Kiwi
Premium
join:2003-05-26
USA
 ·Comcast
 ·Aristotle Internet
| reply to Rick
Re: Vonage still stands.
said by Rick  :While cell is great for mobile use I could never use it as a landline replacement entirely. I have yet to have a cell service where I didn't experience dropped calls and for me, that's just too aggravating when trying to carry on a longer conversation with someone. My Vonage service on the other hand has been as reliable as my pots line ever was except now I have the added benefit of all these features and unlimited long distance. I easily save 70.00 a month with vonage versus my old telco pots/ld package, and while the prices have gone up a bit namely for things like 911 related things..It's still well worth it. I agree with you, the concern is the concept got lost in BS. There are most definitely times when requiring a service that a VoIP or POTS is required, or a serious headache ensues. I ended up with Vonage because I didn't use a phone much, been really happy with it until the fools got on board and drove the price up. It's still reasonably priced, but I don't see it lasting into the third quarter. This time it's not the 911 freaks, but cable. Perhaps after the introduction prices wear off cable, people will realize this was yet another gimmick. Cable VoIP is not cheap. |
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Rick
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-06
Waterbury, CT
clubs: 
| As I suggested above, I think what might very well happen is the cable co's sign up a lot of people because of their marketing power and triple play specials, but then wind up losing a good portion to the likes of Vonage due to their own greed. These cable co's just love to raise prices and do so seemingly without any fear of the consequences.
While many dsl packages are 15 to 25.00 per month..comcast simply doesn't budge off their 43 to 53.00 per month prices. I predict this will hold true to voip with them as well. For 99.00 per month, they're now signing up the newbies with triple play..but it won't last.
And, when people start getting 50.00 per month voip bills instead..they'll go looking for alternatives.
This is really a very good position for vonage to be in.
It's the cable co's doing the hard sell..using their money and legitimizing the service..and Vonage gets to be the lower cost provider to reap the benefits.
Vonage certainly won't win all the business..but they don't have to. If they keep growing by these kinds of numbers..almost a million net new customers the last year alone..it won't be long until they're in the black.
What many don't realize is that they could already be there if it weren't for their huge advertising spending.
That alone is keeping them from being profitable today.
But, it's necessary in this early phase of their business to get their name out there.
I certainly wouldn't write them off just yet with this kind of growth. While their prices are going up somewhat, in many respects it's probably necessary that they are.
If they're going to be a legitimate replacement for pots, people want 911 service with it. If they didn't have that, the telcos would use that against them.
I also think that vonage might very well become a take over candidate at these prices. Keep in mind that ebay bought skype..and did so at 4 times the market value that vonage is now trading at. I'd have to think that they see vonage as attractive at these prices the stock has fallen to.
There's going to be consolidation in this industry just like in the cable industry. And ebay might very well be the one who makes it happen.
Anyways.it should be interesting. 
Good luck with your service.
--
The Coyote captured the RR! Roadrunner Rick is now Comcastic! |
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kyramilan
join:2006-11-26
Pensacola, FL
| Vonage is primarily aimed at Geeks. People that want quality and local tech support get a real phone or Cable's VOIP.
Vonage is facing massive lawsuits so exactly who would be stupid enough to buy them?
If Vonage would spend money on QUALITY not those stupid 30 minute infomercials at 3 am in the morning, they might not have outages. |
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Jim Gurd
Premium
join:2000-07-08
Plymouth, MI
·AT&T DSL Service
·Comcast
| said by kyramilan :Vonage is primarily aimed at Geeks. People that want quality and local tech support get a real phone or Cable's VOIP. Quite right. VoIP is a toy (except service offered directly from the cable company) and can't be relied upon in a disaster. If you want true long term reliability during an extended power outage then the only option is POTS.
Personally I don't think POTS is all that expensive for the level of reliability it provides, especially for 911 service. I could never see myself getting rid of it just to save a few bucks.
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We don't care. We don't have to. We're the phone company.
-- Ernestine |
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Kiwi
Premium
join:2003-05-26
USA
·Comcast
·Aristotle Internet
| said by Jim Gurd :said by kyramilan :Vonage is primarily aimed at Geeks. People that want quality and local tech support get a real phone or Cable's VOIP. Quite right. VoIP is a toy (except service offered directly from the cable company) and can't be relied upon in a disaster. If you want true long term reliability during an extended power outage then the only option is POTS. Personally I don't think POTS is all that expensive for the level of reliability it provides, especially for 911 service. I could never see myself getting rid of it just to save a few bucks. Sorry, but its that larger BS idiots, base waiting for this:
VoIP is NOT a toy It's a service. The problem is that people have decided that VoIP Should be a a POTS service
If only we could go back, to basics..... It's relevant that most people these days have no idea, what VoIP is or was; or it's intended function. We still see the idiots that don't have a single isolated clue of how this service was intended, in the beginning; I really hope some have enough IT experience to review the basics!\
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Kiwi
Premium
join:2003-05-26
USA | Scary, No one can challenge the basic concept...Lol
This thread was a 'Thrill" really! Lol |
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