Vonage Canecellation Fee

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bryce
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Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:15 pm

Vonage Canecellation Fee

Post by bryce »

Cancelled out my Vonage account today and discovered that there is a $42.69 service charge. Lady told me that I had consented to a two year agreement upon the opening of my account with them. Checked my bank account following my cancellation and found that they had charged my account while I was on the phone with them.

If you will look at their call plans, there is no such information that reflects this type of commitment. Appears too, that they want you to return the router you had to purchase from them.

May I suggest if you plan to cancel out your account with Vonage, cancel out the debit and/or credit card that you have on file with them.

This evening, I plan to correspond with the Federal Trade Commission about Vonage, addressing their laws governing 'false and misleading' advertising.

I am a webmaster and plan to create a web site describing the advantages of MagicJack over Vonage. Not a vendor but, will list as many as I can find on the net.

Finishing up on two web sites for Bullard, Texas. Will debut May '08. Free ads probably for the next 6-9 months.

If you sell MagicJack, have at it; http://www.bullardauction.com, http://www.bullardclassifieds.com. Later today, will create categories featuring MJ.
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Jacksondale
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Post by Jacksondale »

Actually, ( I have the Vonage site opened on another tab right now) that info is right on the first Vonage page, however it is hidden in the fine print at the bottom labeled "click for "terms of service". My wife fell for the same thing and didn't bother to really read what she was agreeing to b4 purchasing Vonage. Kind of reminds me of all the Cell Phone companies and their "we'll give you a phone if you agree to keep the service for 2 years" deal. Hopefully Magic Jack will be able to force companies like Vonage to change their ways.
bryce
MagicJack Newbie
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:15 pm

Vonage Terms Of Service

Post by bryce »

Maybe I am missing out on something. Went to the link that you descirbed, reads as follows:


6. LENGTH OF SERVICE.

6.1 Service Term.
We provide our service for terms of a set length that depend on the term that you have signed up for (for example, 30 days, one year, and two years). Your term begins on the subscription date, which is the date you first ordered service or the date we successfully process your payment, whichever is later. It is not the day you receive the equipment you ordered or the first time you use the service. You are purchasing our service for the full service term.

6.2 Automatic Renewal.
The terms of this agreement automatically renew for the same term unless you call us to cancel your service before the end of your current service term. 1-VONAGE-HELP (1-866-243-4357) The renewal begins on the day after the last day of your term.

In Plan/Out of Plan Overview & Charges



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6.3 Other Commitments.
If you made a commitment as part of a promotional or plan benefit (such as an equipment upgrade, a free month of service, free installation, a rebate, or other incentive), unless otherwise specified in the offer you received, your commitment begins on the earlier of the day that you use the new equipment or accept the promotion or benefit. We will disclose the length of the commitment as part of the promotion or plan.

6.4 Our right to disconnect.
We have the right to suspend or discontinue service generally, or to disconnect your service, at any time. In addition, we reserve the right to immediately disconnect your service at any time without notice:





Our action or inaction under this section does not constitute any review or approval of your action or use or content.

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Herewith, is a copy of the email sent to me by Vonage to confirm my order:

Account Number: #########

Dear Bryce Albright,

Welcome to Vonage!

Thank you for choosing Vonage, the #1 rated digital phone service. We have received your order and it is currently being processed. We will notify you by email when it is shipped.

Please review the important information below:

Your new Vonage Telephone Number, Voicemail Access Number and temporary Voicemail PIN* are:

Vonage Number Voicemail Access Number Voicemail PIN
1-(903)-253-0517 *123 1234

*For your protection, please change your Voicemail PIN as soon as possible.

Order Details
Please review the details of your order
*******************************************************************
Order Date: July 11, 2007
Order Number: 1IG18T5KB1

User Name: XXXXXX
Address: XXXXXXX
Bullard, TX 75757
Time Zone: Central Time (US & Canada)

*******************************************************************
Item Quantity Unit Subtotal
*******************************************************************
Motorola VT2142 1 $49.99 $49.99
Motorola VT2142 Rebate 1 ($49.99) ($49.99)
Area Code: 903 - Tyler 1 $0.00 $0.00
Activation Fee 1 $29.99 $29.99
Premium Unlimited Plan 1 $24.99 $24.99
Premium Unlimited Plan 1 ($24.99) ($24.99)
Regulatory Recovery Fee 1 $0.99 $0.99
Regulatory Recovery Fee 1 $0.99 ($0.99)
Emergency 911 Cost Recovery 1 $0.99 $0.99
Emergency 911 Cost Recovery 1 $0.99 ($0.99)
------------------------------------
Sales Tax: $8.79
Sales Tax: ($5.94)
Federal Universal Service Fee: $1.61
Federal Universal Service Fee: ($1.61)
County 911 Fee: $0.50
Shipping: $9.95
------------------------------------
Total: $43.29

*******************************************************************

Important 911 Information.
Thank you for registering the physical location where you will utilize Vonage service for 911 dialing. The process to update the emergency service database with the information you provided may take up to several hours. You will receive a confirmation email once your 911 dialing address has been verified. Until that time, if you need to use 911, your call will be routed to a national emergency response center where a trained agent will answer your call and contact a local emergency center near you to dispatch help. You must provide your location and call back information to the answering agent and the local emergency personnel they contact. To learn about the differences between 911 Dialing and traditional 911 or E911 please click here: http://www.vonage.com/features.php?feature=911. Please review our 911 terms of service at the following link: http://www.vonage.com/features_terms_service.php.

Voicemail Plus
Get your Voicemail by Phone, Web or Email - at no extra charge.
Voicemail Plus is included with Vonage service at no extra charge. You can access your voicemail messages three ways: from any phone, from the web or through your email. For quick access simply dial *123 from your Vonage phone, enter your Voicemail PIN, and press 1 to listen to your messages. For more information on Voicemail Plus, please visit: http://www.vonage.com/help.php?category=7&nav=2.

Online Account Management
Organization and control that's easy to use.
Get the most out of your Vonage service! Log on to http://www.vonage.com to check real-time call activity; review your billing information and access an extensive set of Vonage features such as: Call Forwarding, SimulRing, Network Availability and Voicemail Plus. Also, you can print your invoice or edit your payment information. For more information, please visit: http://www.vonage.com/help.php?category=65&nav=6.

If you have any questions, your Vonage team is available to assist you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Contact us whenever and however it suits you!

* On-Line Help Center at http://www.vonage.com/help.php
* Contact Us at http://www.vonage.com/help_contactUs.php
* Or call toll-free at 1-VONAGE-HELP (1-866-243-4357)

Thanks again for choosing Vonage, a better phone service for less!

Sincerely,
Vonage Customer Care

Don't read any term expressed in this confirmation nor in the subparagraph that reflects term conditions; other than example text in parenthesis.

Wondering if your wife received a confirmation that stated terms. Given the time, would like to know.

Regards,
Bryce
kumar
Dan Should Pay Me
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Post by kumar »

Just lay the F bomb... :o

Last may when I got out of tmobile I just said that the text message rate went up which is a change in the contrcat. So they had to let me out with out WTF. You needa find some trick for vonage.....GOOGLE is your friend!
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Kumar
Agent_86
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Location: Fort Washington,MD.
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Yes $39.00 cancellation fee for Vonage per terms of service

Post by Agent_86 »

bryce- Hi

Yes the terms of service is the section which had the numbered itemized list starting with the introduction
Terms Of Service

You will find this under section 8) 8.1 Fees and Charges, there is also a link which takes you to the fees and charges section of the vonage site:Vonage Fees

And I was aware of this when I enrolled, and I've been with them for 3 years, and have enjoyed the service as my only phone service with an added toll free number as well.

Anyhow it's real let down when your not expecting it, and after a year or so people mostly forget.

It's really hard to manage something like that but I've created my own little system of notes and managing notes that really has helped me with this. Also Ubuntu linux has a cool tool called Tomboy Notes. allows you to link notes and ideas together etc.

Anyhow I'm sorry they charged you, and that you were unaware of those fees at the time of your cancellation
kumar
Dan Should Pay Me
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Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2007 4:29 pm
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Post by kumar »

i use Ubuntu... But hardly use tomboy.... Its pretty handy when i do use it....
Peace
Kumar
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Jacksondale
MagicJack Expert
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Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:02 pm

Post by Jacksondale »

Still it shows how the big companies hide things like that embedded in a small link which many people won't even read (and they know it)... :x
Agent_86
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Perhaps thats true

Post by Agent_86 »

Jacksondale wrote:Still it shows how the big companies hide things like that embedded in a small link which many people won't even read (and they know it)... :x
Perhaps thats true, however it's hard to put everything in huge bold flashy print.

I can understand they want to express up front what they have and why it's good, and yet they don't want to get burned either.

Many do not understand that the average cost of getting a customer is very high, and then keeping that customers is also high. I recall some stats on this a while back that Amazon for a while there was spending on average $28.00 per customer to get $33.00 in sales revenue. Thats not profits but sales revenue generated.

And others spend $40 to get the same $33 in sales which is upside down.

In anycase keeping and getting sticky customers is also expensive and Vonage probably has costs associated with short time customers since they give you the equipment up front and thus could explain the cancellation fee.

I'm not sticking up for those that clearly do things that are un ethical, however I'm happy with Vonage and their terms, and judging the fact that they are on not doing well financially I would suspect that this is something they must do to survive.

Well thats all I know.
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