Vonage - My first impressions

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: Nov 01, 2005 Posts: 6

After 4 days I have decided that Vonage isn't quite ready for the Big Time. Here is what I didn't like, and what I did.

- No way to permanently block your caller ID from being sent. Having to dial *67 every call is mickey mouse.

- I am really tired of picking up the phone to make a call and being told all lines are busy, try your call again later. This has happened everday at different times of the day.

- Not being able to activate Call Forward from the phone. What a pain. I don't want my phone ringing on 5 different numbers either so don't bother telling me I can do that.

- way too expensive compared to what the rates are for the US or the UK. $13/ month for a fax line is insane. I have the smart ring on my Telus account for free which I use as a fax line. This should be priced at $20/month unlimited. The price for the virtual number is fare.

- Customer service is terrible. I have phoned trying to address some of my concerns and ended up in a screaming match with one idiot. Also, I have been getting 4 emails/day telling me that I have been approved/disapproved for 911 service. Make your mind up, my address has been around for more than a decade.

What I did like -

- Very easy to setup

- Virtual number, very cool.

- I am using shaw and the ultra high speed connection, quality was perfect as far as I was concerned (when I could make a call).

I think that Vonage is on the right track, but still needs to do some work. I will continue to play with it for a month or two, but will definitely not be dumping Telus quite yet (although I am desperate to)! If you are a heavy long distance user in North America I can see the advantages, but I am not. Plus did I mention I think it is way to expensive?

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: Nov 15, 2005 Posts: 6

It's sad to hear you start your review of Vonage with such negativity. I think Vonage has got the Voip idea down. I know of no other company offering as many services as them for this price in Canada.

The web feature to control call forwarding instead of by star codes on your phone is much better. Besides your using an internet telephone, you'd think you'd probably have a computer already on that internet connection, so use it. It gives you way more control.

Having said all that, I agree, this technology is suffering some growing pains, but with some patience those will work themselves out. Consider it like being one of the first people to fly on a commercial jetliner, it probably wasn't the smoothest ride, but it was so cool.

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: Nov 01, 2005 Posts: 6

What you call negativity is what I call the truth, everything I stated is Fact and still remains to be.

And Why should Canadians pay way more than users in other countrys? It is an internet service as you point out.

And who wants to boot up a computer and then login to the web interface to call forward a phone when you can quickly enter a code into your phone on the way out of the house to handle this? You are simply wrong when you say it gives you "way more control". It is a major pain in the A**.

And like the other thread in this forum, I too have noticed in the last 7-10 days that call quality has been getting very bad. I have had many calls that I have had to dial 3-4 times before I could hear or be heard by the other caller. I realize it is a new technology, which is why I said it is not quite ready for the big time (meaning the average joe). If Vonage doesn't do it right, I am sure someone else will!

That being said, I will continue to play around with the service for awhile but it will not become my primary service.

Posts: 60 · Full Forum Member Joined: Apr 21, 2005 Posts: 60

You are quite right. I've used Vonage since April and service has generally been good until this last month. Unfortunately, unexpected dropoffs, calls that used to but no longer go through from my virtual number in Mexico City, calls that do not register on the Dashboard are all signs that like has been said: "it is not quite ready for the big time"

It also bothers me that we are treated as second class as far as price and features go. Vonage (and others) charge more and give less features (800 numbers inbound are not available in Canada), ACR is still not available and Canadian 800 numbers can't be dialed normally. Vonage is still the best of the bunch (not by much) but nothing stays still and if Vonage doesn't respond, its customers will walk.