Rebate with Linksys Router with VoIP

Posts: 336 · Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 11:01 pm Post subject:

I totally agree with you. There is no reason for Primus to charge for forwarded and transferred calls (if the number you are dialing is long distance to your local calling area). Especially if you have the unlimited plan with them. It's just a way for them to grab extra money from their customers.

Although Primus offers more features such as "Do Not Disturb" and their 1-800 service works, the reliability of the phone calls is not as good as it is with Vonage. With Primus, at least once a week I get disconnected from a conversation I'm having with someone. This never happens with Vonage, and both of my Vonage and Primus adapters are going through the same internet connection. So I know it is not the internet connection. It's annoying getting cut off! Who cares about features if the main function of the service is not working?

Posts: 53 · Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 9:31 am Post subject:

Most of my calls are incoming and I have my account set to ring both my home phone and my cell phone at the same time.

I looked at my account balance one day and noticed that minutes were deducted from my account. I had not made any outgoing calls that month so I called Vonage.

The rep advised me that I am charged, or in this case minutes are deducted from my plan, for any incoming calls where the call gets forwarded to another number and the call is answered at the forwarded number. I missed that when reading Vonage's Terms of Service.

Posts: 110 · Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 6:53 pm Post subject:

Ya, when I signed up with Yak, I missed that too. (Minutes being deducted from my 600 outgoing minutes when I had my account forwarded to another number that was answered). But its all good, I never use more than 200-300 outgoing minutes each month.

My roommate has Primus and I have Yak (Yak for me so I can have a US number) under the same internet connection.

My Setup:
Modem -> Primus -> Wireless Router -> Wireless PC -> Wired to Yak.

We have great connections on both Primus and Yak. Never experienced any calls being dropped. Yes, to use my Yak service I need to have my PC on, and thats because I wanted to have my phone in my bedroom without having wires running all around (In an apartment so I can't have an adaptor plugged into a phone outlet).

I'd be for Vonage if they'd wave their setup/shipping fees. And lowered their virtual price.[B]

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 16, 2005 Posts: 2

DarKev wrote:

I totally agree with you. There is no reason for Primus to charge for forwarded and transferred calls (if the number you are dialing is long distance to your local calling area). Especially if you have the unlimited plan with them. It's just a way for them to grab extra money from their customers.

Although Primus offers more features such as "Do Not Disturb" and their 1-800 service works, the reliability of the phone calls is not as good as it is with Vonage. With Primus, at least once a week I get disconnected from a conversation I'm having with someone. This never happens with Vonage, and both of my Vonage and Primus adapters are going through the same internet connection. So I know it is not the internet connection. It's annoying getting cut off! Who cares about features if the main function of the service is not working?

Just spoke with the Primus CSR and if you have the unlimited plan call forwarding and transferred calls are unlimited. I think the charges you see on your bill get credited back to you at the end of the bill.

Interestingly enough in another thread I learned that that Vonage Canada offers an unwritten "refer a friend" like Primus. Vonage should really put some effort in promoting this. Rats I might have missed a referral Cry

Posts: 336 · Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2005 10:14 am Post subject:

The Primus rep may have said that, but the contract clearly states that calls forwarded or transferred to long distance numbers will result in long distance charges.

I was reading the Primus forum and someone who works at Primus states that they put the clause in the contract just in case people start abusing the transfer and forwarding options. They could turn around and bill you if they so desire. However, several people who use forwarding to LD numbers claim that they are not billed for it on the Primus forum. I don't have unlimited long distance with them. I have a Halifax number with them so I can call my family and friends back home. I have unlimited Halifax calling as Primus' $19.99 package includes unlimited local calling. I use Vonage for calling people anywhere else in the world but only have 500 minutes with Vonage. I really wanted to switch to one or the other, but I'm still on the fence. Primus has better features and costs, but Vonage has better reliability. I have never lost a call through Vonage, but often lose calls through Primus and others complain about it too on the Primus forum. Two people that I work with have also mentioned their calls have dropped, or one end of the conversation becomes silent. I've been with Primus for months and they have not fixed this problem. If their system was working properly, I would leave Vonage due to Vonage's prices being higher and the fact that 1-800 service still does not work properly in Canada after being with Vonage for over a full year.

Vonage: $39.99 unlimited
$7.99 virtual number
TOTAL: $47.98 per month + taxes

Primus: $29.99 unlimited
$4.99 virtual number
TOTAL: $34.98 per month + taxes

That's a total monthly savings of $14.95 if you include taxes. The yearly savings are $179.40.

It's something to think about, that's for sure.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 16, 2005 Posts: 2

Darkev,

Scooch over, I'm on the same fence. Very Happy

I have both as well.

The price of Primus and "remote phone" capabilities makes it very compelling and I haven't had too many dropped calls with Primus although I am still in the trial phase.

Vonage seem to offer better call quality, and the softphone idea is good but too expensive for me to justify. My concern is Vonages interpretation of unlimited. I have read some disturbing posts about how Vonage would independently bump a high unlimited long distance user from a home to business plan based on long distance usage.

From my discussions with a Primus rep, unlimited equals the number of minutes in a month for that month. This allows users to fully utilize their Voip system but restrict them from being a long distance provider (I think this is extremely fair).

I've got to make a decision soon because keeping two systems running is crazy!

Posts: 336 · Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 4:42 pm Post subject:

When I was with Vonage full-time, I used to make a lot of long distance calls. My usage came to 1,500 hours each month, mostly evenings and weekends though. I never had any problems with them. I guess if you were using the phone all day and night they might complain. A business user is someone running their business from their telephone. Perhaps the phone really was being used for business instead of residential. Vonage could always call the number to see how the person answers it. If they answer, "Good afternoon XYZ company", then you know it is a business. Who knows what really went on there?!?

I do like the remote phone feature that Primus offers. From my cell phone, I can call my family in Halifax using remote phone and it costs me nothing. It is why I find it hard to leave Primus, but because my calls drop at least once per week on Primus, I'm compelled to also keep Vonage.

Posts: 110 · Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2005 4:51 pm Post subject:

1500 hours? I didn't even know there existed that many in a month. Razz

I know what you mean.. I'm just being a **** Smile