voiplover
Premium
join:2004-05-28
Portsmouth, NH
 ·callwithus
·Axvoice
| reply to Brian in MD
Re: [Packet8] P8 switching us to Business2000.unli
said by Brian in MD  :The point is they were supposed to STOP flagging the account, whether it is manually or another tag placed on the account. I personally would NOT put up with it... If they stopped flagging that account, then they would have to stop flagging any account by usage and the board of directors would be getting sued by every swindler that bought a share of stock. I didn't see anything from P8 here that stated that they would not be flagging her account. However when they replied 'No Problem' I can only imagine that they wanted to. 
It is interesting how you came up with that conclusion.
I admit that if it was happening to me, I would seriously have to consider whether saving a couple of hundred a month was worth the monthly hassle???
I would probably pay Lingo ~$20/month + (maybe keep P8 also) just to not have to bother... but that is me. |
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dcurrey
Premium
join:2004-06-29
·ViaTalk
| reply to SLW1
I see a couple possibilities here.
1. The system is automated and she was flagged for going over x amount of minutes. Email automatically generated. They either didn't set some form a fag to override this or have no way of doing it.
2. They agreed to let it slide last time hoping to avoid any more bad press. Then an article was carried be the AP. Damage was done. Now that just want her gone.
Maybe I should send her my DTA so I can have my account canceled before my one year contract is up.  |
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GeekNJ
Premium
join:2000-09-23
Waldwick, NJ
| reply to SLW1
Re: [Packet8] P8 switching us to Business2000.unlimited overuse
I guess it's fun speculating why it happened, but I'm sure the original poster will let us know the outcome. Why not just wait vs make crap up in hopes you can feel like you solved the mystery that has plagued thousands of generations of VOIP users since the beginning of time.
--
Tweaked your connection? | Mail Parse | Speed Converter |
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IanR
join:2001-03-22
Madison, NJ
| reply to SLW1
While we see P8 falling over their own toes here I still cannot have overmuch sympathy for the original poster. Yeah we all hate "unlimited" advertizing when there is a soft cut off limit. But one way or another all the communications industry does this and just about all have eventual trigger points. Time for the whole industry to be upfront.
But, I've said b4, that the basic facts are that the VoIP industry figures on an average consumer using around 1,000 of minutes per month. When average usage heads North of this figure apparently profitability goes down the drain. That is when prices will RISE to the rest of us. So as I say I have little sympathy for a user going North of 8 or 9,000 minutes per month and expecting basically you and me to pay for their bargain.
Go get a second line for from either P8 or another VoIP service. Having a household full of kids using a monstrous number minutes has to be paid eventually by somebody and that's you and me. |
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mykey2k
join:2001-11-19
Aurora, IL
| Re: [Packet8] P8 switching us to Business2000.unli
Yeah we all hate "unlimited" advertizing when there is a soft cut off limit. But one way or another all the communications industry does this and just about all have eventual trigger points. Time for the whole industry to be upfront. From 1994 through 1997 my local POTS provider had unmetered phone local phone calls at 5 cents per connect. My ISP had a local POP, and I capitalised on the one phone call for pretty much entire months at a time. No one complained -- not my ISP, nor the Telco. It was unlimited.
From 1998 through 2001 I had upgraded to dual-channel ISDN. So now not only was I nailing up one line, but now two through the Telco and my ISP. Instead of using 43200 minues, I was now using 86400 minutes. No one complained. It was unlimited.
While with AT&T, I ran up over 3000 minutes by myself talking to friends on their mobile-to-mobile unlimited umbrella. During the merge, more of my friends are on Cingular and now I usually am around 6000+ every month. The wife is usually around 1000 more. No one complained. Why? It's unlimited.
I rented a car for 10 days in Las Vegas and accumulated over 1800 miles on it. I rented a car for 14 days on the island of St Croix and accumulated 800 miles on it. I thought for sure they'd complain... miles on cars are expensive... they didn't. It was unlimited.
Why has no one complained? Because there lies the nature of the beast of business. For every person (such as myself or SLW) that capitalises on Unlimited, there are people that don't (such as my P8 line, my health insurance, my car's extended warranty, etc.).
It is no ones personal fault of their own to use the system as advertised. It's in nearly every line of business. People need not change their activity to mold in to the business model of any one company. There are some people that push it to a limit not because to test the limit, or to cause trouble, but because that's their usage and deal with it.
And while it may not be to the liking of the business, then they need to close up shop and find something else like making furniture or fixing automobiles where there are certain rates laid out prior.
-m |
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Brian in MD
Premium
join:2003-05-10
Maryland, US
·VOIPo
1 edit | reply to voiplover
"It is interesting how you came up with that conclusion.
I admit that if it was happening to me, I would seriously have to consider whether saving a couple of hundred a month was worth the monthly hassle???
I would probably pay Lingo ~$20/month + (maybe keep P8 also) just to not have to bother... but that is me."
I came up with this conclusion based on the news article (»[Packet8] Packet 8 story from BBR to Miami herald !)
"Martin said it's rare that a real home user is misidentified as a business customer and that the Willises' account would be flagged so the family isn't bothered again."
Unless I'm getting people mixed up... |
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WhyADuck
Premium
join:2003-03-05
| reply to SLW1
I wonder if Matthew Fordahl (the Associated Press Technology Writer that broke the story on this in the press) is aware of this latest wrinkle. It sure sounds to me like P8 is a company that will say anything to try to deflect negative publicity, but their words are not backed up by their actions.
Bryan Martin, 8x8's chief executive, said Willis was incorrectly misidentified as a business user because her family's usage was abnormally high.
He said that the terms and conditions of the provider's contract state that Freedom Unlimited is for "normal, single residential use."
Martin said it's rare that a real home user is misidentified as a business customer and that the Willises' account would be flagged so the family isn't bothered again. So at first blush it appears that CEO Martin was not being truthful with reporter Fordahl when he said that "the Willises' account would be flagged so the family isn't bothered again." Of course, CEO Martin could probably redeem himself by sending a personal apology to customer Willis and by making sure the account actually does get flagged - I am willing to grant that P8 may have dropped the ball on what they said they would do, but now they should humble themselves and offer profuse and sincere apologies, at the very least. Unless, of course, that statement by CEO Martin really was just posturing for the press, and he never had any intention of following through on it. If that is the case, it would show corporate intent to engage in deceptive practices, going all the way up to the CEO level. Anyway, I hope that reporter follows up on this. |
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SLW1
Premium
join:2005-03-18
Minonk, IL
| reply to SLW1
I emailed Matt Fordahl as soon as I got the email. He's been real good at checking with me to see if there's been any further issues/communications from P8. I was supposed to receive an additional email from P8 mentioning that my usage was ok with them and I would not be bothered again. In addition, my account would be flagged (as stated in the article).
Neither happened.
I also emailed Kevin Reid last night, mentioning what Bryan Martin stated. I just got a response from him stating that he'll check with Bryan and if he gets the ok, I'll be removed from the list.
From what I'm gathering from the latest response, there is an exclusion list. |
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gpayer
join:2005-01-15
Champlin, MN
| reply to SLW1
Re: [Packet8] P8 switching us to Business2000.unlimited overuse
There is an article in the Minneapolis StarTribune (which I am sure they pulled of the national wire - since the party involved lives in Illinois). Nonetheless, it says that if you are persistent with Packet8 and can prove (probably through repetitious calls to the same numbers) that you are not operating a business - they will lock your plan into a consumer plan.
»www.startribune.com/stories/154/5357677.html |
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Sly
Premium
join:2004-02-20
Johnson City, TN
clubs:
·Packet8
·Callcentric
 ·Comcast Formerly ..
1 edit | Re: [Packet8] P8 switching us to Business2000.unli
Ouch! I notice that in that article there are two ads for different VoIP companies... One is for Vonage and the other is for Lingo. That's real strange that they would put those ads on a page that has bad press toward Packet8. I don't know if I would call that sabotage or just wise planning on the part of the press and Vonage.
Packet8 needs to stick to their TOS and not try to exploit these loopholes just to stick it to the consumer. Word of mouth is their biggest asset and they're doing their best to squander it. Since I've been with Packet8, they have change their TOS 3-4 times. I've been told that I would be grand-fathered in under the old terms that were in effect when I signed up and I've been told just the opposite. These were in the form of official emails by Packet8 representatives. The truth is... as much as I keep up with Packet8, I am totally lost as to what their TOS really is and what the vision for their company is. It seems like each employee has their own ideas and no one is agreeing on them.
All I know is that the service is great but the management is abysmal. I dread the day when I have to call customer service to get something resolved like this. GET IT TOGETHER!!
[edit] I just tried the link again and it looks like they've switched the permissions to require a subscription. Looks like we spammed them again... |
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m2deux
join:2004-12-13
Copiague, NY | Vonage IS following this thread. In a dig at Packet8, Their latest magazine ads say "families with teens are ok".
Poor Packet8. You know the end is near if Lingo piles on next.:D |
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xaraye
join:2001-04-28
Lawrenceville, GA
| reply to testQ
guys you should check out company call Rocketvoip. they give you like 1,120mins a month also they said it's unlimited. i got call from them other day after i only had them 3 weeks, they told me i had used to much and i asked them how much is to much? he said you used 1120mins that's how much you suppost to use a month. i just laughed at him and i told him take your sh**** i send back their stuff.. this kind companies should not get any customers special when they lying their as** off.i have lingo now and they gave me over 45,000mins a month if i go over that much then i need help. if we dont stop those companies who's doing soon we could kiss voip good bye |
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xaraye
join:2001-04-28
Lawrenceville, GA | reply to SLW1
about the $59 cancellation fee you should not worry about it bc after you send back their router, you should get your $59 cancellation fee back,also make sure you get trace # with you mailing. good luck |
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lstevens
join:2002-08-17
Brookline, MA | Is that generally true, that Packet8 will waive the cancellation fee if you return the router? |
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WhyADuck
Premium
join:2003-03-05
| reply to xaraye
said by xaraye :guys you should check out company call Rocketvoip. they give you like 1,120mins a month also they said it's unlimited. i got call from them other day after i only had them 3 weeks, they told me i had used to much and i asked them how much is to much? he said you used 1120mins that's how much you suppost to use a month. i just laughed at him and i told him take your sh**** i send back their stuff.. this kind companies should not get any customers special when they lying their as** off.i have lingo now and they gave me over 45,000mins a month if i go over that much then i need help. if we dont stop those companies who's doing soon we could kiss voip good bye I take it you didn't notice this thread:
»[Other] RocketVoIP switches plan to business: overuse |
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qalam
join:2005-04-27
Urbana, IL
| said by WhyADuck :said by xaraye :guys you should check out company call Rocketvoip. they give you like 1,120mins a month also they said it's unlimited. i got call from them other day after i only had them 3 weeks, they told me i had used to much and i asked them how much is to much? he said you used 1120mins that's how much you suppost to use a month. i just laughed at him and i told him take your sh**** i send back their stuff.. this kind companies should not get any customers special when they lying their as** off.i have lingo now and they gave me over 45,000mins a month if i go over that much then i need help. if we dont stop those companies who's doing soon we could kiss voip good bye I take it you didn't notice this thread: » [Other] RocketVoIP switches plan to business: overuse This is now the 3rd VOIP company, including my experience with Broadvox. I think I will contacted the Illinois District Attorney this week. It might not do anything but if there is enough of these complaints, something may happen eventually so that these companies change or comply with their advertising. |
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