[Equipment] Old, scratched, scribbled Linksys box shipped for ne in ViaTalk http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r22555737 en Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:15:59 EDT Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:15:59 EDT Re: [Equipment] Old, scratched, scribbled Linksys box shipped fo http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22586834 ptrowski : I might have a spare PAP2T-NA laying aound. If I can find it I might be able to part with it just for the shipping costs. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22586834 Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:35:41 EDT Re: [Equipment] Old, scratched, scribbled Linksys box shipped fo http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22562074 PX Eliezer : There are many posts on this forum (actually, the main Voip forum) dealing with the problems of buying ATA's on ebay.

I would NOT do it.

Too many counterfeits and/or duds.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22562074 Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:33:36 EDT Re: [Equipment] Old, scratched, scribbled Linksys box shipped fo http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22562021 dcurrey : Isn't it on Ebay that people are getting the cheap knock off ATAs that die in a few weeks if they last that long.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22562021 Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:23:46 EDT Re: [Equipment] Old, scratched, scribbled Linksys box shipped fo http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22561965 xkey : A simple search of new PAP2T at ebay with "buy it now" yields lowest price of $35 + $5.15, with 8% bing cashback (at this time), it comes to $37.35.

If every one agrees this lasts more than 3 years, the annual cost is $12, while it is $20 from VT if stay for 2 years.

Anyway, a few bucks really does not make much difference, all I am complaining about is their hidden "refurbished" term.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22561965 Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:09:16 EDT Re: [Equipment] Old, scratched, scribbled Linksys box shipped fo http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22560697 dcurrey : My unit has been working for 3+ years now. No issues. Unless you get some knock off unit you should be fine providing you don't expose the unit to say fire lighting water or nuclear blast. But then with a nuclear blast I don't think you will need to worry about the replacement.

I keep it on a UPS to help protect it. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22560697 Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:48:11 EDT Re: [Equipment] Old, scratched, scribbled Linksys box shipped fo http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22560669 unknvoip : I believe the PAP2 and PAP2T devices to be rather robust. Other than extreme circumstances like the lightning strike in my neighborhood, I don't know of any occurrences of them failing, off hand.

I absolutely agree that you should have received a clean device, but not necessarily a new one. A few scratches are fine, but not dirt and tape stuck to the unit!

I am not sure where you would buy a new PAP2T for less than the activation/shipping cost VT charges. The lowest price I see for a retail device is $44 and that has a $10 shipping fee. I believe it to be generally accepted here that a new PAP2 costs around $50.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22560669 Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:42:23 EDT Re: [Equipment] Old, scratched, scribbled Linksys box shipped fo http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22560107 xkey : It was clear from new user sign up web page that both activation and shipping fee will be waived for BOYD customer. Customer service also confirmed this via phone.

The main thing I do not feel happy about is about expectation. It was claimed that this "refurbished" gateway is widely accepted by this industry and a leased device. I might have failed to catch this caveats, but I was not aware of that, and still am not sure if that's the case. At least I was expecting a higher standard of "refurbish" with some sort of documentation, or plastic wrap something, and at least a clean device. Esp. I paid more than what a brand new one might have cost.

Anyway, another caveat is that the replacement is one per year. While I can understand the reason why VT is doing this, in order to reduce the cost, I certainly hope with > $40, this shabby equipment can last longer than 8 months by average. This can cover the 2 years' contract.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22560107 Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:06:44 EDT Re: [Equipment] Old, scratched, scribbled Linksys box shipped fo http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22559025 unknvoip : Thanks dmolavi See Profile for the info. When I signed up over 3 years ago, they were doing no shipping/activation fee.

So I guess now the advantage to having their adapter over one of your own is like what happened to me last year. A lightning strike in the neighborhood took out one port of my (then) router and my ATA. VT will replace a failed unit, so after a phone call, I had a 'new to me' adapter in 3 days at no cost. Had I been BYOD, I would have been self-insured, that is, I would have been on my own for a replacement or had to pay activation and shipping to get a 'new' VT unit.

Come to think of it, maybe a refurbished unit would be like my old one - repaired after a failure of some sort.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22559025 Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:06:06 EDT Re: [Equipment] Old, scratched, scribbled Linksys box shipped fo http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22558459 dmolavi :
said by unknvoip See Profile :

My guess is that any adapter that has been in a customers home is a 'refurbished' unit. If you were to BYOD, wouldn't you still have an activation fee?
according to what i've been told, no. only VT provisioned adapters are subject to the activation fee. i'll try to dig up the link.

edit- here it is: »Re: Two year customer coming up on renewal...

--
NukedGallery.net
TheMolavis.com]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22558459 Tue, 16 Jun 2009 07:52:32 EDT Re: [Equipment] Old, scratched, scribbled Linksys box shipped fo http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22558433 unknvoip : My guess is that any adapter that has been in a customers home is a 'refurbished' unit. If you were to BYOD, wouldn't you still have an activation fee?

The bottom line is that the adapter works and gives you satisfactory phone service. I don't think it is unreasonable that a company that sends you their equipment to use will recycle devices that have been in other customer's homes previously.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22558433 Tue, 16 Jun 2009 07:36:52 EDT Re: [Equipment] Old, scratched, scribbled Linksys box shipped fo http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22557507 xkey : Thanks for reply. Called customer service, pretty much same story. they will ship "refurbished" ones to some customers. Not sure how they define "refurbish", even have some tape attached, probably from previous owner.

If I knew this earlier, I would have bought a brand new one from online, which cost less than what was charged by viatalk (29.95 activation fee + 10.95 shipping).

And this is a lease of equipment.

Did the website say anything about lease/refurbished? It was quite misleading when they say PAP2 is "FREE".

Very bad expereience being a viatalk customer on first day ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22557507 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:33:09 EDT Re: [Equipment] Old, scratched, scribbled Linksys box shipped fo http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22557008 CajunWon : AFAIK it is guaranteed to work, just use it -no need to 'proudly' display it. Should it stop performing, though unlikely,they'll replace it.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22557008 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:07:56 EDT [Equipment] Old, scratched, scribbled Linksys box shipped for ne http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22555737 xkey : I just signed up for new service, and got the VoIP gateway in a few days. I can't complain about sign up process. But that's really disappointing to receive a shabby device for a new subscription.

Is this normal? Or can I ask for a replacement for a brand new one? ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,22555737 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:07:44 EDT