Vonage Phone Service

Wingspan · March 14, 2006, 03:15:32 PM

Quote from: FFatPatt on March 14, 2006, 02:34:36 PM
Quote from: Seabiscuit36 on March 14, 2006, 12:51:23 PM
How does Tivo hook up with Vonage? Any problems?

I believe you need a land-based line for TiVo/DirecTV.

tivo can be connected through a broadband internet connection too (i have mine on wireless).

Father Demon · March 14, 2006, 03:47:00 PM

I have it. For the most part, I love it. The portal is very easy, and all the features are top-notch and "free". And the price is right. Check into the smaller 500 minute package, too. You have to talk a lot more than 500 minutes before you reach the point of the unlimited price. Each additional minute is a few cents per minute, so do the math. If power goes out, like others have said, you have free call-forwarding that can go to your cell phone.

Five small complaints I have with it:
a) If I'm actively surfing, the call get's very choppy as my computer and phone compete for space
b) Some (but few) people on the other end complain about echo
c) They charge in 1 minute increments -- both incoming and outgoing calls. Calls to toll-free numbers, voice mail, and other Vonage customers are free.
d) Trying to get a poor quality call credited is rough. I have tried about five times, and none of them were credited. I never followed up after that, because I am usually under my 500 minutes per month
e) I can't get TIVO to update over the Vonage line, no matter what I try. I am fixing that by taking my Series I TIVO to wireless, and have it update via the Internet. Yes, it's geeky, but that's why I hire smart people. To work on my technical stuff at my house.

stalker · March 14, 2006, 06:08:07 PM

Quote from: PhillyPhaninDC on March 14, 2006, 03:00:20 PM
My wife is originally from Thailand

Is that her in your avatar?

Me so horny

mussa · March 17, 2006, 10:05:58 AM

So I got my router yesterday, called customer service for hook-up service and got a frickin indian. i couldn't understand what the hell he was saying. it took 15 minutes for me to translate what a normal english speaking customer rep. could communicate in less than 5 minutes. jesus!
so i get it up and working then i try to set-up my voicemail. call the number, put in what my temporary mailbox pin is and its says it doesn't work. i try it again and again, doesn't work. so i call India back and get another indian, this time it was 300 times worse. I couldn't understand simple words. I asked him 4 times to repeat what he just said, finally i hung the hell up in pure rage. i almost threw my phone out the window.
i did call this morning with another problem, waited almost 15 minutes on speakerphone to finaly get to someone, and ALAS! Its an American, who speaks good english. He hooked me up and I actually downgraded to a lower monthly price of 14.95.
Overall the price is great, but the customer service is horrible. I guess thats what you get for 14.95 $:-\$

MURP · March 17, 2006, 10:38:12 AM

i've pretty much decided that anytime I get someone who doesnt speak English well on a customer service call I'll just hang up and keep calling until I get someone who can.

PhillyGirl · March 17, 2006, 10:38:44 AM

I hate offshore CSRs.

mussa · March 17, 2006, 12:13:39 PM

Quote from: MURP on March 17, 2006, 10:38:12 AM
i've pretty much decided that anytime I get someone who doesnt speak English well on a customer service call I'll just hang up and keep calling until I get someone who can.

yes i think im going that route now also.

Wingspan · March 17, 2006, 12:35:08 PM

THANK YOU - COME AGAIN!

Phanatic · March 17, 2006, 12:44:45 PM

You get what you pay for...

Geowhizzer · March 17, 2006, 01:14:32 PM

That sounds like the guy I got for my computer when I first got it. I couldn't figure out why the computer would hang at the first screen (HP Invent). Every freaking step, like "turn on your computer," when I did it, the guy would say "Wonderful! Wonderful!" I wanted to tell him where to stuff his wonderful.

He never could figure out why the computer did it. After I hung up on him, I fiddled around with it, and discovered that I had an external hard drive that had to be turned off for the computer to boot.

Wasted an hour of my life trying to decipher that's guy's speaking...

PoopyfaceMcGee · March 17, 2006, 02:25:46 PM

My mom actually sent me this topical joke today via e-mail:

QuoteMujibar was trying to get a job in India.

The Personnel Manager said, "Mujibar, you have passed all the tests, except one. Unless you pass it you cannot qualify for this job."

Mujibar said, "I am ready."

The manager said, "Make a sentence using the words Yellow, Pink and Green."

Mujibar thought for a few minutes and said, "Mister manager, I am ready."

The manager said, "Go ahead."

Mujibar said, "The telephone goes green, green, green, and I pink it up, and say, 'Yellow, this is Mujibar.'"

Mujibar now works as a technician at a call center for VONAGE phone service problems.

No doubt you have spoken to him...

mussa · March 17, 2006, 03:40:34 PM

i hate mujibar

PhillyGirl · March 17, 2006, 03:49:16 PM

Quote from: Phanatic on March 17, 2006, 12:44:45 PM
You get what you pay for...

What are you saying? because Vonage is 14.99 he gets an outsourced CSR?

That's completely ignorant. Some of the biggest companies (including LARGE credit card companies) outsource their customer service now.

Wingspan · March 17, 2006, 03:57:07 PM

thats not completely ignorant at all.

it's the truth. even with the large credit card companies. it's a dirt cheap way to not have to pay employees.

PhillyGirl · March 17, 2006, 04:29:00 PM

Quote from: Wingspan on March 17, 2006, 03:57:07 PM
thats not completely ignorant at all.

it's the truth. even with the large credit card companies. it's a dirt cheap way to not have to pay employees.

You missed my point.

Phanatic made it sound like because you have a cheaper phone service, you get outsourced CSRs.

Well, my laptop isn't cheap and neither is the company who makes it. And I get India CSRs when I call.

It has nothing to do with how much WE pay for the service.