Complaint Review: Norvergence

Norvergence is a bogus scam. I signed up for their service 3/30/03. They never told me verbally or directed my attention to the fact that i was signing a 5-year lease. Lease for what?

A "WatchGuard Firebox Soho 6" which was brougt to my business location and plugged into the ac outlet and my router.

I was led to believe that this device was handling my long distance telephone calls. Upon examination by my network specialists, I was told it was doing nothing. It was in fact no more than a "paperclip" on my desktop.

I was told that i would pay $200 a month for all my long distance calls, get 2 cell phones with unlimited national roaming they would pay for my DSL.

The first bill came from CIT, another company for $203
The next bill from CIT was $225 .$23 tacked on for insurance. several bills later $250 was tacked on for personal property tax.

I told norvergence I was not going to pay for insurance or personal property tax on a firewall that is priced at $200-$300 max. How about I buy it. What's the buyout on this 60 month lease? $12,300. I don't think so. Something funny here.

So I tell them I want to cancel the whole thing and i write them and CIT several letters but they don't respond and I call them. And they don't respond and they have no email.

I keep Paying CIT $203 a month and Norvergence $12 per month

So then the cell phone stops working. I call to cancel they say that someone will contact me. Who? I ask. Earl, they say. what's his tel#/email? doesn't have one. They say they will get me a new cell phone 48 hrs.

I have not heard from Earl. I hesitate to call them because it takes 20 minutes or so to get through and they disconnect you if they become perplexed which is often. I think they disconnect you even if they are not perplexed, but rather simply bored with not answering the same questions.

This whole operation has got to be totally illegal. If it is actually legal, then something is wrong with the laws governing these types of companies or any companies, for that matter, so grossly misleading, and obnoxiously fraudulent. I am stopping all payments to Norvergence and CIT(try looking them up on the web! What a joke.) I am calling my local carrier to diconnect them and will be looking for another company. MCI? Nahhh.

This is just a very short, cursory report. I have no further time or space at this this moment to unleash my full invective on Norvergence and CIT( are they the same company?)

Steve
WASHINGTON, District of Columbia
U.S.A.