Vonage CSRs SUCK!

[SimpleSimon]

I ordered Vonage on 12/27 and paid extra for the 2-day delivery.

I tracked the order and found that they use DHL (a third-rate outfit at best).
The tracking showed it was picked up early on the 27th, but was NOT scheduled for delivery until the 30th.
What kind of math is that?

Anyway, DHL dumped it off on some 2-bit delivery courier, and it didn't even get here on the 30th, so I called DHL - they had no clue who had my package, but eventually (this morning) called back and said it would be here Tuesday. I told them I would not accept the package, and to return it to Vonage.

I then called Vonage and got the standard long hold times, lousy phone menus, and finally, non-English-speaking CSRs with an apparent IQ of 20. They tried to tell me it had been delivered (it hadn't - it was handed off). They refused to transfer me to management, account control, cancellation, or even to someone that could speak English. I made multiple calls, all with the same results.

I'm trying to cancel my account, but that department only appears to be staffed from 03:00 to 03:01 timbuktu time - and they don't take calls from other countries.

Anyway - I did some homework and found SunRocket. Called their sales line, and after an understandable (it's a weekend and holiday) 13 minute hold time, got a dude that spoke perfect English - well, if you count a Canadian accent as perfect English. I asked if he was in America, and he said "kind of" - a bit to the North. He said he was in Ontario. Hey - that works for me. If they're not gonna be in the USA, Canada is close enough for me! They be cool up there.

I told him about my Vonage experience and found out a bit about how SunRocket runs things. Sounds good so far - he even said that setting my E911 would be fine even though I'm "out of area" - he selected the 911-PSAP based on an "in-area" local exchange I gave him that I know routes to the right dispatch center.

He gave me the free wireless phone deal, free 2nd number (not line), and even threw in free overnight shipping. Stuff should be here Tuesday (next business day).

I logged onto their website and everything was active in just a couple of minutes. Voicemail worked, emailed me the message as a WAV attachment and even had the calling number as the "From" line! :up

Quite impressive so far - now I wait to see how well the box works.

Once I know it works, I sure wouldn't mind referring you - they've got a referral program. :up

 

[LER]

I've been relatively happy with lingo (http://www.lingo.com), although they
seem to have an issue validating my home address for E-911. (I just bought a house in a new development, I'm like the 3rd house that has folks living in it).

But if SunRocket doesn't work out, I can refer you there as well.

 

[thiggin2]

I've had Sunrocket for about a year now and they have had alot of "growing pains" within that year, But its been stable for the last few months.
Check out this site, its helped me out alot when I had problems with my voip.
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/voip

 

[mrschwarz]

I have had Vonage since Feb. 2004. It had one or two hiccups in the beginning, but nothing since. The service just works. I have heard the horror stories about their customer service. Most of my communication with them is via email. It wasn't service related.

When I got my Motorola TA, it came via UPS within a few days of ordering it. I plugged it in and it has been working ever since. Porting my local phone number over took longer than they estimated.

We don't use our phone that much so we signed up for the 500 minute plan for 14.99. In the nearly 2 years we have had the service, we have not gone over.

At the rate they are growing, I'm not surprised that they are having problems with this. Good luck with Sunrocket. Let us know how the service is. I have no complaints about Vonage. It just works.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Here's a Vonage update:

I FINALLY managed to get my Vonage account cancelled after 4 phone calls totalling over 2 hours of HOLD time alone! First call they refused to cancel because it was the wrong department - even though they answered the call as "Account Management". Second call, they hung up on me when they found I wanted to cancel. Third call disconnected before anyone answered. Fourth call "their computers were down", but I "convinced" the rep to take the cancellation or I was going to call my State Attorney General. I was promised a credit card credit within 48 hours. I checked the Vonage website about 15 minutes later, and the account was terminated. Amazing.

HOWEVER, they put a $41.19 cancellation fee on the account. Fortunately, I had already set my on-file credit card number with them to a "testing" one (4111111111111111) used by those of us that program eCommerce. :devil: Got an email from the SOBs complaining that they couldn't charge me the 41.19. :neener

I called back and was told that it would be there until I returned the VoIP unit I never received. I informed them of same and asked them to check the DHL site and they would see that not only had I NOT received the unit, but that they were in the process of sending it back to the DHL depot (Vonage uses DHL depots for warehouses). I was placed on terminal hold. I called back, spent ANOTHER 30 minutes on hold, and was disconnected 5 seconds after I gave my account number. Called again and after ANOTHER 30 minute hold time, I told the rep that I did not wish to be put on hold or disconnected, and THEN gave my account number. Five seconds later, I was disconnected.

It's not quite 48 hours later yet, and still no credit on my credit card, and the $41.19 is still showing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now Sunrocket:

I had tried Monday (via their online chat support) to get an airbill number for my Sunrocket unit, but they didn't have it. Forgot to check yesterday, but DID get it today via their chat system, which works pretty well, with little delay and whoever is on the other end sure seems to actually WANT to help. :up

Anyway, as promised, my unit and wireless phones showed up today. They were shipped UPS overnight yesterday (the first business day after I placed my order). :up

Nice Uniden phones - seem to have a bunch of nice features (the batteries are charging up). The "Gizmo" came with very friendly instructions - actually a pleasure to read. The instructions would probably have taken care of most installations, but I run on a WiFi to WiFi network with a Static IP and a transparent bridge adapter. However, there were instructions on how to get into the Gizmo's configuration screens, so I did, and they look like pretty much any other router - with a couple of additions. A few minutes later, I had it configured to sit between my bridge and my local WiFi and fired it up without any issues.

My network is running fine, and the 2-3 test calls I've made have been A-OK. :up

 

[ZachMetal]

Thats weird. I've had NO trouble with vonage. Their CSR's have done more than what I've asked for. They're awesome! I haven't gotten one response in email though. I only sent 1, but I called a CSR and solved it. That sucks what happened to you.

 

[cdru]

While I haven't experienced them first hand, ViaTalk's CSR's and Support are suppose to be first rate. I know a variety of them patrol the VoIP forum over at DSLReports. The CEO also pops his head in from time to time as well.

 

[ladyran]

mypeople

mypeople.com has just come to my area and I signed up with no problems. So far I really liek them. It is so good to finally have a choice instead of having to use bellsouth!