burgerwars
join:2004-09-11
Northridge, CA
 ·RoadRunner Cable
| [VoicePulse] Call Forwarding - How much is it?
Question:
I switched from the $14.99 unlimited local + 200 long distance plan to the $24.99 unlimited U.S. plan, mainly because I would like to set the call forwarding to my POTS line for extended periods of time.
In reading their pricing page ( »www.voicepulse.com/plans/default.aspx ), it indicates no charge for forwarding with the $24.99 plan, and 3.9 cents per minutes for the $14.99 plan.
But in the configuration page it says:
Absolute Forwarding
Absolute forwarding allows you to forward all incoming calls on a line to another phone number. Calls forwarded to a non-VoicePulse number will be billed the same as regular calls made from your account (the local, regional, and long distance rules of your plan will apply).
In looking at my last month's bill just now, where I forwarded a couple of times, those few minutes weren't added to my bill, even though I was still on the $14.99 plan. Anyone know which is it? If it's free on local calls on the $14.99 plan, I'll switch back to that. |
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georgepan
join:2005-05-09
Wesley Chapel, FL
| burgerwars-
From the looks of it call forwarding to a local number would incur local charges, which in the case of the $14.99 plan would be zero. You may want to call CS but just looking at the wording of their policies I would say that you are safe switching back to the lower plan without getting charged for local call forwarding. Now, if your forwards are to numbers outside of your local area code you would incur extra charges once your 200 LD minutes are used up, it seems. |
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RockyBB
Premium
join:2005-01-31
Castle Rock, CO
| reply to burgerwars
typically, carriers with both unlimited and measured plans will design their wording to be appropriate for both plans. So the cost of the forwarding on the measured plan would be 3.9¢ per minute for US calls after you have used your allowance. The cost of the forwarding on the unlimited plan would be ZERO if you're forwarding to a US number because you have unlimited calling to the US. On both plans if you forward outside the US then the international rates would apply. |
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georgepan
join:2005-05-09
Wesley Chapel, FL | reply to burgerwars
RockyBB-
But the measured plan burgerwars is on has "unlimited local." Assuming the forwarding is done to a local phone number it should be part of the "unlimited local" rate, if I read the policy correctly. |
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RockyBB
Premium
join:2005-01-31
Castle Rock, CO
| further evidence that RockyBB makes mistakes!
yes, if the forwarding is a local call I would concur that the unlimited local on the measured plan would be one of the "rules" and that the 3.9¢ rate would not apply. If there's likely to be lots of minutes, and there's any uncertainty of the local/long distance jurisdiction, AND ESPECIALLY IF THIS IS FOR CALIFORNIA, the OP should verify with customer support that the call would be "local." Several of the VOIPs do not build or copy Bell standard local calling area tables, and instead classify only calls within the same area code as "local." In California, that could result in quite a surprise! |
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burgerwars
join:2004-09-11
Northridge, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to burgerwars
To follow up, on page »www.voicepulse.com/plans/LocalCa···eas.aspx you can insert your VoicePulse home area code (mine is 818), and see what area codes they consider local to it. For 818 it's 213, 310, 323, 626, 661, 805 and 818. That's much larger than for my SBC POTS line (Northridge), which doesn't even include all the 818, and just small parts of 661 and 805.
I did just now ask a question in their customer service help section about this. I'll post what reply I get. If it's unlimited local forwarding on the $14.99 plan, I'll switch back to that. The 200 long distance minutes do go a long way with me, since I make a lot of short calls and they bill in six second increments with no minimum. With my cell phone minutes and 100 minutes I have with my $5.95 BYOD Broadvoice plan, I'm still more than covered. |
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PCInTech
Brooklyn Cyclones
Premium
join:2004-06-07
Massena, NY
clubs: | reply to burgerwars
IF the number you're forwarding to is in your local calling area (usually your own area code plus adjacent area codes), then there is NO charge. It's part of your unlimited local calling. |
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burgerwars
join:2004-09-11
Northridge, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
edit:
June 27th, @05:11PM
| reply to burgerwars
Here's the answer from VoicePulse:
Hello "Burgerwars,"
I tried calling your VoicePulse number but you were unavailable and I left a voicemail.
With the Local Unlimited +200 calling plan, local and long distance calls that are forwarded will be charged 3.9¢/min.
Please reply directly to this email if we can provide any additional assistance.
So it looks like there is a fee with the $14.99 plan. Oh, well. I wanted to save $10.00. 
One good thing about VoicePulse is I got a same-day reply to my e-mail question. That's good. With Broadvoice, they seem to work in geologic time in replying, if they do at all. |
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georgepan
join:2005-05-09
Wesley Chapel, FL | reply to burgerwars
burgerwars-
That stinks. The rules you posted say something entirely different, and it isn't at all open to interpretation. |
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tampa8
Premium
join:2005-04-30
Storrs Mansfield, CT
| I want to clear up what seems to be a misconception about the original question. There is NO charge at all for call forwarding on the $14.99 plan if the call is forwarded to a local number. Local means whatever area code(s) are listed as being local to you under Voicepulse.
I know this because I call forward all the time to my cell phone (a local call) and there have never been charges. I am on the $14.99 plan. There really are no hidden charges that I have come across with Voicepulse yet. |
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chrisexv6
join:2002-12-13
| reply to burgerwars
Unfortunately I must beg to differ.
Ive been playing with all the VP features since I set it up last Friday. Just for the heck of it, I defined a hunt group so that when I call home from work, it hunts back to work (why? because I have too much time on my hands, have multiple lines at work, and because I *can* with VP  ). Anyway, called home, it rang for 10 seconds, then one of my other lines started ringing after the forward.
Checked my billing yesterday and there is a $0.02 balance. The only thing it can be from is the forward, and I forwarded from my home to a local number.
If you look at »www.voicepulse.com/plans/default.aspx, it reads "Local & LD 3.9¢/min or international rate" for forwarding on the 14.99 plan.
Maybe some people are lucky enough not to be getting charged, but I know I did.
Its OK, I dont see myself forwarding that much, and when I do I will pay the 3.9 cents/min. If one month I go over 10.00 worth (basically enough to make 24.99/month worthwhile), Ill consider upgrading my service.
Right now, even with this "bump" in the road, Im much more satisfied with VP than with my landline. Its definitely a keeper.
-Chris |
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budgetcents
Premium
join:2004-02-15
Chicago, IL | Does the .02 cents/min charge apply to multi-ring calls?
I have been using multi-ring to my cell phone for months and have yet to pay more than the $14.99 / month. You might try this as a workaround to forwarding then. |
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burgerwars
join:2004-09-11
Northridge, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to burgerwars
Well, I am confused. VP tells me one thing, but some here have different experiences. Last month I did have the $14.99 plan, and had maybe one minute of forwarding. No charge on my credit card showed, but I guessed that may be because a few cents doesn't mean much to VP. This month I'm on the $24.99 plan just because I decided to set my phone to call forwarding to my POTS line when my router is off (line unavailable forwarding). My POTS line, in turn, forwards to my cell phone, which I also use for voice mail. |
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jolton
join:2005-05-29
Middletown, NJ
| reply to burgerwars
Burgerwars,
I've been using the 14.99 plan from voicepulse for quite a while now, and use the absolute forwarding all the time. It is in fact free to use, and if you are on the local plan it works the same way it would if you were not forwarding it.
So basically if you recieving calls within your area code, then forwarding them to another number within your area code, it's free.
If you get a number inside *or outside, since all incoming is free* but then you forward it to a number outside you local calling area, you'll be billed for that call just as if you were picking up your vp phone at home and dialing that number out.
Hope that helps. |
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burgerwars
join:2004-09-11
Northridge, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
| Thanks grimlock,
I'm going to switch back to the $14.99 plan, but that won't take affect until about July 20th, when my next billing cycle starts. Then I won't know if they're going to bill me for forwarded local calls until the last half of August. The number I forward to, and my VoicePulse line, are both 818 numbers in the San Fernando Valley. |
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tampa8
Premium
join:2005-04-30
Storrs Mansfield, CT
| reply to burgerwars
Besides my own experience, the answer I received ten minutes ago from VP is: "There is no charge on our plans to use the features included." The only assumtion is that you are not over your available minutes if a call forward is made to a long distance number. Then you are paying for the long distance call, NOT to use the call forward feature itself. That has cetainly been my experience. I pay $14.99 every month with no taxes, no nothin.
I don't want to sound like a saleman for VP because I have nothing to do with them. But I have been extremely happy overall with the sound quality and that there has been no hidden charges at all. I do wish customer service was available more hours, but with the very little problems/questions I've had, it has not been a big deal. |
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