vonage growing pains

Posts: 28 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Jul 10, 2004 Posts: 28

I'm seeing quite a bit of vonage advertising and I've heard they might be adding a thousand new customers a day. Maybe they are growing too fast.

For almost a week around Christmas time my service went down--no dialtone, all incoming calls going immediately to voicemail. Even with my vonage adapter disconnected the network outage setting didn't ring my cell phone as it was set up to do, so clearly the problem was on vonage servers. The problem was resolved after a week with no action on my part except a bunch of phone calls and e-mails to vonage.

The same problem has started up again today. I hope it doesn't take a week to fix this time. It's unlikely I'm the only customer having this problem. may be vonage is taking an new customers so rapidly they are unable to maintain service to existing customers.

I'm a big fan of vonage. I want them to succeed and stay in business but maybe it would be best for everyone if the new sign-ups slowed down for a while until they have a more reliable service.

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 14, 2005 Posts: 1

I had that same thought myself - I see new advertising everywhere. My problem is different in that I simply can't get ahold of any support whatsoever. Before I signed up, I had a couple of questions and they were answered within four hours. Since I signed up (and paid), I've sent in two support requests and neither have ever received a reply to date - the most recent being just over 4 days. I've tried calling twice, but both times I was put on hold for over 20 minutes and I simply don't have time to wait that long. I love the idea of the service, but I have not even had a chance to try it yet because I haven't received my adapter, even though I ordered the service over a week ago (and I have no confirmation that it's even been sent yet). However, I'm more than a little concerned about the support. Growing pains is really no excuse, in my opinion.

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Posts: 15 · Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2005 1:29 pm Post subject:

I have called them about three times and I get them after being on hold for 20 or so min. Just like other services there will be growing pains. I just hope they pull up in time.

Posts: 429 · Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2005 2:04 pm Post subject:

cooper8168 wrote:

My problem is different in that I simply can't get ahold of any support whatsoever. Before I signed up, I had a couple of questions and they were answered within four hours. Since I signed up (and paid), I've sent in two support requests and neither have ever received a reply to date - the most recent being just over 4 days.

I have 2 billing support requests, which were submitted via the Vonage website support form, that are nearly 2 weeks old with no response. No matter how you look at it, that is totally unacceptable.

Waiting on the phone for support isn't much better. This past Tuesday, I was on hold for support for (according to the activity log in the control panel) 18 minutes, cringing everytime their "your call is very important to us" message played-- the woman sounds like she's stoned on quaaludes. Then the on-hold music stopped, an extension rang and I got my hopes up, only to be dumpted back into the on-hold music. A minute later, an extension rang again, got bounced back to on-hold music for a moment, then click-click-dead air.... my call got dropped. GRRRRRRR!!!!

Called back and this time waited for 31 minutes before getting through to what sounded like an Indian call center, and a fairly clueless support rep. (using the term "support" in its loosest possible definition)

I think the key is to call during non-peak hours, when you're more likely to get domestic support reps who not only speak English, but (in my experience) tend to be much more informed. The Indian guy I talked to that night not only had NO clue there is a background noise problem on the RT31P2, but he also told me my early 80's-era, rock-solid crystal-clear Western Electric/AT&T phone was a piece of junk and that I needed to go buy a new phone if I wanted the background noise to go away. GRRRRRRR!!!!

I understand Vonage is going to (a) have growing pains, and (b) need to farm some of their calls to overseas support centers to handle high call volumes at reasonable costs.

But IMO, two weeks (and still counting) to handle support emails, clueless support reps, and LONG on-hold wait times, are going to dull Vonage's luster before it really gets going.

I'm willing to put up with some inconveniences in the beginning, for the sake of using this way-cool phone service... but I do have my limits.

Posts: 15 · Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2005 2:18 pm Post subject:

lol, you are right rebus. They should have an answered you. When I call and I get someone who doesn’t speak English I think it is a way for them to practice and not for you to have your problem fixed. Lol

Posts: 429 · Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2005 2:22 pm Post subject:

Sir Nagrom wrote:

When I call and I get someone who doesn’t speak English I think it is a way for them to practice and not for you to have your problem fixed.

I'm speculating that the overseas call centers are just there for overflow, to provice a "live body" to answer the phone. On the other hand I'm guessing their domestic counterparts are probably in the loop (no pun intended) on the hot topics, quick fixes, undocumented workarounds, etc., which is probably why I usually get far better answers from them.

Posts: 227 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Dec 10, 2004 Posts: 227

Reebus,
I agree that is insane phone time! Have you tried dslreports@vonage.com ? I have ALWAYS received an answer within 4 hrs. of them receiving my email. I know it **** you've wasted so much time to this point, but maybe sending email to that address will help. Let us know. Good luck!

Posts: 429 · Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2005 3:49 pm Post subject:

bbtrumpetguy wrote:

Reebus,
I agree that is insane phone time! Have you tried dslreports@vonage.com ? I have ALWAYS received an answer within 4 hrs. of them receiving my email.

I used the dslreports address recently to ask the status on an LNP (which was submitted back in November and is still incomplete... grrrrrr). Got a response from them within a few hours. The issue is still unresolved, but at least they answered me quickly.

I didn't use it for the billing inquiries this time, because the issues I'm having are not a high priority. I'm doing my part to keep the dslreports address "untainted", from becoming a dumping ground for every silly inquiry. I'd hate to see it abused by so many people, that Vonage no longer gives those messages priority treatment.

Posts: 28 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Jul 10, 2004 Posts: 28

Since i posted yesterday my issue seems to have been resolved. I reached vonage phone support today and the help was effective. It's still not clear what caused the problems.

If vonage goes down i reach tech support with free unlimited cell minutes after 9:00 pm or Skype minutes during the day.

I talked to a vonag person who confirmed a lot of signups, way over 1000 a day. There's gotta be growing pains.

There are just too many advantages to considering leaving vonage or VOIP, things will get sorted out.

Posts: 227 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Dec 10, 2004 Posts: 227

rebus wrote:

bbtrumpetguy wrote:

Reebus,
I agree that is insane phone time! Have you tried dslreports@vonage.com ? I have ALWAYS received an answer within 4 hrs. of them receiving my email.

I used the dslreports address recently to ask the status on an LNP (which was submitted back in November and is still incomplete... grrrrrr). Got a response from them within a few hours. The issue is still unresolved, but at least they answered me quickly.

I didn't use it for the billing inquiries this time, because the issues I'm having are not a high priority. I'm doing my part to keep the dslreports address "untainted", from becoming a dumping ground for every silly inquiry. I'd hate to see it abused by so many people, that Vonage no longer gives those messages priority treatment.

Agreed. Good call!