Vonage claims you can keep your present number - but can you? Internet
Called Vonage 800 number from advertisement about keeping your old number, and $24.95 unlimited long distance and local. First warning sign should have been when they told me they were a paperless company, no bill and would bill from my debit or charge card.
I felt that since they were so highly publicized that they were reputable. WRONG!!!!!
After signing up, I was transferred to a confirmation line that would require me to enter my current phone number in order for verifying that I wanted to keep my home phone number.
I would not go through, recording said it did not recognize my number. I then called back and explained to representative what had happened. She asked me if I was familiar with "The earthquake in Tawain". I asked her what that had to do with everything. She could not explain that. She did not speak very good English so I asked to speak to someone else, preferably her supervisor.
Another 10 minute wait, to get a gentlemen who told me not to worry, that I would receive an e-mail confirming what the confirmation line number would have. Said to wait 48 hours.
Called back two days later because I still had no e-mail, then I am told that I could not keep my present number, and that the option to keep my number was not available for my area code. (Something that should have been addressed in the very beginning).
This was on Saturday, I tried to cancel my account with them but was told to call back on Monday. Called back on Monday, waited on hold for at least a half an hour.
Got the accounts department told them I wanted to cancel, and Ghe Gemana from Accounts payable tells me my debit card will be charged 39.95 until they receive back the equipment that I still have not received.
I remained calm, and while she was on speaker phone asked her to hold and then got on my cell phone and called my bank to tell them to cancel my card so that I would not be charged. Guess what - my card was already being charged 39.95 as we speak.
Your first clue should be PAPERLESS BILLS and only accept BANK OR CREDIT CARD!!!
DON'T SIGN UP - YOU WILL BE LED DOWN A DECEIVING PATH!!!!!!!!!!
Lori
Valparaiso, Indiana
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Mina
Portland,Oregon,
U.S.A.
You CAN keep your current number... but not always.
#3Consumer Suggestion
Thu, January 18, 2007
From my own personal experience with Vonage (of which thankfully thus far has been positive), it IS possible to keep your phone number as stated in their advertisements.
I am the third person from my workplace to sign up for Vonage service and the only one to successfully carry my phone number over. None of my co-workers can explain what went wrong, only of their similar frustrations in attempting to call Vonage customer service for help on resolving the issue.
I signed up for Vonage online when I saw an ad on my e-mail page. I followed the link, signed up for the service, chose to keep my number and checked my emails for futher details on the progress. A couple of days after getting confirmation from Vonage that I had phone service with them, I saw that I had been assigned a new phone number.
When I received the hardware, I set it up and tested it out. Indeed when I called my home phone number from my cell (I still had service with my old provider), I discovered it just rang without answer. When I called my cell from my home phone, I saw the newly assigned number on my caller ID. I was frustrated to find out my number transfer had possibly failed and checked the webpage. The webpage confirmed I had been assigned a new phone number but that it would only remain temporary while the transfer was still in progress. I also saw that I was NOT to cancel my current phone service as that would cancel my current phone number along with it.
I waited for a week or so and checked their webpage again. I also checked my emails regularly. I did receive info on giving my consent electronically for Vonage to take my phone number from my current provider for my new service. I can't recall if it was from my email or a link on the webpage under my account. Once I followed the instructions and emailed my electronic consent, I found a couple of days later that my phone number was successfully transferred. I am assuming many people probably missed that step or that people may have possibly cancelled their phone service with their old provider before Vonage took the phone number.
I called my phone company to cancel my service with them and they informed me that it was already cancelled when Vonage took over service for the number upon submission of my consent.
Hopefully that helps anyone wishing to switch service and keep an old phone number. I do everything online anyway so the paperless is actually a blessing for me, but I know it isn't for everyone. :)
Mina
Portland,Oregon,
U.S.A.
You CAN keep your current number... but not always.
#3Consumer Suggestion
Thu, January 18, 2007
From my own personal experience with Vonage (of which thankfully thus far has been positive), it IS possible to keep your phone number as stated in their advertisements.
I am the third person from my workplace to sign up for Vonage service and the only one to successfully carry my phone number over. None of my co-workers can explain what went wrong, only of their similar frustrations in attempting to call Vonage customer service for help on resolving the issue.
I signed up for Vonage online when I saw an ad on my e-mail page. I followed the link, signed up for the service, chose to keep my number and checked my emails for futher details on the progress. A couple of days after getting confirmation from Vonage that I had phone service with them, I saw that I had been assigned a new phone number.
When I received the hardware, I set it up and tested it out. Indeed when I called my home phone number from my cell (I still had service with my old provider), I discovered it just rang without answer. When I called my cell from my home phone, I saw the newly assigned number on my caller ID. I was frustrated to find out my number transfer had possibly failed and checked the webpage. The webpage confirmed I had been assigned a new phone number but that it would only remain temporary while the transfer was still in progress. I also saw that I was NOT to cancel my current phone service as that would cancel my current phone number along with it.
I waited for a week or so and checked their webpage again. I also checked my emails regularly. I did receive info on giving my consent electronically for Vonage to take my phone number from my current provider for my new service. I can't recall if it was from my email or a link on the webpage under my account. Once I followed the instructions and emailed my electronic consent, I found a couple of days later that my phone number was successfully transferred. I am assuming many people probably missed that step or that people may have possibly cancelled their phone service with their old provider before Vonage took the phone number.
I called my phone company to cancel my service with them and they informed me that it was already cancelled when Vonage took over service for the number upon submission of my consent.
Hopefully that helps anyone wishing to switch service and keep an old phone number. I do everything online anyway so the paperless is actually a blessing for me, but I know it isn't for everyone. :)