No Activation fee on Retail bought adapters?

Posts: 11 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Oct 03, 2005 Posts: 11

Hello. Someone told me that they picked up the PAP2 adapter at futureshop and did not end up paying the $39.99 activation fee. Can anyone else confirm this?

Also, when porting my number over, do i have to call Bell and notify them that i am cancelling or is that handled between Bell and Vonage?

Thanks.

Posts: 188 · Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 10:59 am Post subject:

Yep, it's true. If you buy a Vonage adapter at a retail outlet, there is no activation fee.

As for porting your number, this is only available to you if Vonage has available numbers in the same rate centre that your Bell line belongs to (check the tool on the Vonage site), if you can port your number, your Bell service will automatically be cancelled once the porting is completed. It is important that you not contact Bell to cancel them yourself or you will lose your number and it will mess everything up. You will have to maintain (and pay for) your Bell service up to the date that the porting is completed.

Posts: 11 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Oct 03, 2005 Posts: 11

thats great news. Thanks. Not that its a major issue, but do you know if bell would charge me for the full month if it was disconnected half-way through the billing period?

Posts: 188 · Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 11:27 am Post subject:

I'm not familiar with Bell's policies as I'm in Telus country but I can tell you that Telus pro-rated my last bill. Perhaps Bell does the same. I'm sure that someone else in forum can answer that question for you though.

Posts: 110 · Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 6:20 pm Post subject:

As I mentioned in other threads, I would stay away from buying the adaptor at retail outlets and just rent it directly from Vonage.

1) You will most likely find it to be a hassle in getting that $65 rebate after 90 days.

2) If something goes wrong with your adaptor (or if Vonage says its your adaptor) then you have to deal with the retailer on the hope you will get an exchange

3) If you choose to disconnect the service with Vonage, you can not activate it on a later date because Vonage doesn't allow anyone to re-use an old adaptor that has already been used (they'll see that the mac address has been in their system already).

So, I'd just pay the $20 activation + $20 shipping for renting the adaptor through Vonage.

Posts: 11 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Oct 03, 2005 Posts: 11

well i'll have to consider those points. However activation is currently $39.99 plus $19.99 shippings + taxes (not what you've quoted above). Sounds like i'm almost up to $65 right there for an adapter i don't even own Wink

In the event that i wish to discontinue service, the PAP2 can be unlocked for other providers.

I just like to own my equipment i guess Smile

Posts: 33 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Aug 17, 2005 Posts: 33

VoIP4Less wrote:

thats great news. Thanks. Not that its a major issue, but do you know if bell would charge me for the full month if it was disconnected half-way through the billing period?

Bell just sent a bill telling me that I will get a $19 refund for a part month.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Sep 14, 2006 Posts: 2

I am charged activation fee even though I purchased my device from retail outlet. Is there a change in policy? The retailer me there will be NO activation fee.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Sep 15, 2006 Posts: 2

I got the VT2442 directly from Vonage and had my number transferred from Bell.

The adaptors from Vonage aren't a rental... they give you them for free, although you have to pay back the cost if you cancel within the first 3 months. (~$150 for the VT2442).

I ordered Vonage by phone instead of online. The Vonage operator waved my activation fee by doing it this way (I was only calling for info and was planning on signing up online). I got the first month for free and free activation, so the $20 shipping charge was it for the first month. Maybe waving the activation fee is something anyone can get by just asking?

Vonage shipped the adaptor by Canada Post and (unbelievably) I had it set up the next evening with a temporary number.

Bell was really good about the number transfer. It took 9 days from my submission of the LOA to the transfer. Bell pro-rated the last month and (two billing cycles later), I was sent a cheque for $19. They also sent a hilarious good-bye card. As mentioned above, it is ESSENTIAL that you keep your Bell service active until the number transfer occurs - it will be cancelled automatically.

The only tricky bit was my internet connection. I have Bell Sympatico High Speed DSL. Bell now (as of March 2006) offers "Dry Loop" DSL - DSL without a local phone line. There is no charge for switching over to a dry loop, and the monthly charge is the same.

However, it is up to you, the Vonage customer, to coordinate the switch-over from the normal DSL to the dry loop. Basically, you have to coordinate with the dry loop people to put a work request in their system to switch your line from normal DSL to a dry loop DSL (with a different internal phone number) on the same day that the number transfer happens. This requires reconfiguration on the phone company's end. Failure to do this will result in the "line card" for your phoneline being pulled and your DSL dropping out the same day your number transfer occurs.

I have to emphasize again: neither Bell nor Vonage will do anything to set this up. If you don't do this work, your DSL connection WILL be shut off!

The direct number for the dry loop office is 1-866-404-5744. Like the rest of Bell, they are only open M-F 8-5.

You will only have a few days notice before the transfer occurs, and Bell knows the transfer date before Vonage does. I kept calling the dry loop folks daily until the number transfer appeared in their system (about 3 days before it happened). They then put a work request into the system at this time to do the dry loop conversion.

Naturally, the number transfer had to occur on a Friday. When I got home from work, the number was transferred and everything worked great. Later that evening, my DSL died - as it turns out, the switch to dry loop wasn't scheduled until several days later. I had my file escalated and it was fixed on Monday morning.

The moral of the story - make sure you have a back-up plan (eg cellphone) handy when setting this stuff up! As well, be prepared to be without DSL for a few days... it sounds like this is a very common occurance and is just the price of doing business.

That being said, the frustration over the DSL was a small price to pay. Once the DSL was back up, everything has been working great. I was having trouble with the "best" voice settings - my voice was apparently "too soft" on the other end. Since changing to the "medium" codec, I haven't had any problems.

As mentioned countless times in this form, I've only run into a few problems with dialing out. In particular, 310 numbers (eg 310-BELL) do not work and some 1-800 numbers either won't work or will direct to the US call centre (I ended up calling Sirius USA last night). I'm saving $30+ a month, so for as infrequently as it happens, I can manage.

-Zef

Posts: 92 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Aug 01, 2006 Posts: 92

Good advice Zef,

The dry loop must by done by you. Usually you recieve an email from Vonage (if you have DSL) informing you of this, but even if you don't, make sure you get it done. Otherwise you will not have a pleasent experience at first.

For Sympatico call 1-866-404-5744 to setup a Dry Loop (if you are porting your number to Vonage).

- Kukk