Price changes

Posts: 4 · Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2003 12:34 am Post subject: Price changes

I was happy to see that my Vonage service was going down $1 a month, but of course, the catch is that it is really going up $.50 because of a new regulatory charge.

Does this mean that Vonage is now considered a "real" phone company and will begin adding all of those nasty government fees that used to make up almost 1/3 of my old Qwest phone bill?

Posts: 40 · Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2003 5:27 am Post subject:

I'm sure that's what we're all waiting to see.

Like you, nearly 1/3 of my Verizon bill were fees incurred by the various regulatory agencies.

Avoidance of these fees is what made Vonage cost-competitive for me.

At least they dropped their rate $1 in an attempt to offset part of this new regulatory charge, but it's a slippery slope.

Once governments see Vonage paying one "flavor" of fees, I'm sure they will all attempt to pile-on.

Posts: 21 · Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2003 11:41 am Post subject: Too good to last

It really was too good to last. Vonage is finally starting to behave like a phone company. "Your rate increase is really a rate reduction," and "We have to charge these new fees because of the government, not because we make money off it." Next it'll be, "The children-- what will happen to them if we don't charge you extra?"

As for Vonage service? Dropped calls, outright outages, erased voicemails with zero notice to include zapped outgoing greetings.

All this I have put up with, and even going so far as to buy my own cable modem, plugging techno-jiz into my router ports, etc. You know the drill, all those things no-one tells you about until AFTER you commit your telephone service to a new number. By the way, Vonage being "unable" to maintain my old phone number should have been the first red flag. Broken promise right up front should have told me something.

I don't mind pioneering, only as far as I know, I get dial tone from the competition every time I pick up one of their phones. Vonage can't make any such claim, and this price increase, couched as a rate reduction, is only adding insult to injury.

Looks like I'm soon to be moving on, and you know you'll think about it, too. The reliability is just not there, and the company apparently thinks we're all stupid.

Posts: 433 · Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2003 1:37 pm Post subject:

The price increase may or not be something that was known in the past. However, with Vonage being considered a voice carrier and not a data carrier may have caused the "sudden" increase.

I am new to the service, and have been happy. Just a thought.

Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2003 8:32 pm Post subject:

Oops. Here's a better link:

http://vonage.com/corporate/press_news.php?PR=2003_07_13_0

Posts: 4 · Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2003 3:59 pm Post subject:

The language describing the 'regulatory charge' is a bit nebulous. After reading the article referenced by the above reply, I wonder exactly what is the nature of this regulatory charge. Wouldn't it be different in each state? Is the $1.50 really going to the government? If so, which agency?

Posts: 40 · Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2003 4:42 pm Post subject:

It's these charges, fees, and taxes which so infuritated me w/ Verizon and Sprint. (and several other providers)

While I'm sure that the telcos do indeed pay these charges, they are part of the "cost of doing business" and should be included in their "base rates."

I liken it to going to a resturant, and receiving a bill for the food, plus "extra charges" for table clearing, dishwashing, and lighting.

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 06, 2003 Posts: 4

most of these "fees" we pay to the RBOCs end up back in their pocket. It is really a reallocation.. a game they pay to make us believe the gov is getting the money when it is really a way to for them to increase their pricing. Unfortuneatly Vonage is only paying... not receiving.

Guest

All I have to say is if I start seing 1/3 or half of my billing going to the US Gov, then I am droping my service. I am in Canada using Service and I hate the US. I will not support a goverment that is willing to go to war at the drop of a hat.

Just a thought.

Besides, my service charges would be supporting the death of one more innocent person somewhere in the world.

Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 6:40 pm Post subject:

that would all make sense if the gov't charge went to the gov't... it doesn't ... it goes back to a service provider.... its a game the service providers play... they figure if the consumer thinks it is the gov't getting the money then the consumer will get mad at the so called tax... but it is really a redistribution pool and is paid back to rural service providers ...