Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

Things to consider before signing up with vonage.

Jun 21, 2010 6:18PM PDT

I've made this post for people who wants to sign up with vonage. I work with vonage before as a Customer Service Representative but I already quit because of the number of calls we receive a day. It's a "LOT", so I had enough with those profanity from the customers who were mislead and misinformed, though I was cursed by them, I still can't blame them. So here it is, hope this helps.

For new customers who wants to trasnfer their number to vonage and not, please read:

1.) Internet Connection

- Vonage will only work for DSL internet and Cable internet connections so make sure your having either one of these.

2.) Checking the Number

- Make sure that your number can be transferred to Vonage by checking it through the website at http://www.vonage.com through the "Keep your existing phone number" tool located at the lower right portion of the page, or call 1-866-243-4357 and let a customer service representative check it for you (note: just provide the number that you would like to transfer, don't provide any payment information if you are not sure to sign up yet). If it's a yes, congratulations!

3.) Home Alarm

- If you have a home alarm system, call your home alarm system provider and verify to them if your home alarm system is compatible with a VoIP system or with Vonage.

***If it is a yes, congratulations!
***If it is a no, you can ask your home alarm system provider if they can provide you another set-up which is compatible with a VoIP system or with Vonage or, you can get another home alarm system provider in your area.

4.) Home Wiring

- If you have a lot of phones at home, cordless/regular and it is connected into the wall jack, that means you've got a home-wiring working.

*** If you got Cable internet connection and at the same time the number that you are trying to transfer is coming from that company, you don't have to worry because your home-wiring will still work with vonage.

*** If you got a DSL internet connection and the number that you are trying to transfer is coming from that company, your home-wiring will not be working until Vonage sends a technician to configure your telephone box and that will cost you $20.00

5). The Number Transfer Process

- Vonage will send you an email after talking to a Sales Representative and processed successfully your order for a new Account and the request for a number transfer process. The email that you will be receiving is called "Number Transfer Authorization."

- The Number Transfer Process would take approximately 7-10 business days if there are no rejections from the phone company where you are trying to transfer your number from.

***Types of Rejection
a. Address Mismatch = make sure that the information that you are going to provide on the Number Transfer Authorization matches the information from the phone company where you are trying to transfer your number from. If you have moved, make sure that the address you entered on the Number Transfer Authorization form is the address registered from the existing phone company when you signed up with them.
(note: It would be best to call the existing phone company which is having your number for accurate information)

b. DSL associated with phone number (for dsl internet customers only) = you currently have two lines working for your connection, the dsl internet and the phone line, they come together. You need to separate the two lines so call your internet and phone provider to request for a "dry-loop/stand-alone DSL connection."
Why do this?
- If you wont separate the two lines, you will lose internet connection by the time your number has been transferred and if this happens, you can't make the vonage device to work since it needs internet connection.

c. Feature associated with the number = make sure that there are no features associated with the number, ex. freeze feature, since it will cause a rejection. Before you request a number transfer process to Vonage, call your existing phone provider and cancel any feature associated with the number.

4.) Terms of Service

- Vonage will provide you 30 days to try their service, but, your billing cycle date will start on the day that you will sign up with them so that means even if you don't have the number transferred yet, Vonage will already start billing you.

- The plans that are available when you sign up are these:
a. Residential Plans:

$24.99 for Vonage World (Unlimited to 60 countries with unlimited local and long distance calls to U.S) , $17.99 Basic 500 minutes good for outgoing, and the new $9.99 Vonage Lite good for 200 minutes outgoing.

b. Business Plans:

$49.99 Business Unlimited with free fax line and $39.99 for Basic 1500 minutes with free fax line

note: taxes and fees are not included inside these plans, so your monthly bill will have an additonal $5.00-10.00 charge for taxes and fees depending on the state where you are located. So it's Monthly service fee for the plan+taxes and fees.

Estimated monthly bill with taxes and fees ($7.00-10.00 range): $32.00-35.00 for Vonage World, $24.00-$27.00 for basic 500 minutes, $16.00-19.00 for Vonage Lite, $56.00-$59.00 for Business Unlimited and, $46.00-49.00 for Basic 500 minutes

5.) Fax Machine

- Vonage is a digital phone service, not an analog/regular phone service. Some fax machines will not work with vonage in sending/receiving a fax specially if you have just one number and you want to use it as a fax line and a voice line at the same time until you disable the call forwarding feature, simultaneous ring, call hunt, and specially, Voicemail.

so these are the things that you need to consider before signing up with vonage. Vonage is really a great company providing an affordable price to customers with good quality service, If you might experience a problem, you might need to listen first for an explanation before shouting your lungs out. ehe. really hope this helps. thanks.

====================================================

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Nice
Jun 25, 2010 2:10PM PDT

Good post. They have very misleading advertising for sure, among other internet phone providers (cough-magicJack-cough)

- Collapse -
thanks
Jun 27, 2010 4:13PM PDT

thank you so much for taking time in reading my post! have a great day!