how-to block ads
|
Review by Vitanic 
UPDATED: 93 days ago
member for 2 years, 21 visits, last login: 21 days ago
 Rockville Centre,Nassau,NY
 $14 per month
 "Great that I'm not with Voicepulse"
 "website, billing, ordering; a bad first impression"
 "Be vigilant when ordering & canceling"
| Web-site:
Ease of Installation:
Call Quality:
Reliability:
Tech Support:
Value for money:
(ratings well below consensus)
|
I had originally begun the ordering process on July 3rd - say about 6pm. I had already purchased a Linksys PAP2T, so I was bringing my own device (BYOD). I filled everything out in the web pages.... and then at the last step, the order summary, it errored out saying (something like) "this is usually due to the session timing out." Maybe I was slow, I didn't time myself. I tried again. Much faster. Same error. So I came back later and tried a different web browser. I'm on Mac OS X & using the latest Safari 3.12.
Using Camino I was able to complete the order process. So apparently it wasn't the session timing out, but a browser problem. The order went through on July 4th at 12:42 am. I got an email of the order right after that and in it the 2nd line is:
"We will begin processing your order right away and you will receive another email when your order has been processed."
I got no further emails from them. But I'm patient - its a holiday weekend. On Wednesday, July 9th in the afternoon I notice that Voicepulse had managed to successfully charge my credit card. I still had no service. What exactly were they charging 14.99 for? I had zero incoming/outgoing minutes; I had no config info; I didn't have service.
So now I'm thinking that if they can't even get me set up, and can't send me any further info (but can manage to bill me for phantom service), I don't want any form of service from this company - I want to cancel. So I get onto their website to get their email address. On the bottom it says "Email us" - which doesn't lead to an email address. So I call them up. A CSR (Steven) canceled the account (and I assume a refund would be issued).
So I then get an email (the 2nd) telling me:
----
"Hello,
This email is to confirm the cancellation of [DID number] on device [serial number].
Since this device has no more active lines, it must be returned WITHIN 14 DAYS in order to cancel your account and issue a refund.
IMPORTANT: The device must be returned within 14 days to fully cancel your account. Failure to do so may result in action by a credit collection agency and reflect negatively on your credit.
Please return the device to the address below using a trackable form of shipment:"
-------
But this was a BYOD account. Pretty sad that so many things went wrong. Here's hoping the refund actually occurs.... but I won't be surprised if it vanishes.
CSR Steven was helpful. That's about the only positive thing I have to say about Voicepulse.
[edit: corrected time from 12:32 to 12:42]
Followup comments:  
swintec
Premium
join:2003-12-19
Alfred, ME |  ????
--
Usenet Accounts | |
| Vitanic
join:2006-10-06
Rockville Centre, NY | re: ???? I don't recall the ability to abstain from grading that aspect. Are you suggesting I give them something other than the absolute lowest mark? | |
| llast08
join:2004-08-05
Boise, ID | Did you even read the 1st email you got? The activation email they send lists out exactly what you got charged for -- the $14.99 is for the Local Unlimited + 200 plan that you signed up for. | |
| | Vitanic
join:2006-10-06
Rockville Centre, NY
 ·Callcentric
·VoicePulse
| Re: I never got an activation email; only order summary Here is what I got - Its a regurgitation of the info I used to order the service on the website.
------------
Thank you for ordering VoicePulse's award-winning broadband phone service!
We will begin processing your order right away and you will receive another email when your order has been processed.
ORDER SUMMARY:
Order Number: xxx
Order Date: 7/4/2008 12:41:39 AM GMT
CUSTOMER INFORMATION:
Email: xxx
Phone: xxx
PAYMENT INFORMATION:
Credit Card: xxx
BILLING INFORMATION:
Name: xxx
Address 1: xxx
Address 2:
Address 3:
City: Rockville Centre
State: NY
Zip: 11570
Phone: xxx
SHIPPING INFORMATION:
Name: xxx
Address 1: xxx
Address 2:
Address 3:
City: ROCKVILLE CENTRE
State: NY
Zip: 11570
Phone: xxx
Shipping Method:
ORDER DETAILS:
Name: Activation
Desc: Activation
Qty: 1.0000
Unit Cost: $0.00
Item Subtotal: $0.00
Name: Linksys PAP2T-NA
Desc: Linksys PAP2T-NA (BYO - xxx MAC:xxx)
Qty: 1.0000
Unit Cost: $0.00
Item Subtotal: $0.00
Name: Local Unlimited + 200 Calling Plan
Desc: Local Unlimited + 200 Calling Plan
Qty: 1.0000
Unit Cost: $14.99
Item Subtotal: $14.99
Name: Primary Phone Number
Desc: NY/516/NASSAUZN05/xxx
Qty: 1.0000
Unit Cost: $0.00
Item Subtotal: $0.00
---------
If the email had said "here is a webpage where you can fill in the info for the PAP2T and when you can make outgoing calls - you have service", that's alright, I can figure it out. That's *NOT* what the email I got said. It says I will get another email when service is active and that email will contain some password because some order webpage said so.
So I have reread the (riveting) email. You tell me how I misinterpreted sentence #2. | |
| | | kwest
join:2003-05-15
Dallas, GA
| Re: I never got an activation email; only order summary What other email with passwords? your number is active as soon as you complete the order, you would have received a second notice if they were going to loan/ship you an adaptor.
Since you had your own adaptor, all you would do next is the following and it will auto provision and you would have had phone service in about 3 min.
This can right from the website under B.Y.O.D
Question
How do I configure my own adapter or a Voxilla purchased adapter for VoicePulse service?
Answer
Below are the steps to activate your VoicePulse-Ready SPA:
1) Make sure you have any 2.0 version firmware for your phone adapter. You can check your current version by picking up the phone and dialing ****150#. Sipura hosts the latest firmware upgrades with installation instructions here:
»www.sipura.com/support/index.htm
2) After you have upgraded to the latest firmware, reset your SPA by picking up the phone and dialing ****73738# followed by 1 to confirm
3) Get the IP address of your SPA by picking up the phone and dialing ****110#
4) Browse to the following address where a.b.c.d is the IP address of your SPA:
»sipura-profiles.voicepulse.com/migrate.xml" >a.b.c.d/admin/resync?»sipu···rate.xml
5) Wait 2 minutes for the STATUS light to stop blinking. The unit may reboot during this time and start blinking again. Please wait the full 2 minutes.
6) Pick up the phone and listen for a dial tone
7) Your account should now be ready to make/receive phone calls
Now as far as the email you got about charging for the adaptor, that's the standard auto generated email sent to anyone who cancels, 99% barrows an adaptor so they just want it back if they sent you one. | |
| | | | Vitanic
join:2006-10-06
Rockville Centre, NY
·Callcentric
·VoicePulse
| Re: I never got an activation email; only order summary said by kwest :What other email with passwords? your number is active as soon as you complete the order, you would have received a second notice if they were going to loan/ship you an adaptor. Since you had your own adaptor, all you would do next is the following and it will auto provision and you would have had phone service in about 3 min. And where in the world does it say that? In the order process? In the email? Am I supposed to go to a psychic to divine this info? I can follow directions, but when none are given...
You can think that is user-error, but you are casting your experience to the hard, concrete info in the web order pages & emails. And going from "Click to submit order" to having service isn't spelled out *ANYWHERE* for BYOD. I guess I have to take that back if you say that that Supira info will work on the PAP2T - that info was not provided to me. I suppose you could say that "It's the customer's job to hunt down the steps required to activate service". An alternate theory is that a company that buries info will reap what it sows.
I'll go with callcentric. Hopefully they will have worked on their front ends a little more. Maybe a better handle on the english language as well. I'm all done with Voicepulse & their generic emails that cause more problems. I already see a handly little PAP2 here:
»www.callcentric.com/support/
Now THAT I can handle. | |
| | | | | |
| Forums » comments on review of VoicePulse |
|
|
(12)
(25)
·
·
·