup instead of the WRTG300 (?) they originally sent me, so I went to BestBuy and purchased the very first Vtech cordless vonage set offered. Oh boy. Not only did it not work for beans, but battery life slowly deteriorated over a few months to the point where I couldn't take them off the chargers to make a call.

Since then, I've been using Vonage primarily for number forwarding. I have the main line, plus 2 virtual numbers in other area codes, and an 866 line which I forwarded to my phone. After a while, these too declined in usage.

I called about 2 weeks ago after Vonage sent an account charge error notice, because I had my credit card re-issued with a new expiration date. The gentleman on the phone told me he couldn't access my account because I didn't know 3 of the 5 questions they ask. Not easy questions, like my mother's maiden name, or my first pet, or anything. More like the exact dollar and cents amount of my last bill I paid.

I hung up, disgruntled, because he could not access my account.

Today I called back, this time sitting at my dashboard logged in. From the moment I dialed til through the automated system til account cancelled, it took 19 minutes... not great, but not bad.

My representative mumbled and I couldn't understand half of what he said later in the call, but they made me some great offers before disconnecting me.

1st offer - a free cordless handset hardware package, "valued at over $100". I declined.
2nd offer - 1st offer, plus one free month of service. I declined.
3rd offer - 1st offer, plus two free months of service. I declined.
4th offer - 1st offer, plus "VIP Customer" pricing - unlimited plan for $14.99/mo for one year. I declined.

I admit that if I ever used the service, they'd be great deals. But pay $14.99 for something I never use is still a dumb idea.

I just received the charge and cancellation notices come up on my Gmail notifier. Very nice. Enjoy all - g'bye!

Posts: 183 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Dec 18, 2005 Posts: 183

Maybe this is silly, but did you ever think to just get a cordless phone and plug into your existing adapter? at the very least it would have been cheaper than replacing your adapter.

Posts: 7 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 14, 2006 Posts: 7

It's not silly that you ask that, but there are several reasons why I did not.

First, I had taken out the WRTG300(?) router, since it was causing havoc with my Xbox 360 and Xbox Live. It might have been defective, but I do believe that it was just poor product design, since my connectivity started having other issues as well.

The VTech unit I purchased replaced the unit. It has a single WAN port and a single LAN port, but otherwise only a reset button. There is no phone jack, either in or out. Hence, I could not simply just plug another cordless unit into it. I believe that it was built with that in mind, to keep you from simply using it as a converter.

After a certain point, I just gave up. Everybody gets to a certain point where there's such a thing as "just too much hassle".

Posts: 16 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 26, 2008 Posts: 16

Since Vonage actually bills one month in advance, if you cancel, should it be towards the end of your billing cycle? How does that work? Or can you cancel and tell them the date when you want the service to disconnect?

Posts: 527 · Vonage Forum Evangelist Joined: Jun 08, 2007 Posts: 527

Thadius856 wrote:

After a certain point, I just gave up. Everybody gets to a certain point where there's such a thing as "just too much hassle".

Thadius856, I think you probably made the right decison for your situation and temperament. Some folks expect plug and play with limited hassles and tweaking due to their work load and other commitments, or just do not like to fool with things that should work. Fair enough.

The POTS systems and cable (to some extent) provide this, albeit at a higher cost.

Some of us like the features, the savings, etc., and put up with an occasional hassle and tweaking to benefit. Different strokes for different folks.

Regarding the offers Vonage made to keep you, not uncommon, seems everything is negotiable. Just in the last few months:

1. My wife called the local hospital to verify a $900.00 bill before paying, insurance discounts, co-pay, etc. She was offered 30% off if she paid by e-check or credit card immediately (the bill was not late)

2. I called my cable company about my rate, since the current advertisement was less than I was paying. I received close to a $300.00 per year reduction in price.

3. My son called this evening about his blackberry billing on my cell account. Seems he noticed the advertised rate as $15.00/mo lower than he/I was paying. At the store they said, oh yeah you can get that, we just arent notifying current subscribers. Will start on next months billing.

Go figure!

Posts: 1162 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 1162

Vonage doesn't charge a month in advance.

Posts: 16 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 26, 2008 Posts: 16

roscopco wrote:

Vonage doesn't charge a month in advance.

It does charge my account 1 month in advance.

Posts: 1162 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 1162

I just checked my account and this is what it reads:

Billing Summary
Statement Date: 2-Jul-2008
Billing Cycle: 7-Jun-2008 - 6-Jul-2008
Current Balance:* -$0.00
Next Payment Date: 7-Jul-2008

Not sure how Vonage bills you a month in advance since they don't know what your bill will actually be.

Posts: 16 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 26, 2008 Posts: 16

Quote:

Monthly Statement
Account Information
Name: Shehzada
Account Number: **********

Monthly Statement Summary:
Monthly Statement Date: Jul 2, 2008
Monthly Statement Number: **********
Total Amount: $21.55

Charges Detail
Description Amount
Residential Basic 500 Minutes Plan for 1-(***)-***-**** (02/Jul-01/Aug) $14.99
International Calls for 1-(***)-***-**** (02/Jun-01/Jul) $0.52
Regulatory Recovery Fee $0.99
Emergency 911 Cost Recovery $0.99
Sales Tax $1.60
Federal Universal Service Fee $1.23
State Excise Tax $0.50
Local Franchise Tax $0.45
County MCTD Surcharge Sec. 186 $0.12
State Franchise Surcharge Sec. 184-Access $0.07
Local Transit Tax $0.07
County MCTD Surcharge Sec. 184 $0.02
Total Amount $21.55

________________________________________
Calling Information For 1-(***)-***-****

Copyright Vonage 2002-2008. All rights reserved.
No contents may be reproduced or altered in whole or in part
without the express written consent of Vonage.

This is my most current bill. As you can see, they have billed me in advance for the Residential 500 Minute Plan.

Posts: 1162 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 1162

I stand corrected they do bill a month in advance and if you have international calls they will be on the next month. I had another look at my bill.

Description Amount
Canadian Residential Premium Unlimited Plan for 1-(***)-***-*** (07/Jun-06/Jul) $24.99
International Calls for 1-(506)-474-2474 (07/May-06/Jun) $0.81
State PST $2.06
Federal GST $1.29
Total Amount $29.15

You guys in the states are paying lots of extras as compared to here in Canada, only $3.35 in taxes compared to $7.04