Vonage, Netgear and Linksys: A Really Bad Customer Experience

September 07, 2005 | 10 Comments

This is a rant, fueled by serious frustration with the instructions and support offered by the combination of Vonage, Netgear and Linksys. I was already mad as hell, having spent about four fruitless hours trying to get this damn Vonage VoIP configured (and dealing with Linksys and Netgear passing the buck on my problem) when I got the following e-mail:

On September 8, 2005, we received your request to activate 911 Dialing.
Unfortunately the address you provided failed our 911 Address Matching Test.

The reason for this failure is listed below:
We’re sorry. There was a problem with the information you provided. Please re-enter your address.

(My correct address appears here.)

You can use the following link to change your address:
https://secure.vonage.com/vonage-web/features/index.htm

IMPORTANT: 911 Dialing is presently inactive and will not work until we have verified your physical address It takes several days to complete the address verification process.
If we don’t hear back from you we will contact you in several days.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Email: customercare@vonage.com
Phone: 1-VONAGE-HELP (1-866-243-4357)
Fax: 1732-333-1353
24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Thank You.
Vonage

I think I know my own address, and while it may have “failed” your 911 Address Matching Test, there is no “problem” with the information I provided. The problem probably lies in the stupid ass form you use to capture addresses. Oh, and by the way, it really chaps my hide that I can find lots of press releases talking about how you’re all buddy, buddy with both Linksys and Netgear, but I can’t find jack shit on how to get your partner’s components to work together.

Filed under: Technology
Keyword Tags: vonage voip netgear linksys customer+experience

Comments

1. Nick Dominguez said:

Oh my gosh, I’m so with you. Vonage is customer service is horrible. I won’t take up anybody’s time telling my story. It sucks too, because it’s such a great service in theory.

Here’s what I’m looking into next: Phone Gnome

Posted on September 7, 2005 10:12 PM | #

2. Bryan Veloso said:

* Bryan stops himself from buying the service after he put all his information in.

Thanks Keith. You just saved me money. ^_^

Posted on September 7, 2005 11:09 PM | #

3. Tom Oakes said:

Dude, I feel your pain. Without going into any particular instance, it suffices to say that I understand the concept of “going postal”, and am often pushed to the brink. Qwest, Sprint, Comcast, Dell, each and every car rental company on the face of the earth, countless airlines - it’s gotten to the point where it’s almost refreshing when service doesn’t suck.

I think it’s great that your “Ads by Google” (which I hate, FYI) right now are:

Auto Dialing
Cable Telephony
Free VoIP
Linksys VoIP
NET2PHONE

Posted on September 7, 2005 11:13 PM | #

4. Mike D. said:

Oh yes… you’re not even through the whole glorious Vonage experience yet! We got it at our office a month or so ago and I estimate approximately 20 support calls were made. And I know what I’m doing too!

The 911 thing happened to us as well and I found out it’s pretty common. What basically happens is that Vonage uses a particular private company to do its 911 validation. This company’s records are substantial, but incomplete. So if you fail their test, you are sent an e-mail like the one you got and then Vonage automatically passes you onto their other verification company (which usually clears it). This is what Vonage themselves told me. I don’t mind that that’s the way it works, but the user clearly shouldn’t see the error message until all tests have failed. Certainly a poorly thought out chain of events.

With regard to the rest of Vonage, once you get it going, it’s “fine”. Certainly not as good in quality or reliability as a land line, but if your call patterns dictate Vonage to be a *much* cheaper option, it’s still worth the hassle. For instance, if you call long distance or internationally a lot.

Posted on September 7, 2005 11:30 PM | #

5. Angela said:

When I finally received my Vonage package in the mail, my colleague pointed me to his very helpful blog post, Voice-over-IP for Dummies. Without it, I probably would still be pulling my hair out. I followed his directions carefully and have experienced relatively minor problems. None of which are so drastic that requires a call to Vonage customer service. I’m knocking on wood…

Posted on September 8, 2005 07:49 AM | #

6. Keith said:

Tom – Yeah, Google’s ads work a bit too well at times. Sorry you hate them.

Mike – I think the timing of the e-mail was possibly the worst possible. I don’t even care to much about 911 dialing to be honest. That’s not why I got the service.

Angela – I’ll look into that when I’ve got time, thanks. Right now I’m about 5 hours in, it still doesn’t work, and I need to get some other things done.

Posted on September 8, 2005 09:40 AM | #

7. Kimberly said:

I guess I’ll be the lone desenter here and say that I’ve had no issues with Vonage customer service. I’ve only had to call them once, with a billing issue. Never had any technical issues, and I’m running Vonage with their Linksys router plus my own Netgear equipment. Sorry to hear that you’re all unhappy with the service!

Posted on September 8, 2005 06:02 PM | #

8. Keith said:

Angela – Khoi’s set up is totally different than mine, so that doesn’t help. I’ve got a few more hours in and still nothing to show for it except $60 down the drain for a “more compatable” router.

Seriously this is so not worth it. I’m going out on a limb to say VoIP is a joke that’s not ready for prime time at all. I mean, I’m pretty savvy, have a pretty normal set up and I’ve wasted about 6 hours of my time. Plus when I look around it’s like everyone else has the same issues with no resoultion…

Posted on September 8, 2005 07:02 PM | #

9. Ty Jones said:

Here’s my Vonage story…

My friends and family know me, but for those that don’t, i’m a level-headed, intelligent, computer-savvy, bargain-minded, easy to talk with, easy to get along with guy - basically an average American and mild-mannered Christian who has no enemies.

NOTE: I have never and don’t intend to ever again do anything like this but this was such an ordeal and such a hassle (basically such a scam) that those whom i know, and those i don’t, have to be told:

Executive Summary: NEVER, for ANY reason have ANY dealing with Vonage. Every phone call i had with Vonage support or customer service was peppered with lies and false commitments and after 8 months of such lies, having never received service (despite being told “just a few more days”) over and over again, i left and went with AT&T. AT&T had both my lines transferred and up and running in 10 days - no hassle, no problems. Vonage, meanwhile, now refuses to give me credit for the money i paid them. After having such a negative experience with Vonage, i have since done some on-line research and found story after story similar to mine. Vonage is perhaps the largest scam every being pulled. People beware.

Now to the actual ordeal. I first attempted to sign up with Vonage (a internet (voice over IP) phone service company) based on their cool commercials and affordable plans. The website was easy to navigate and within several minutes i was signed-up and told that in the next 20 - 30 days, they would have my existing numbers transferred to their system and start saving me money.

Wrong! After 30 days i called and they had lost my letter of authorization (one of several pieces of paper and e-forms to get the process initiated) to execute the order (thanks for not calling me to let me know you lost it). so i downloaded it again and sign it again and faxed it again. now, i’m in line for another 20-30 days. after 30 days i call back. “Sorry Mr. Jones we are having problems with this or that” (i say this or that because each time i called they had a new excuse). And each time i called there was between a 10 to 45 minute wait to reach a person, then a few more minutes to reach the right person. Random occurence - nope. How do I know? because this went on and on for over 6 months. each time i had to hold. each time i had to start from scratch with explanations and requests just to hear similar promises and lies about when they were turning it on or over to another department or it was the service providers problem or blah blah blah. So here i am paying for my regular phone company local and long distance and paying for Vonage and month after month - still no service. Your thinking by now, shame on me - and it’s true. but all the time i had already invested made me want to believe them and try to stick it out. plus they told me that they “now owned my number and i could not have it back.” Which i found out from At&T that was another lie. They never successfully “ported” my number to their system. They had no plans of doing it - obviously.

Now for the kicker, i called them today to cancel my account and get credit back for things i had paid for and (disconnected). i call back in and get someone new and go through it all again just to hear “sorry sir, we cannot give you credit” I asked to speak to their supervisor (wait…wait…wait) i re-explain everything and he offers some credit back, we go on to discuss the other months in question and (disconnected). I call back, get patched through him and her and final get back to the same department (or so they say) where an underling says that now the credit i had been promised just 20 minutes ago has been denied. i explain to him that Joe (the supervisor i spoke with) just told me he was giving me credit. He puts me on hold and comes back saying Joe said he did not say that and that they will not give me credit. lies. lies lies.

So, moral of story, never signup for Vonage phone service. they are by far the worst company i have EVER had dealings with (and i’ve had plenty). i have never been lied to so often, promised so much and given so little in my life. These people are nothing more than scam artists with TV time. someday soon, dateline or 60 minute will catch these guys, then maybe i can get my money back … not!

And please tell your friends. I realize I can never get my time or my money back (it’s little man versus large company), but if i can keep them from roping others in - i will feel somewhat better.

Sincerely,

Ty Jones

Posted on September 14, 2005 12:19 PM | #

10. Rick Towner said:

OMG I am looking in a mirror. Here is my email to Vonage concering my Number Transfer…….

Original request made on July 22. Vonage website states expect 20 days to complete.

LOA letter sent to me and returned to Vonage on July 23. Confirmed receipt on Vonage website.

Transfer notice sent Carrier (NEXTEL) July 23 as confirmed on website.

July 25 billing cycle ends for NEXTEL my charge 199.99. I expected this.

August 25 billing cycle ends for NEXTEL generating a 2nd 199.99 charge. This is over the 20 days Vonage advised for number transfer. A call to Vonage produces no answer as to the delay.

Sept 01, I receive an email from Vonage apologizing for the delay. I am credited 10.00 to my Vonage account, but offered no explanation of cause for the delay.

Sunday Sept. 18th. Concerned that I am closing in a third 199.99 charge from NEXTEL I contact 24 hour customer support at Vonage. The rep is unable to give any new information but does see the request sent to NEXTEL on July 23.
Within a short time of hanging up with rep I get a return call from her. She has found that NEXTEL is requesting a “pass code” to complete the transaction.

I called NEXTEL customer service and was advised to call their accounts department Monday morning.

Sept 19th I contact NEXTEL Accounts dept. They report that the received the transfer back in July. As a common practice they generate a “pass code” and advise the carrier (Vonage) to contact the customer to retrieve the code from NEXTEL. The customer then provides this code to NEXTEL to ensure that the customer has authorized the transfer. I am further told once the pass code is relayed back to NEXTEL by the requesting carrier (Vonage) the transfer will happen with 24-48 hours. I received the code and called Vonage immediately. I advised the rep that of the situation and that NEXTEL needed that code back as soon as possible. I called Vonage on the 20th. I could be told was it would take 24-48 hours. I called again on the 22nd; the request had not gone back to NEXTEL until the afternoon of the 21st.

VONAGE NEVER NOTIFIED ME THAT ANY ACTION WAS REQUIRED ON MY PART. VONAGE APPARENTLY DID NOT PROPERLY RECORD THE ACTION NEXTEL REQUIRED AS IT WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO THE VONAGE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP WHEN I CALLED ON SEPT 18TH AND BACK WHEN I CALLED IN AUGUST AFTER MY SECOND BILL FROM NEXTEL FOLLOWING TRANSFER REQUEST.
THERE WAS ALSO NO NOTIFICATION OF REQUIRED ACTION IN THE SEPT 01 EMAIL, NOR ANY NOTIFICATION ON THE VONAGE “KEEPING YOUR PHONE NUMBER HISTORY WEBSITE”.

VONAGE’S LACK OF REPORTING ON THE STATUS OF THE TRANSFER. ALONG WITH THE APPARENT LACK OF PROPERLY RECORDING NEXTEL’S PROCEDURE, HAS CAUSED ME TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL $199.99 IN NEXTEL CHARGES PLUS TAXES AND COMMUNICATION FEES FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST. AS I AM NOW 2 DAYS AWAY FROM THE END OF ANOTHER CYCLE I ANTICIPATE A SECOND CHARGE FOR SEPTEMBER DUE TO VONAGE SITTING ON THE PASS CODE FOR 2 DAYS.

AS I LOOK AT THE VONAGE WEBSITE FOR STATUS THIS MORNING I STILL SEE ONLY SEE THE LAST UPDATE BEING JULY 23.

I AM A COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER FOR A NATIONAL COURIER AND DISTRIBUTION COMPANY. MY COMPANY, MY COWORKERS, MY FAMILY AND MY FRIENDS ALL COME TO ME FOR ADVICE ON WIRELESS, PHONE, AND INTERNET COMMUNICATIONS.
YOUR SERVICE, PRICE AND MARKETING GENERATE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AS TO IF YOU’RE A COMPANY PEOPLE SHOULD LOOK AT.
IN THE PAST, PRIOR TO BECOMING A CUSTOMER I TOLD PEOPLE THE TECHNOLOGY WAS SOLID. THE MONTHLY CHARGE VERY AFFORDABLE. VONAGE LOOKS LIKE A GOOD SOLUTION.

SINCE BECOMING A CUSTOMER, AND GOING THROUGH THIS NUMBER CHANGE THIS OPINION OF YOUR COMPANY AND YOUR SERVICE WILL OBVIOUSLY CHANGE.

I HOPE YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE, YOUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES YOU CLAIM YOU CAN PROVIDE, AND THE CONSOLATION YOU OFFER WHEN YOU FAIL IMPROVE.
YOU DEFINITELY HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO ON NUMBER TRANSFERS.

RICK TOWNER
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
CD&L DISTRIBUTION
(www.cdl.net)

PHONE: xxx.xxx.xxx
(AS OF 0815 0N SEPT. 23 2005, STILL A NEXTEL NUMBER)

Posted on September 23, 2005 05:31 AM | #