VOIP etc > Voice Over IP - VOIP > VOIP Tech Chat > Lingo VOIP- $19.95 unlimited US, Canada, Western E

reply to ceocio

Re: Lingo VOIP- $19.95 unlimited US, Canada, Weste

That is weird. According to their FAQ, they are waiving the activation fee:

" Is there an activation fee?
Yes. There is a minimal one-time activation fee of $29.95. This fee is waived with the Introductory offer. "

said by arctangent:

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That is weird. According to their FAQ, they are waiving the activation fee:

" Is there an activation fee?
Yes. There is a minimal one-time activation fee of $29.95. This fee is waived with the Introductory offer. "

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I agree - I am staying put with Vonage as well.
I am just amazed at the Lingo offering though. Free calls to Western Europe!!! Plus you can get a number in a foreign country!!! That is awesome. I hope it will force others to offer that as well to stay competitive.
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$4.95 per month for additional U.S. phone numbers
$10.00 per month for additional International phone numbers
"

reply to garys_2k
Well I just spoke to them, and it looks as if they are charging activation and shipping, so arl seems you are lucky, and it also seems like a lot of outsourcing is going on down there at lingo... I dont like that, even though I still am considering changing...

reply to mrbenji
This is the summary of my order, with the fees waived. I confirmed this with Customer Support:

Item: Price:
Lingo Unlimited Subscription $19.95
Lingo Activation Fee $29.95
Phone Number $0.00
Primus Sold VoIP Lingo Equipment $0.00
Lingo Three Free Months Promotion ($19.95)
Lingo Pre-Payment ($39.90)
Item(s) Subtotal: ($9.95)
Shipping & Handling: $9.95
Tax: $0.00
Grand Total: $0.00

reply to garys_2k
Yeah, so I guess the deal was that from Friday through Sunday (service launched Friday) they had a deal where there was no activation fee, but only one month free.

Now it's 3 months free but there *is* an activation fee. However, you also have an additional 30-day "trial" period... if you don't like the service and cancel it within 30 days they'll refund everything.

So... I went ahead and signed up... I'll try it out in parallel with Packet8 for a month and post about my experience.

Btw, my hold time was slightly disconcerting: at one point I got a message thanking me for calling, but informing me that they were closed for "the holiday." Later I got a message thanking me for calling about another Primus program (sounded like "Free Flix"?). Finally I got patched through to an operator, who *did* know I was calling about Lingo.

Sheesh... wish *I'd* been able to swoop in on the totally-free window!

Couple of other bits of info... my rep mentioned it takes up to 48hrs to process orders entered on the web vs. immediately over the phone... don't know if he said that so I would sign up with him (per sign-up bonus?).

Also, he said 3-5 business days to get the DTA.

I'm with you .. wish I'd been able to get in on it while there was no activation fee.

That kinda bugs me about VoIP providers in general. Why do they charge an "activation fee" if I'm entering all the information for them over the Internet? Sure, charge me a shipping fee, since UPS really does charge to ship packages, but $30 to set up a "virtual" service is outlandish, and is one of the reasons I haven't switched.

Even SBC can set up a POTS line for free...
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Do not meddle in the affairs of sysadmins, for they are easy to annoy and have the root password.

reply to arctangent

said by arctangent:

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....Plus you can get a number in a foreign country!!! ."

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reply to mrbenji
you will be out more then that if u wait 3 months

reply to arctangent
I got Lingo.

The universall number is just in USA and Canada. At least those are the only two optiosn offered by their web site when you try to get an "universal number"

What are they using for a phone adapter?

reply to wesm
SBC doesn't set up a POTS line for free. They just don't charge you directly, instead it is a cost that is amortized over your service life. Smaller companies don't have this luxury.

On a side note, I am constantly amazed at customers' expectations to get everything for free. I doubt most of these people have ever run a business and truly understand that providing service costs lots of money, and businesses have to turn a profit in order to survive. Seems sort of obvious to me, but then again, what do I know?

reply to garys_2k
Amen! Even my wife, who can make a penny bleed, said to wait for awhile

reply to mrbenji
You are all correct to worry about E911. As an administrator of a local PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) we are VERY concerned about this. These lines can not and will not be router to any 911 lines. The best they can do is send you to a non-emergency line that is answered as LOW priority in any call center. We get none of the name,number and location info you are all so familiar with. The VOIP world needs to get in front of this. So far, they say they are non-regulated, so they don't need to deal with it. I am all for competition, but who is going to suffer for it?

Lastly, and I suspect most of you do not care,but your local E911 center is funded by 911 surcharges ($.65 per month here). We can toss 911 and go back to the dark ages, or find a way to fund these centers with VOIP.

911 centers should be funded by local authorities (tax), it's a service like police and firefighters.
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Jesus saves, but only Buddha makes incremental backups.

reply to jimburns999
jimburns999
I am all with you on the issue of E911, i.e. E911 has to be implemented on voip. Who's to pay it is another issue then.

But whenever I say E911, it's just gonna become another endless debate on regulation. so, I think I'll just rest my case for now.

One thing these voip companies can do before they fully implement true E911 is that they can at least let consumers know what they are really offering, and the difference between their 911 and realy E911. The proposed new senate bill will address this issue.

911

II. EMERGENCY CALLING SERVICE EMERGENCY DIALING

A. Non-Availability of Traditional 911 or E911 Dialing Service:
You acknowledge and understand that the Service does NOT support traditional 911 or E911 access to emergency services. Primus offers a limited Emergency Calling Service available only on Primus Devices as described herein, but you acknowledge and understand that such Emergency Calling Service dialing is different in a number of important ways from traditional 911 services, as described herein. Primus Emergency Calling Service dialing is only available on Primus-certified Devices or Equipment. You agree to inform any household residents, guests and other third persons who may be present at the physical location where you utilize the Service as to the non-availability of traditional 911 or E911 dialing from your Primus Service and Device(s). If you activate Primus Emergency Calling Service dialing, you agree to inform any household residents, guests and other third persons who may be present at the physical location where you utilize the Service as to the important differences and limitations of Primus Emergency Calling Service dialing as compared with traditional 911 or E911 dialing, as set forth in this Agreement.

B. Description of Emergency Calling Service-Type Dialing Capabilities - Activation Required
Primus does offer an Emergency Calling Service that is different in a number of important ways from traditional 911 services. When you dial 911, your call is routed from the Primus network to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) or local emergency service personnel designated for the address which the Customer indicated on the sign-up information. You acknowledge and understand that when you dial 911 from your Primus Equipment you will be routed to the general telephone number for the PSAP or local emergency service provider, and may not be routed to the 911 dispatcher(s) who are specifically designated to receive incoming 911 calls using traditional 911 dialing. As described herein, this Emergency Calling Service dialing currently is NOT the same as traditional 911 or E911 dialing, and at this time, does not necessarily include all of the capabilities of traditional 911 dialing.

C. Service Outage:

1. Power Outage
You acknowledge and understand that Emergency Calling Service dialing does not function without power. Should there be an interruption in the power supply, the Service and Emergency Calling Service dialing will not function until power is restored. A power failure or disruption may require the Customer to reset or reconfigure equipment before using the Service or Emergency Calling Service dialing.

2. Broadband Service Outage
You acknowledge and understand that service outages by your broadband provider will prevent ALL Service including Emergency Calling Service dialing.

3. Service Outage
Due to Suspension of Your Account You acknowledge and understand that service outages due to suspension of your account as a result of billing issues will prevent ALL Service, including Emergency Calling Service dialing.

4. Other Service Outages
You acknowledge and understand that if there is a service outage for ANY reason, such outage will prevent ALL Service, including Emergency Calling Service dialing. Such outages may occur for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to those reasons described elsewhere in this Agreement.

5. Limitation of Liability and Indemnification
You acknowledge and understand that Primus's liability is limited for any Service outage and/or inability to dial Emergency Calling Service from your line or to access emergency service personnel, as set forth in this document. You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Primus, its officers, directors, employees, affiliates and agents and any other service provider who furnishes services to Customer in connection with this Agreement or the Service, from any and all claims, losses, damages, fines, penalties, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys fees) by, or on behalf of, Customer or any third party or user of Customer's Service relating to the absence, failure or outage of the Service, including Emergency Calling Service dialing and/or inability of Customer or any third person or party or user of Customer's Service to be able to dial 911 or to access emergency service personnel.

D. Failure to Designate the Correct Physical Address for Emergency Calling Service Dialing:
The address which the Customer indicated on the sign-up information is the address which is applied to your Service for Emergency Calling Service dialing. Should you need to change this address, you must contact Primus Customer Service immediately to correct this address. It may take up to three business days to put through a change of address or update of an address. Failure to provide the current and correct physical address and location of your Primus equipment will result in any Emergency Calling Service communication you may make being routed to the incorrect local emergency service provider.

E. Requires Re-Activation if You Change Your Number:
You acknowledge and understand that Emergency Calling Service dialing does not function if you change your phone number unless and until you have contacted Primus Customer Service and have been informed by them that your new Emergency Calling Service service address is re-activated. Emergency Calling Service dialing must be re-activated. Although you may have activated Emergency Calling Service dialing with your former Primus phone number, you must separately activate Emergency Calling Service dialing for any new number.

F. Change of Physical Location of Primus Equipment:
You acknowledge and understand that Emergency Calling Service dialing does not function properly or may not function at all if you take your equipment with you away from the address or physical location that you have designated.

G. Requires Re-Activation if You Move:
You acknowledge and understand that Emergency Calling Service dialing does not function properly or at all if you move or change the physical location of your Primus equipment to a different street address, unless and until you have successfully contacted Primus Customer Service and received confirmation from them that your Emergency Calling Service dialing is active. Emergency Calling Service dialing must be re-activated although you may have activated Emergency Calling Service dialing using your former address, and you must separately activate Emergency Calling Service dialing for any new physical address. Failure to provide the current and correct physical address and location of your Primus equipment will result in any Emergency Calling Service dialing you may make being routed to the incorrect local emergency service provider

H. Possibility of Network Congestion and/or Reduced Speed for Routing Emergency Calling Service:
You acknowledge and understand that there is a greater possibility of network congestion and/or reduced speed in the routing of an Emergency Calling Service communication made using your Primus Equipment as compared to traditional 911 dialing over traditional public telephone networks. You acknowledge and understand that Emergency Calling Service dialing from your Primus equipment will be routed to the general telephone number for the local emergency service provider, and will not be routed to the 911 dispatcher(s) who are specifically designated to receive incoming 911 calls at such local provider's facilities when such calls are routed using traditional 911 dialing. You acknowledge and understand that there may be a greater possibility that the general telephone number for the local emergency service provider will produce a busy signal or will take longer to answer, as compared to those 911 calls routed to the 911 dispatcher(s) who are specifically designated to receive incoming 911 calls using traditional 911 dialing.

I. Automated Number Identification:
It is not possible for the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and the local emergency personnel to identify your phone number when you dial 911 to access Emergency Calling Service dialing. Primus's system is configured in most instances to send the automated number identification information; however, the phone system routes the traffic to the PSAP and the PSAP itself must be able to receive the information and pass it along properly, and they are not yet always technically capable of doing so. You acknowledge and understand that PSAP and emergency personnel may or may not be able to identify your phone number to call you back if the call is unable to be completed, is dropped or disconnected, or if you are unable to speak to tell them your phone number and/or if the Service is not operational for any reason, including without limitation those listed elsewhere in this Agreement.

J. Automated Location Identification:
It is not possible to transmit identification of the address that you have listed to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and local emergency personnel for your area when you use Emergency Calling Service dialing. You acknowledge and understand that you will need to state the nature of your emergency promptly and clearly, including your location, as PSAP personnel will NOT have this information. You acknowledge and understand that PSAP and emergency personnel will not be able to find your location if the call is unable to be completed, is dropped or disconnected, if you are unable to speak to tell them your location and/or if the Service is not operational for any reason, including without limitation those listed elsewhere in this Agreement.

K. Alternative Emergency Calling Service Arrangements
You acknowledge that Primus does not offer primary line or lifeline services. You should always have an alternative means of accessing traditional E911 services.

reply to jimburns999

Re: Lingo VOIP- $19.95 unlimited US, Canada, Weste

said by jimburns999:

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You are all correct to worry about E911. As an administrator of a local PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) we are VERY concerned about this.

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said by jimburns999:

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These lines can not and will not be router to any 911 lines. The best they can do is send you to a non-emergency line that is answered as LOW priority in any call center.

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said by jimburns999:

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We get none of the name,number and location info you are all so familiar with.

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said by jimburns999:

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The VOIP world needs to get in front of this.

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said by jimburns999:

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So far, they say they are non-regulated, so they don't need to deal with it. I am all for competition, but who is going to suffer for it?

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said by jimburns999:

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Lastly, and I suspect most of you do not care,but your local E911 center is funded by 911 surcharges ($.65 per month here). We can toss 911 and go back to the dark ages, or find a way to fund these centers with VOIP.

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