Comments on: Vonage customers bolting for the exit. Try Skype next time

VOIP stinks, unless you stop paying and use Skype.

[Bill Zamparelli]

I recently defected from Vonage to Verizon Freedom after 4 years of reasonable VOIP service. Competition swayed me to go with Verizon at $14.99 per month for one year! - normally $39.99 per month - including unlimited local and long distance calls! I don't get all the Vonage features but I never used most of them anyway. I never got used to having Vonage voice mail on my system and often neglected to retrieve it since everyone in our home has a personal cell phone. I would have preferred not to have any Vonage voice mail but I couldn't select that option! A landline was required for Dish Network Satelite TV otherwise I would probably just dump the home phone altogether. The Vonage automatic credit card payment system probably pushed me over the edge because for some reason my card was not being accepted by Vonage - it worked for all other transactions - and I could not make a payment to Vonage. Vonage does not accept checks or have any local mailing address or customer service representatives to help resolve such issues. After two months of computer-generated e-mail requests from Vonage to make payment and no response to my e-mail payment attempts or requests for assistance, I just gave up and made the move to Verizon. Let's hope the VOIP competition is still available in one year when I am looking for the next-best deal!

[monrey]

I've been using Lingo (www.lingo.com) for 6 years now. It started out rough in the beginning but I stuck with them beings the technology was fairly new back then. Today the Lingo's service is 99% flawless and they've added two worthwhile services since I've been with them. Fax capabilities and the ability to change the amount of bandwidth the phone uses. The ladder is key to great service on your Lingo phone.

I've taken my Lingo phone to Alaska, Washington, and Oregon plugged it in configured the router and wala! I have great service. There are two keys to good service. The first being open the ports for VOIP in your main Router if you use one. The second being increase the amount of bandwidth to 90kbps from 30 kbps. Failure to do either of these and your service will be mediocre.

The hardware used seems to be of good quality. I've had zero problems for 6 years with the hardware. It never needs rebooting it just works.

All of the configuration settings for your phone are on the internet. Just log in and make the changes. For instance I have my voicemail automatically forwarded to my email due to the fact I travel. This way I get my voicemail no matter where I am in the world.

I use this as a business phone and I've got three numbers. I've got a washington, Oregon and an 800 number. All ring to the same phone of course but it gives my customers an impression as though i'm larger than I really am.

Longest call to date that I can recall was 6 hours without interuption. (conference call)
I've even had calls (Free) to Great Britian from Washington.

Amazing service for $35 per month. It's only that high due to the fact I have three numbers.

[jazzfiend44]

Matt, you need to get comcast to swap out the emta(modem) that you are using. There is a new RCA modem that does not do that. I have the same problem with mine, it took three modems until I got mine fixed. Its nothing to do with comcast, its just the modem they are getting from motorolla.

[RonningFamily]

You have got to be kidding me!! I have five phones in the house that work great on Vonage, for the last three years. Dial tone on all and plugged in to my own phone jacks.

I have had perfect service!

The cost savings and quality are incredible. Nobody can tell if I have MaBell or Vonage....

It is disgusting that you are given a platform to discuss computers and you no nothing about computers. Skype, are you kidding me, I don't need another platform to manage.

My cell phone, and home phone are just fine.

Do your research. Your article is dead wrong! Get a real internet connection!

Gee Whiz....

[treet007]

I chose not to signup with Vonage because I abhor their commercials. The "Kill Bill" background music gets real old real fast. I use Skype for international voice service, and it is on par with AT&T International Call quality but not in reliability. But for a free service, what do you expect...

[chrisp339]

Matt,

Are you certain that the router and the Comcast eMTA are not fighting over which is the DHCP server? Sometimes when you change the modem, especially to a VOIP eMTA router, you need to re-run your router's configuration utility.

I had the same problem with my equipment with a DOCIS 1.0 Toshiba modem. And then again when I upgraded to a DOCIS 2.0 modem. Some routers just don't play nice.

[houses.of.the.holy]

Vonage cost me $200 and I never made a phone call. I bailed a long time ago.

[jharrisofkansas]

I would like to say to the people at CNET it is VERY irresponsible that you fail to mention SKYPE does not have 911 service.... you getting a kick back from SKYPE ?

[brad.kalinoski]

I dont know where you live and what type of internet connection you had or what, but I have used my vonage for over a year or two and have never had one problem. I have used it in Vancouver BC, Los Angeles, and Blaine WA. Not once did I have problems. I think users that give Vonage a bad rap, are uneducated users of PC's and the understanding of there internet connection. Your not going to upload and download files and talk on vonage with a low bandwidth DSL or Cable. Its my opinion that those with vonage issues, are just a little ignorant when it comes to how bandwidth and internet VOIP works. Its not vonages service, I have been 100% satisfied. And so has my entire family across the nation. I hate that something good has to be ruined by ignorance. Comcast, jesus, have you not looked at what they charge. Its horrible. Its way overpriced and on the same par of the price of a landline. Who would go to something like comcast. I used my vonage on comcast Cable, Pacbell DSL, Shaw Cable (canada), and Charter. I never had any issues. None. And to this day, I have had no issues with vonage service, more of bandwidth problems, dsl or cable network down, or other issues with cable and dsl. Vonage is as good as it gets with VOIP.

[benursel]

STAY AWAY FROM VONAGE!!! THEY DO HAVE A CANCELLATION FEE!
I used Vonage for a while a couple years ago, but it always dropped calls, and their highest level of tech support told me it was because my internet connection had too high of packet latency, so I cancelled.
After switching ISP's, I tried it out again this past summer, and it worked ok, but there was an increasing amount of background noise and dropped calls to the point it became un-useable. I called them to cancel the service and they told me that if I wanted to cancel, they have a "Disconnection" fee since I had my service for more than a month, and less that two years. I argued with the customer service rep that I was not notified of the "disconnection" fee, and she said it was in the Terms and Conditions of service. When I had the Vonage service a couple of years ago, there was no such clause, and Vonage still continues to refuse any sort of proof that the "Disconnection Fee" was in the T's&C's when I re-signed up last year. I've filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau of NJ, and even though Vonage has responded, they still refuse to demonstrate any proof whatsoever that I agreed to the version of the Terms and Conditions that includes the Disconnection Fee clause.