I signed up with Vonage for unlimited phone calls (made and recieved) for $24.99 per month (plus taxes, etc, of course). I was provided a phone number (by area code and prefix) assigned to a city in the local area that I can call and be called from without charge.
Within a week and a half to two weeks, I learned that I could make most (not all) calls and could not receive any calls from the local area. The number they provided could not be called from local exchanges without toll.
I contacted Vonage, and after much run-around, they finally determined that the number they provided apparently routed through infrastructure that was, in fact, not local to my calling area. They checked, and there were no numbers that would give me the ability to call and be called. I asked to cancel the service.
They resisted, tried to tell me that someday I would be able to get calls locally, and to (essentially) "just hang in there". I refused, as the reason I signed up for their service was to eliminate my home "land line". Since that would not work, I again (and repeatedly) requested cancellation of the service.
They offered an optional addition to my service to give me a toll-free number which I could provide to local contacts, and they could then use the toll-free number (tied to my regular number) to call me without cost. This would only cost me $4.99 (plus taxes, fees, etc.) per month additional. You must be kidding! I would pay another 5 bucks a month to have what I was promised to begin with. No. Again I refused and requested cancellation.
The call agent talked to a manager who offered to provide the addition of the toll-free number at no charge until they had service in my local area that would fulfill their service promise. I fell for it.
Within the next month and a half, I had numerous problems with the service (dropped calls, calls I could not make, time-delays, noise interference, software problems and problems caused to my computer) that caused me to contact Vonage. Their customer service was never good, and their tech support was the same. They determined that all the problems had to be the fault of the Vonage "phone" device. They determined that it had to be replaced. Then didn't enter the order.
When it didn't come, I of course called back. They put me through all the same troubleshooting again, and again determined that I needed a new device. Finally it arrived, and behaved with all the same problems. Now their approach was to blame my internet service provider, or my computer or anything else. It didn't matter that I used several different computers on several different networks, both wired and wireless as well as at work, home and Starbuck, Moxie and others.
I put up with poor service, learned ways to make the best of it, but over time, I just got less and less tolerant of making due, and gradually quit using the service. Thinking I would again give it a try when the pain wore off, I kept the service.
After 6 months I had reason to pay attention to my banking statement, and realized they were over-charging me. (I am less vigilant than I should be about reconciling financial records.) Vonage does not provide a paper or an electronic statement of any kind. I called Vonage customer service, and was walked through the process to access my account records on line. To my surprise, they had been over-charging me from the second month on.
I called them back, talked to Eric and asked to have the over-charge ($4.99 plus taxes/fees) refunded. (After some time and some banter) I was passed to a "manager". Walter told me they were sure sorry about that, they would credit the amount to my account, and would adjust the monthly regular service down to $19.99, so with the toll-free service added, the cost to me would hereafter be $24.99 as originally agreed. He also assured me that with their great tech support, they could fix my problems so I'd be evermore happy with my continued service.
Not to be a fool anymore, I refused and insisted on a cash refund of my 40 or so dollars, and then cancel the service. He stayed on the "party line" for several iterations, and then changed his tack. Since I wouldn't play along, he got annoyed and decided that since the original manager didn't make clear in his notes that the toll-free line was to be without charge to me period, and not just for the first month, now he could do nothing for me. They could of course refer the account for research to see if they could coroborate my claim, but until such time as that could be accomplished, he could do nothing. Oh by the way, your contract binds you to a $39.95 penalty for cancellation any time in the first two years.
Being certain he was not a total fool himself, I asked if I offered him a service where he could make and receive unlimited calls, and then delivered only half of that, and then offered to add a service for just $5 more a month to make the service do what I had originally promised, would he go for that. Clearly he was smart enough not to answer the "trick" question I had posed. Still, he could not find evidence in their notes that would support my assertion, so he could now do nothing.
I asked for his manager. He told me that since he was a manager, I could talk to one of the other managers that he worked with, but that they would tell me the same thing. I insisted, and he refused. Back and forth, back and forth. Finally he condescended to get me a "supervisor", but that they were someone that did not work the phones, so they would be less capable of dealing with my problem than was he. He put me on hold, and after an extended delay, I talked to Katherine. Having obviously been briefed, she was in fact able to tell me the same thing that Walter had told me, just as he promised. She again offered to credit the charges that were fraudulent on future service.
Being frustrated, and wanting this to come to an acceptable conclusion, I said that she could do that, then cancel my service, and use the credit to cancel the penalty. No, that wouldn't work. Once they cancel the service, the credits would no longer apply.
I told her I thought it was in the best interest of Vonage and myself to just refund the money they "stole" from me, and cancel the service. Rightfully, since they had not delivered from day one, and I asked then to cancel, they should refund all my money. But I was willing to forego that, and accept the $24.99 plus taxes and fees I had been charged as a lesson learned. Just refund the wrongful charges, and waive the penalty and I would go quietly into oblivion. Alternatively, I promised to file complaints with the State Attorney General's Office, BBB, Blogs, etc.
She of course could not refund my money or waive the penalty. I am welcome to submit my billing concern to some billing department in New Jersey and someday they would make a determination.in the mean time, tech support could fix my problems. Otherwise, no concessions, no refunds, no credits, and I would be charged the penalty.
Though not brief, this is summarized to the best of my ability, attempting to be brief, accurate and to the point.
RT
Caldwell, Idaho
U.S.A.
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