Today I attempted to cancel my account with Packet8 after several failed attempts at reaching their customer service and tech support by phone, useless email responses to my request for more information on how to activate the service and my own attempts to follow the flawed instructions on the Packet 8 web site. I was informed by "Shannon" in Cancellation that I would be charged a disconnection fee of $59.99 even though (1) the service was never activated or used in anyway; (2) I was informed during a lengthy initial phone conversation with Brent Baird in customer service that I would have 30-days to try out the service once activated; and (3) there is no such language in any terms and agreement I executed.
On or about 1/17/08 I was advised that my Private Phone, a company that provided a free phone number with voice mail service was going to suspend its service and that a special arrangement had been made with Packet8 for Private Phone customers. I used the Private Phone number as a business contact for press releases etc. And thought I would be able to enjoy the same convenience with Packet 8.
I contacted Packet 8 customer service and was very clear about what I was looking for essentially a voice mail service where people could leave messages that could send me alerts via email and texts. I did not need the service for making calls nor did I need an actual phone. I was assured yes after a very lengthy conversation with Brent Baird who seemed very knowledgeable and was quite helpful. He told me I would have 30-days to cancel the service. I felt very confident with my decision as it was important to my business and did not mind paying for something that was once free.
Though the Packet 8 service was not free and much more then I thought it would be more cost-effective than going through the hassle of changing the number on business cards and with clients.
My claim is that Packet8 misrepresents its start date, does not provide accurate information for its subscribers to activate the service and essentially puts consumers in a no win situation. They send you a "free" Uniden phone but, if you try to cancel within the 30-days, you must pay a $59.99 cancellation which is likely the cost of the phone.
Shannon did offer to let me speak with the very elusive "top tech support" person but based on my experience thus far with the company and the idiotic responses which I had previously received from the alleged tech support I had already lost complete confidence in the service not to mention it was hurting my business. She also stated that requests to tech support MUST be conducted via phone or else they do not count and that as a result my email requests did not count, therefore the disconnection penalty of $59.99 for a service that I could not use was applicable. Nowhere on the subscriber section does it mention this requirement.
Finally, once I did manage to find activation instructions they were nowhere to be found in the subscriber area of the site. There were two sets of instructions on how to activate depending on where you looked. I followed both and neither worked. I then followed the troubleshooting advice. The link for PPoE activation provided in the instructions was not an active working link. I remembered what the original sales associate told me about canceling and didn't have many misgivings until today when I was penalized with the $59.99 fee. Something is fishy. I will say all the reps I spoke with were courteous and treated me with respect. However, I have doubts about the integrity of this service and have to ask if a tech savvy person like me is susceptible to this scam others might be as well.
I would like a full refund of my $59.99 immediately and investigation into whether or not this is a legitimate enterprise.
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