said by nycityny :

I have to chime in again. I usually defend VoicePulse to the end but in this case I want to join in the criticism. Charging for Call Forwarding is really bait-and-switch for them.

On their homepage under the "Local Unlimited" heading the second item listed says All basic & advanced features included free.

said by PCInTech :

jchin, we do NOT work for VP. We just know that, historically, they have treated everyone even MORE fairly than every other provider. The service is stellar, and downright perfect. Their people bend over backwards for you. You did NOT understand the TERMS of the "LOCAL UNLIMITED" plan, that's all. The exception to the word "unlimited" has been, for over a year, FORWARDED calls, and that is spelled out very clearly in the plan details. Let it REST, one more time.

said by PCInTech :

Let it REST, one more time.

said by PCInTech :

jchin, we do NOT work for VP. We just know that, historically, they have treated everyone even MORE fairly than every other provider. The service is stellar, and downright perfect. Their people bend over backwards for you. You did NOT understand the TERMS of the "LOCAL UNLIMITED" plan, that's all. The exception to the word "unlimited" has been, for over a year, FORWARDED calls, and that is spelled out very clearly in the plan details. Let it REST, one more time.

said by ptrowski :

Bangs head agains the wall...It never was meant to be unlimited forwarding...just can't get it. The sooner you accept that fact the sooner we can put it to rest.

said by ptrowski :

The part I find interesting is you use 30 minutes of outgoing calls but 2000 incoming/forwarded/callhunt? That sure as heck should set off some alarms.

said by jchin :



The $14.95/month "Local Unlimited + 200 LD" plan does NOT include free forwarded or call-hunt forwarded calls; not even to local or VoicePulse numbers. Therefore it really is NOT unlimited.

The only thing to do if you really use these features is to upgrade to the $24.95/month America Unlimited plan. Which is what we had to do, :( even though we only make about 30 minutes of non-local/regional calls each month; but I do forward to my local cell phone or other VoicePulse lines each month (very handy when you're on the move).

said by voiplover :

Question: What has changed in the billing of the $14.95/month plan?

said by jchin :

My entire point of this thread was to let others know that VoicePulse is deceptive in their "Local Unlimited + 200 LD" plan, because it really isn't local unlimited; heck it isn't even VoicePulse unlimited!

said by scooby :

Most places in the US, local calls usually cost more to terminate then LD calls.

said by thdesha :

I have spoken with them also, and it seems there has been some change recently.. I did refer them back to this. My 14.99 plan now seems fee based for using features. I guess they want to elimanate the cheap plan?

Call Forward

Every line on your account can be set to forward to a different number. Your forwarded calls will behave just like a call that was dialed from your phone. If you're on an unlimited plan, forward whenever you want -- they're all free!

To use Call Forward:
Dial *130 on your phone to turn the option on/off or login to your Account Center and turn the option on/off
You have the option of selecting the number of seconds (0 to 60) your phone should ring before the call gets forwarded
You have the option of receiving an email notification whenever a call is forwarded

This feature is implemented as "Absolute Call Forward" meaning all calls will be forwarded when the option is active. Other possible options are "Call Forward Busy" or "Call Forward No Answer" which are not currently available. However, our Call Hunt / Find Me feature is a more powerful version of these features.

Call Forward is Free with VoicePulse

We know it's not easy to have a job, run a family and answer every phone call. That's why we make it so easy to have phone calls forwarded to wherever you're going to be. Back to Advanced Features

Call Forward Shortcuts
Dial *130 to turn call forwarding on/off

said by ptrowski :

The thing that seems suspect to me is that the OP easily decided to upgrade at the drop of a hat, and would not dispute the $55. If I paid $14.99 a month and was overcharged (supposedly) an extra 2+ months of service, I would be livid.
...
I still maintain that there is something here we are not being told. Something in not right here, and I think we are not being told the whole story.

said by scooby :

Most places in the US, local calls usually cost more to terminate then LD calls...

said by voiplover :

Just my 2 cents!

said by georgepan :

Jchin-

If the configuration page still reads the same way, you would have an obvious claim to reject the bill. You can't get much clearer than: "Calls forwarded to a non-VoicePulse number will be billed the same as regular calls made from your account..." to show that no charge should apply. After all, regular local calls made from the account are free with your account (assuming that the forwards were to a local number.)

said by ptrowski :

Viatalk has been excellent also. I started with them in April, and they have added alot of new functionality/features with more to come, customer service is US based, and call quality is excellent also. One thing people should know is that the trial period is 14 days, and after that they offer a 50% refund. But I have not had a reason to refund, and do my homework ahead of time before plunking the cash for their 2 year deal.

So far no complaints at all.

said by jchin :

BTW, how do you like ViaTalk? Vonage isn't worth switching to because it is the same price as VP America Unlimited, for basically the same calling plan.

said by tommy13v :

Do not go to Broadvoice, you will not be happy. I would suggest Viatalk.

said by ptrowski :

So are you going to formally dispute it? I would do it in writing, certified mail if they cannot or will not show where the charges are coming from.

said by ptrowski :

Ok...
$104/$.039 is roughly 2667 minutes. 2667 minutes/60 minutes per hour is approximately 45 hours of forwarded calls. Unless my math is wrong (could be) that is a LARGE amount of forwarded calls in a month.

said by thdesha :

Again, if you are using your local calling area code(s) how could they charge you? Your only using your local unlimited minutes??? I assume your cell phone(s) are in the same area code? Not using your service to "bumper" your incoming long distance calls. If your VP number forwards a long distance number its the same as calling it from your VP line. True, if you look at your call logs under the search function you will see charges for forwarded numbers however, I have never been charged for any of them and they have never been used against my 200 LD minutes.

said by ptrowski :

Unlimted local calls to my local calling area. Not unlimited forwarding of other calls.

said by jchin :

We've had VoicePulse for 18 months now and this past month we were just hit with a $55.10 overage charge.

When asked why, we were told that we are charged 4-cents per minute for all "absolute forwarding" and "call hunt" forwarded calls, regardless if they are local or VoicePulse-to-VoicePulse numbers.

We are on the "Unlimited Local + 200 Long Distance" plan and have been since the beginning on each of our 2 lines.

We've always had the lines "call hunt" each other so we don't need to use call-waiting and be able to pick up the next incoming call. We have also always used "absolute forwarding" to our cell phone when we're not home.

Our bills have always been normal, no overages.

VoicePulse is doing deceptive billing all of a sudden. They now make it more worthwhile using Vonage and others.

CHECK YOUR VOICEPULSE BILLS.

said by ptrowski :

Again, doesn't it say that ALL forwarded calls on your plan cost $.039 whether it is local, etc? Also, you did not answer how many minutes were considered forwarded.

said by llast08 :

It is unlimited local calling -- for calls you make from your VoicePulse phone. The service wasn't intended to be used as a redirector for your cell phone. Can you please explain under what circumstances you run up 1,700 minutes in forwarded calls?

Regardless, every page that mentions forwarding has a note with the same 3.9¢ charge, including the pages you link to. This entire topic has already been discussed, a YEAR ago, at »[VoicePulse] Call Forwarding - How much is it?.

said by redshift :

Which isn't much of a steal either.

said by TampaVoIP :

While a $14/mo plan might not be breaking the bank, it seems expensive (to me) for only 200 minutes.

said by thdesha :

I have been with VP for two years now on the local unlimited plus 200 mins LD. I have never been charged 3.9 cents a minute for calls forwarded, using call hunt or line unavailable. You must understand the terminology VP uses. If you forward or cause calls to go beyond your plans included "local area codes" you will be charged per minute charges. If numbers called, forwarded are in your included area codes they are local and not charged. This is how it was explained to me and has held true for two years. Has this changed recently?? I don't think so. I just tried it with no charge....

said by jchin :

Can you provide the URL where this quote is shown? The VoicePulse customer service rep could not provide it. How did you find one?

said by nycityny :

This issue has been discussed before. Last year their website was very ambiguous on this topic - some areas indicated that forwarded calls were treated like all other calls while other parts of the site indicated the $.039 charge for all fowarded calls. They have since made things perfectly clear on their website. In reality, however, they appear to be inconsistent in the policy's application as the OP has indicated.

I cannot understand the charge for local forwarded calls on the limited plan. It makes no sense. Nonetheless, because of the policy I am on the America Unlimited $24.99 plan. If the policy were different I would have the $14.99 plan. So they make an additional $10 a month from me. I still like their service enough to pay it. It's cheaper than POTS and just as reliable. And the customer service cannot be beat in the industry.

said by swintec :

Unfortunetly the charge is right on there website not to mention in there knowledgebase. It reads like this:

"With the America Unlimited or Business Unlimited calling plans, there is no charge for forwarded local and long distance calls.

With the Local Unlimited +200 calling plan, all local and long distance calls that are forwarded (including Call Forward, Line Unavailable Forward, Filters, Call Hunt, etc) will be charged at 3.9¢/min."

said by Hooper :

Unfortunately, this game they are playing has lost my business as well. Why it costs per minute for network unavailable forwarding or absolute forwarding is beyond me.