So it’s no secret to all my friends and people I do business with that I think Vonage is a big steaming piece of crap. It’s not enough that they charge for replacements voice terminals (and won’t unlock them), or will call you a liar to the BBB when you file a complaint about them charging you -after- your phone number had ported 100% over to packet8.

Noooo, they have to make sure your phone number doesn’t work for 6 months from any Vonage phone (even if vonage customers complain), then to rub it in, they assign your number to a subscriber of theirs, and finally announce that it’s their number -again-.

Btw, i’m not Carol, and thankfully she called to let me know about the problem, since most people couldn’t call me anyway due to Vonage’s heavy hand. Be careful, from what I can tell you’ll piss them off and they’ll wait 15 days after your complaint with the BBB expires, then apparently try to steal your phone number.

From : Vonage Customer Care <customercare@vonage.com>
Sent : Friday, December 8, 2006 2:11 PM
To : xxx@msn.com
Subject : Vonage Order Confirmation

| | | Inbox

Account Number:

Dear Carol ,

Please review your account information below.

Your new Vonage Telephone Number and temporary VoiceMail PIN are:

Vonage Number Voicemail PIN Voicemail Access
1-(954)-281-XXXX (VIRTUAL) NA NA

To access your Vonage Voicemail, simply dial *123 from your Vonage phone. Or
visit our website for local Voicemail Access Numbers at:
http://www.vonage.com/features.php?feature=voicemail to check your Voicemail
from any phone.

My problems with Vonage started back in February, during a party where a glass of wine ended up ruining my VT. Vonage, which apparently doesn’t keep track of phone calls, then seemingly invalidates ticket numbers at will, told me it would be more than a month’s fee for service to replace the phone. I try not to be a hard person to deal with, but with 3 years of loyalty they could send me another phone. It’s not like I can unlock the damn thing unless they give me the password, it’s a common one, or I crack it.

So I let it sit and fester for 2-3 months, which I am that of person. I then decided to with Packet8, who was more than happy to port the number and by 6/1/06 I had my phone setup with Packet8. I canceled my service with Vonage that day, considered the matter closed and went on. Several months later I noticed charges still going through on my credit card so I called to get then refunded and see what the hell was going on.

Lo and behold, they didn’t hear from me to cancel. What? My number was ported on 6/1/06 and didn’t work for incoming calls, and my 1800 number wasn’t working either from 6/1 but they kept billing me full price for all services. I was furious, but even more important was the common sense that you can’t bill for something you can’t use. I told them no phone company would do that, and their answer being “We’re not a phone company”. They weren’t kidding.

So I filed a complaint with the BBB, since Vonage wouldn’t refund a dime. I got nowhere, was called a liar all while Vonage filled up responses with more lies. Lies stating I had used the service, receiving calls, using the phone and such. I rebutted that I’d be happy to send in the wine covered phone to get 3/4 of my money refunded since apparently I could make outgoing calls, but couldn’t receive calls on the 800 number or the 954 number.

Nope, Vonage couldn’t have any of that. The service worked 1/4 of how it was supposed to, so full price, no refunds, no pro rating. They have records that are perfect, and can be trusted.

Oh is that so? I wonder how you could make such a mistake and take my phone number back, and give it to someone else since those records are so damn reliable. Take heed America, Vonage wants your money, and will seemingly retaliate if you fight back, right at the service they provide.