It's Official...I am going back to Copper Wire!

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 19, 2005 Posts: 2

Well, it finally happened. Someone else is having the same problems that I am! Oh wait a minute, thousands of people are having the same problems that I am! First it took 114 days to port over my telephone number. Then the answering machine, we won't use voice mail, would pick-up the call and record the message followed by 20 seconds of really loud busy signal. Then 1 out of 3 or 4 calls would suffer the latest one-way audio problem. People call me all of the time and tell me about how they had to dial several times to get the line to ring. I can't tell you what I have received from the "Retention" department...or maybe I can.

1. I lost my rebate as it took almost 4 months to port the number. For this, I was given a reverse charge on my credit card for the full price of the PAP2 adapter.

2. I received several months of "free" service and my current credit balance in my account will be burned off in 5 months.

3. I asked for a replacement PAP2 adapter and was told only that the Four Port Router adapters were available for distribution as a replacement. I paid for the size of the PAP2 and that I what I should have it replaced with.

4. Upon calling "Retention" to get my money back, and yest I did spend real money (free service going forward is not a reimbursement), as I have a large credit balance in my account, I was told that they could over-night me a PAP2 adapter immediately. They did say they cannot convert my credit balance into a check. Well, that is completely crappy customer service.

Here are the solutions to the problems that I was having, and I have a major issue with me doing the research for the CSTechs. I searched threads with the "busy signal" problem and found the answer. But, alas, as the Tech must perform the correction, to Vonage's internal system, I had to sit on the phone with them and pray they would call back to leave test message after test message. Well, they did and it now works flawlessly. The "one-way" audio problem still exists, in earnest, I must say. The issue with the "failed connections" for incoming calls also still exists, and in earnest, I must say again! Why should I have to do all of the work in fixing Vonage's broken system. Complete horse doo-doo, if I don't say so myself.

Well, I took the step and ordered a phone line with SBC. Should be in 4/29 or 30. And I will wait for Comcast to bring their Voip to my area and use them directly, my cabler modem it working perfectly and my speeds are above the minimums to have a successful Vonage experience. And yes, I have read plenty of articles about Comcast and other high-speed providers "theoretically" not treating Vonage nicely. Again, more of a reason to use a service your back-bone provider will implement.

My Vonage experience is over and my wait for Comcast to enter the market is going to be rather short. I can wait until the end of the year if need be!

This was kind of a rant, but it proves in my mind that Vonage still has a long, long way to go.

Good luck to all!

Lewiedude2

Posts: 50 · Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2005 10:04 am Post subject:

I, in no way, doubt anything written in the above post. I just think it's amazing that some folks can have so many problems with Vonage, while others among us, such as myself, have had ZERO problems. I've now had the service since December 24, and it was one of the best decisions that I've made. It's worked flawlessly, and it's still amazing to me that I can call all of my friends and family all across the U.S. as often as I want for $25 a month, with a quality that equals my old POTS line.

Sincerely, I do wonder why some seem to have so many problems, and others have none.

Posts: 20 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Nov 18, 2004 Posts: 20

I also find it amazing how some people can have so much problems.. and these people usually come off as being impossible to please. Hey when I here a noise on my phone I don't call and complain, I let it go because it can happen. And I don't see why people want to keep the same number forever. I change my cell phone number everytime I get a call from someone who I don't want to have my number.

Posts: 18 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Apr 28, 2005 Posts: 18

Well... I don't think anyone can boast of 100% customer satisfaction... especially a company that relies on so many layers. You have Linksys, Comcast (or some other broadband provider), whatever company provided the network backbone, phone switches from any number of vendors...

All wrapped around a technology that really still is in its infancy.

Some people have zero problems, some have a couple, and others have a lot. Luck of the draw I guess. Plus, some people have different sets of expectations. If you are looking for flawless, crystal clear, 5 9's reliable phone service, Vonage may not be your cup of tea.

Personally, if any issues I encounter don't end up being magor problems, I'll live with them... saving $60 a month can soften the pain of some bugs. But if it got to the point of the original poster here, I probably would go back to landlines and wait for things to improve over in VoIP-land before I come back.

Posts: 52 · Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2005 3:52 pm Post subject:

I'm in a similar situation. It's been over 3 months, still no phone number port. I'm just waiting for my rebate to clear before I pull the plug and send back the adapter. I've paid for two months of service and probably won't be getting the credit on my account back.

This industry really needs to work out number transfers if they are going to advertise the ability to move your number. I don't want to hear the excuses and finger pointing to the local carriers for the delay. I am a customer, own up to your promises. I may try my cable provider's Voip, but we'll just have to see.

Posts: 244 · Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2005 4:29 pm Post subject:

Sorry to hear that man. Ive had much better results fortunately. A shocker to me came the other day when my wife actually mentioned Vonage to her Uncle as a possible way to save money.

Posts: 12 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Feb 23, 2005 Posts: 12

<<Some people have zero problems, some have a couple, and others have a lot. Luck of the draw I guess. Plus, some people have different sets of expectations. If you are looking for flawless, crystal clear, 5 9's reliable phone service, Vonage may not be your cup of tea>>

Hmm, well I guess then having the party you call be able to hear you AT ALL is too high of expectations? And having so much static you can barely hear yourself think is normal? If my numerous conversations with customer service actually improved the problems, rather than the endless "It must be your ISP", I'd be willing to stick it out longer. As it is, my phone is virtually unusable. I am going to try a new cable modem, after that, forget Vonage!

Posts: 33 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Mar 30, 2005 Posts: 33

It is strange but believable that alot of people such as myself get excellent service for the price & some get crap. I believe some of the problems are out of vonages hands, such as ISP's & phone companies trying to sabotage Vonage service any way they can; even going beyond legal limits at times. I can certainly understand having a big problem with major clarity issues with the service whether it is Vonage or a third party problem. The one thing that I can't get is why some people demand that they keep their own number, knowing it will take much longer to get than a new one. I just got a new # & had it within a few days & my service has been flawless since; you can give people your new #, it's not the end of the world. Saving this much money is worth some compromise; afterall the Voip service will get better in the future. The vonage/voip system works, it's just that you have alot of touchy, political type agreements & hardware must haves to get from point A to point B. I think as long as the (let's call it)--> crap between point A & point B is kept straight then voip/Vonage will work fine; the thing is that it is not an easy feat to overcome. Maybe alot of people having problems just got caught in the middle of some politics & that is not the customers fault.

Good Luck to all the people having problems. I hate to see someone lose a service that can work very good given a smooth ride from point A to B & can save you alot of money...................

Posts: 18 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Apr 11, 2005 Posts: 18

What would be nice is to hear from Vonage on this issue. I have similar problems but am waiting it out. It seems the myterious "cant hear me" syndrome has disapperaed at the moment. Things seem fine. I did not do a thing to alleviate this problem. So somebody or something happened to fix this.

So by me waiting it out things seem ok at the moment. That could change. I just dont understand why we havent heard from Vonage. Is it their issue, ISP issue, hardware, software? They must have a clue.

Well I am just glad its ok right now. Funny thing is I did not do one thing to fix this. same setup, same installation in the same order. No new nothing or different configuration. Expain that one.

Later

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 15, 2005 Posts: 4

I would have to say that 100% of the problems I have had with my Voip is due to my ISP not the Voip provider. If you have crappy DSL or Cable rest assured if you don't know about it yet, you will once you switch to Vonage.