| [ViaTalk] ViaTalk TOS Change October 4 2006 See below for the new wording in the TOS...
Billing
You acknowledge that service fees for ViaTalk service will be billed to the credit card you provide when establishing service for the full amount of the selected billing term prepaid in advance, including any shipping, activation, or other applicable charges fees taxes or charges. You understand that recurring service charges will be billed automatically on our around the anniversary of the date you established service in accordance with your term.
A Regulatory Recovery Fee of $1.25 will be charged monthly on all ViaTalk lines.
As per FCC requirements, all ViaTalk lines are required to be equipped with fully functional, nomadic E-911 Service. As a result, an E-911 Fee of $1.25 will be charged monthly on all ViaTalk lines.
If you use a coupon or discount which would cause you to have a positive credit balance upon ordering, ViaTalk will charge your credit card $10 for card verification. The $10 will then be credited to your ViaTalk account. This only applies if you would have a credit balance after using any coupon.
VTB, can you please verify that existing contracts will not be subject to the monthly $2.50? |
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 The BeerI Love It When A Plan Comes TogetherPremium
join:2001-07-24
Atlantic, IA | Yes if so I am wondering too.
I have never really got my service to ever work that well and I am living with the fact I threw away $200 HOWEVER if I must now throw away another $2.50/mo on my non functional service I will really be pi$$ed. |
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| reply to Aveamantium
I don't see how they could charge retroactively for those that already prepaid for service.
As for charging monthly fees, that only really works for month-to-month plans.
As for long-term plans going forward, I don't think many will buy into paying 12-24 months upfront...and then have to pay monthly fees on top of that. A person would expect such fees to be wrapped-up in the prepaid total. The benefit is you pay upfront, get a deal for doing so, and not be billed again for a long time. |
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 RockyBBPremium
join:2005-01-31
Steamboat Springs, CO | we had fun discussions in the SR sub-forum on exactly this topic. I was wondering when the VT crowd would get around to it... |
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Hilbe
join:2002-12-13
Fishers, IN | reply to Aveamantium
I believe they're doing the same thing as SR. On month-to-month plans it'll go into effect on your next monthly bill. On annual/prepaid plans it'll go into effect when you renew. Pretty straight forward... |
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| I think there still needs to be some clarification on annual/prepaid plans. I can see them doing this on month-to-month plans. But for prepaid plans, the idea is not only to get a discount for investing in a long-term plan, but to also not be billed again until the plan comes up for renewal. I think it would be a big mistake to try to bill monthly fees on long-term plans. |
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BPremium,MVM
join:2000-10-28 | reply to Aveamantium
said by Aveamantium:As per FCC requirements, all ViaTalk lines are required to be equipped with fully functional, nomadic E-911 Service. As a result, an E-911 Fee of $1.25 will be charged monthly on all ViaTalk lines. Wow, they're actually sticking to that baloney line, and putting it right in the ToS? It was pretty clear, based on the links VTBrendan provided, that "nomadic E-911 Service" is exactly, nothing more and nothing less than, the service Viatalk has ALWAYS provided in order to grant 911 services to ALL of its customers. It's nothing new at all, and no recent changes were required on Viatalk's part (as far as I understand of course). [The "nomadic" part doesn't refer to mobile users at all, but to the de-linking of 911 registration information from any particular CO or other point of presence. Brendan gave a link to a good article on the subject.]
And this "Regulatory Recovery Fee" thing, well, of course that's just Vonage-style chicanery...
I guess everyone's playing this new game and nobody's willing to state "Bottom-Line Pricing (SM)" any more...
Anyway, I think Brendan recently wrote in a thread, before the addition of the bogus RR fee but after the addition of the bogus E911 fee, that new charges would not be applied to existing accounts. Good luck.
-- B
--
In a realm outside causality and function |
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 ptrowskiGot Helix?Premium
join:2005-03-14
Putnam, CT
kudos:4 | One thing is that at least they are stating it is E-911 as opposed to nomadic. Same thing, just I like the nomadic being cut out.  |
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The BeerI Love It When A Plan Comes TogetherPremium
join:2001-07-24
Atlantic, IA | reply to Hilbe
said by Hilbe:I believe they're doing the same thing as SR. On month-to-month plans it'll go into effect on your next monthly bill. On annual/prepaid plans it'll go into effect when you renew. Pretty straight forward... Sorry I don't see it is that straight forward.
STRAIGHT FORWARD BRENDAN...
WILL CURRENT ANNUAL PLAN CUSTOMERS NEED TO PAY THESE NEW FEES WHILE IN THEIR CURRENT CONTRACT TERM? |
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| reply to Aveamantium
So if you have an annual plan and decide to add a virtual number, you'll get charged $4/month for the VN plus $2.50/month in fees ? Ouch...... |
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 KLH
join:2001-09-24
Vincennes, IN | Virtual numbers don't have 911 access do they?
I wouldn't think that virtual numbers would have to pay the extra fees... |
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 VTBrendanViatalkPremium,VIP
join:2005-06-27
Clifton Park, NY
kudos:1 | reply to The Beer
Hi,
Just to clarify, nothing is being changed for anyone's existing contracts.
-Brendan |
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The BeerI Love It When A Plan Comes TogetherPremium
join:2001-07-24
Atlantic, IA | And there we go, problem solved. |
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VTBrendanViatalkPremium,VIP
join:2005-06-27
Clifton Park, NY
kudos:1 | Also,
Virtual numbers are not subject to these as they are not seperate lines. Basically, it only applies in situations where we are required to provide e-911 services.
-Brendan |
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| said by VTBrendan:Also, Virtual numbers are not subject to these as they are not seperate lines. Basically, it only applies in situations where we are required to provide e-911 services. -Brendan Hey Brendan. What about those that wish to extend their plan by another year when the sales happen? Are the fees going to be included in the price of the plan extensions? If not, how will that work with fees on just that year extension? Thanks. |
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| reply to VTBrendan
said by VTBrendan:Also, Virtual numbers are not subject to these as they are not seperate lines. Basically, it only applies in situations where we are required to provide e-911 services. -Brendan So, why two seperate fees for 911 instead of just one fee of $2.50?
-phil |
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VTBrendanViatalkPremium,VIP
join:2005-06-27
Clifton Park, NY
kudos:1 | reply to CyberSultan
Any extensions and plans added or renewed after the fees went into effect, will be subject to them. They are billed seperately from peoples regular invoice, and will be easily identifiable on invoices.
-Brendan |
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| reply to Aveamantium
Thanks for the clarification Brendan! |
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| reply to VTBrendan
said by VTBrendan:Any extensions and plans added or renewed after the fees went into effect, will be subject to them. They are billed seperately from peoples regular invoice, and will be easily identifiable on invoices. -Brendan So let's say I have a two year plan already under the old TOS and extend to a 3rd year under the new TOS. In what year would you bill monthly for the fees? During the 3rd year of service only? |
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Hilbe
join:2002-12-13
Fishers, IN | said by CyberSultan:said by VTBrendan:Any extensions and plans added or renewed after the fees went into effect, will be subject to them. They are billed seperately from peoples regular invoice, and will be easily identifiable on invoices. -Brendan So let's say I have a two year plan already under the old TOS and extend to a 3rd year under the new TOS. In what year would you bill monthly for the fees? During the 3rd year of service only? On the annual plans, they're not going to charge you any more than you already paid for existing service. If you elect to purchase additional years of service, then those prices will include the new fees. So for example, you shell out $199 for a year (or two!) and want to add on a year right now, it'll be $199 (or $99 for a special) + new fees to add that year on. |
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