voip disconnecting soon?

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Sep 11, 2005 Posts: 8

Just talked to Time Warner Cable sales in Greensboro, nc today. The rep wanted me to subscribe to their voip digital phone. When I said no because I am happy with Vonage, he informed me that I would not be able to do that much longer because they were going to be blocking it. I told them I wasn't worried about that.

Seems like I read another thread a while back about something similar to this. What a poor selling tactic they've got. Scaring your customers is the wrong way to do it...

Anyone else hearing this?

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 2:45 pm Post subject: Re: voip disconnecting soon?

bwilley wrote:

Just talked to Time Warner Cable sales in Greensboro, nc today. The rep wanted me to subscribe to their voip digital phone. When I said no because I am happy with Vonage, he informed me that I would not be able to do that much longer because they were going to be blocking it. I told them I wasn't worried about that.

Seems like I read another thread a while back about something similar to this. What a poor selling tactic they've got. Scaring your customers is the wrong way to do it...

Anyone else hearing this?

TWC's on the bandwagon too? I'd call their corporate office. If they confirm it, I'd call your State Attorney General and speak your mind, then spread the word as far and as fast as you can.

If you have a DSL provider you can fall back on, call them and ask about their Vonage/VoIP policies. Then if/when TWC starts blocking, you can call them and let them know WHY they are about to lose a customer, and give them 48 hours to comply. I'd recommend checking satellite for your TV, too. Wink

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Sep 11, 2005 Posts: 8

TWC's on the bandwagon too? I'd call their corporate office. If they confirm it, I'd call your State Attorney General and speak your mind, then spread the word as far and as fast as you can.

If you have a DSL provider you can fall back on, call them and ask about their Vonage/VoIP policies. Then if/when TWC starts blocking, you can call them and let them know WHY they are about to lose a customer, and give them 48 hours to comply. I'd recommend checking satellite for your TV, too. Wink

[/quote]

Took your advice and called the corporate office. They are looking into it and will be returning my call. Let's see what happens...

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 3:40 pm Post subject: Re: voip disconnecting soon?

bwilley wrote:

Took your advice and called the corporate office. They are looking into it and will be returning my call. Let's see what happens...

If...

They Confirm it: Speak your mind and let them know just what you think. Also tell them you will be calling the State Attorney General, and the Better Business Bureau, and the local news stations. Follow through is important. Please also post it here, and anywhere you know TWC customers hang out. Try to determine whether it is a local or national phenomenon.

They Deny it: Let them know EXACTLY, ADAMANTLY, and POLITELY what you think of their sales department. Tell them you have serious doubts about their business practices if they allow people in their employ to engage in scare tactics of that type.

Posts: 1389 · Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 3:56 pm Post subject:

I think that alot of the cable companies are barking more than they will bite...Think of all the vonage and other Voip users out there on TWC. If all of the sudden they started blocking other Voip traffic, they would have a mass exodus of customers.

IIMHO, it sounds like the sales rep used a rumor that the ports were going to be blocked to try to sell their product. That is in my mind a low down way to make a sale.

Posts: 282 · Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 4:03 pm Post subject:

I thought it was definitive from the FCC that port blocking wasn't allowed?

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 4:17 pm Post subject:

Trowski wrote:

I think that alot of the cable companies are barking more than they will bite...Think of all the vonage and other Voip users out there on TWC. If all of the sudden they started blocking other Voip traffic, they would have a mass exodus of customers.

*IF* there's an alternative, yes. For my part, I have one high speed ISP, SusCom. If they block my Vonage ports, and I can't stop them using the Attorney General, then I need to still maintain a high speed connection to retain employment. I can either move, or BOHICA and get a line through the Telco or buy their VoIP service.

Trowski wrote:

IIMHO, it sounds like the sales rep used a rumor that the ports were going to be blocked to try to sell their product. That is in my mind a low down way to make a sale.

Agreed. I'd report behavior like that to the local BBB even if it doesn't go anywhere else.

Posts: 605 · Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 4:36 pm Post subject:

They do that to me with and I will use the damn cell phone for a month while I wait for my FiOS install. I refuse to pay 39.95 a month for BrightHouse Digital Phone.

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 4:40 pm Post subject:

KDWycha wrote:

They do that to me with and I will use the damn cell phone for a month while I wait for my FiOS install. I refuse to pay 39.95 a month for BrightHouse Digital Phone.

If FiOS, or ANY OTHER broadband, was available to me, I'd be happily paying for BOTH just to have a backup broadband line in the case of failure of one. Unfortunately, for me, it's SusCom or dialup. Fortunately, SusCom has been a pleasure to work with and has been rock solid. Unfortunately, they are about to get bought out by Comcast. There is no "Fortunately" to follow that. LOL.

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 28, 2005 Posts: 4

Because this is the scariest thing I've seen today. I also use TWC-Greensboro. Signed up w/ Vonage for 22 days. Censored

Please post what you find out.