D-Day For SunRocket Rumor: Sunrocket trimming staff for a sale Friday Jul 13 2007 12:44 EDT Anonymous insiders claim SunRocket had a meeting at noon today where the majority of the company's remaining staff were told they no longer have a job. Owners are rumored to be trimming the staff to a core 25 employees who'll oversee the sale of the VoIP provider to several potential candidates. From an anonymous poster to an ongoing rumor thread in our forums: quote: Meeting was in progress until the last few minutes. Most of them have been asked to go today except for a core team of 20-25 resource who would work for YMAX I guess. And a few who were asked to leave per yesterday's lay-off list have been retained.Stay tuned.
The company has been shopped around for weeks, according to VCs, with one recent rumored buyer being Daniel Borislow, owner of magicjack.com and YMax. We've been watching this since yesterday afternoon when we noted the provider was no longer taking new orders via phone and layoff rumors were surfacing. Their phone order system has remained offline all day today. Repeated calls to multiple SunRocket executives and their primary VC were not returned. Meanwhile, our users today reported scattered service outages, which one poster in our forums claims was debt related. You can follow the latest SunRocket gossip via this thread in our forums. |
ptrowskiGot Helix? Premium Member join:2005-03-14 Woodstock, CT
1 recommendation |
ptrowski
Premium Member
2007-Jul-13 12:46 pm
Good luck,,,I feel bad for SR subscribers right now. I also wonder where some of the most vocal pumpers have disappeared to... | |
| | Mactronel Camino Real Premium Member join:2001-12-16 PRK |
Mactron
Premium Member
2007-Jul-13 12:54 pm
Re: Good luck,,,said by ptrowski:I feel bad for SR subscribers right now. I also wonder where some of the most vocal pumpers have disappeared to... "vocal pumpers" ?.. Where are the trasher's is the question. To bad, it worked well for me. Certainly got my moneys worth. Bye, Bye... | |
| | NY Tel Premium Member join:2004-04-09 Smithtown, NY |
to ptrowski
said by ptrowski:I feel bad for SR subscribers right now. I also wonder where some of the most vocal pumpers have disappeared to... Yeah, like Georgepan who has not been seen for greater than 6 weeks here. | |
| | | ptrowskiGot Helix? Premium Member join:2005-03-14 Woodstock, CT |
ptrowski
Premium Member
2007-Jul-14 7:33 am
Re: Good luck,,,said by NY Tel:said by ptrowski:I feel bad for SR subscribers right now. I also wonder where some of the most vocal pumpers have disappeared to... Yeah, like Georgepan who has not been seen for greater than 6 weeks here. Yep... | |
| | | | NY Tel Premium Member join:2004-04-09 Smithtown, NY |
NY Tel
Premium Member
2007-Jul-14 9:38 am
Re: Good luck,,,said by ptrowski:said by NY Tel:said by ptrowski:I feel bad for SR subscribers right now. I also wonder where some of the most vocal pumpers have disappeared to... Yeah, like Georgepan who has not been seen for greater than 6 weeks here. Yep... Do you think possibly that he was an employee? | |
| | | | | ptrowskiGot Helix? Premium Member join:2005-03-14 Woodstock, CT |
ptrowski
Premium Member
2007-Jul-16 8:16 am
Re: Good luck,,,said by NY Tel:Do you think possibly that he was an employee? I don't think so, but that question has been asked many a time. | |
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to ptrowski
said by ptrowski:I feel bad for SR subscribers right now. I also wonder where some of the most vocal pumpers have disappeared to... I would say they are still on hold to outsourced customer support or looking four the bottom part of their jaw. | |
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Chris 313Because It's Geekier Premium Member join:2004-07-18 Houma, LA |
Chris 313
Premium Member
2007-Jul-13 12:50 pm
Golden chanceThis is a golden opportunity for other VoIP providers such as ViaTalk and AT&T CallVantage to really score some customers.
Imagine if Google got a hold of this sinking ship and turned it into something actually usable. | |
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Re: Golden chanceAT&T just taking over the company would make them admit that VoIP is taking their POTS customers in droves. They'd hate to prove the public right. | |
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dmolavi Premium Member join:2005-04-11 Cherry Hill, NJ |
dmolavi
Premium Member
2007-Jul-13 12:55 pm
outagesi spoke w/ CSR Daniel, who said that they are aware of an outage, and are actively working to resolve it. he didn't have an ETA on the fix, though (and, reasonably, all of us in the telecom world know it can take time to isolate and fix a technical problem). | |
| JEJE 's BACK BABY Premium Member join:2000-12-15 Charlotte, NC 1 edit
1 recommendation |
JE
Premium Member
2007-Jul-13 1:03 pm
WOW!Does this teach you penny pinchers, to stop paying for this 2 yuear around the block service? ViaTalk will be the next to go. With a Business Model like that, you will never survive! It just doesn't work. Paying for a year ot two at one chunk of time, doesn't make the company money in the long run.
U have been warned. Your next bet is to sell your house, wife, and that brand new Lexus, and pay your bills on time, MONTHLY!
Look at Vonage, They have had BIG issues, still around. Look at Packet 8 and Lingo, still around! These places have had BIG issues, and I used their services before. They ahve a model that brings revenue monthly, may nt be much, but they are still chuggin along!
Companies who think that getting subs to pay $200 for 2 years of VOIP UPFRONT will keep them in the market are SADLY MISTAKEN! watch who's around this time next year, HINT: It won't be pre-paid for 2 years!
JE | |
| | LostMile Premium Member join:2002-06-07 Coloma, MI
1 recommendation |
LostMile
Premium Member
2007-Jul-13 1:30 pm
Re: WOW!said by JE:Does this teach you penny pinchers, to stop paying for this 2 yuear around the block service? Exactly!! Let's rejoice in the possible death of another VoIP service so we can return to the days of 28¢ per min for intra-lata phone calls! Maybe they'll jack it up even higher on weekdays from 8am-5pm. | |
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to JE
quote: Paying for a year ot two at one chunk of time, doesn't make the company money in the long run.
It does if the company invests and manages that $$ wisely. It's no different - getting $120 up front for a year of service or $10/mo for 1 year. It's how that company handles the $120 up front that makes or breaks them. | |
| | B04 Premium Member join:2000-10-28
1 recommendation |
B04 to JE
Premium Member
2007-Jul-13 2:53 pm
to JE
said by JE:Does this teach you penny pinchers, to stop paying for this 2 yuear around the block service? No. Not in the slightest. Any contract with a provider besides a baby bell is a gamble. I got over a year of decent service from Sunrocket; if today was their last day I spent about $13 a month instead of $8 a month for unlimited phone service. I still think I won that gamble! And I suspect the same can be said of Viatalk or Packet8 or maybe Voicepulse. I'll take the 2-year bet again, thank you very much. Even if they only stay alive a year I'm ahead of a Vonage subscription at $25 month, let alone the crazy cableco VoIP pricing! -- B | |
| | Caddyroger Premium Member join:2001-06-11 To the west |
to JE
said by JE:Does this teach you penny pinchers, to stop paying for this 2 yuear around the block service? ViaTalk will be the next to go. With a Business Model like that, you will never survive! It just doesn't work. Paying for a year ot two at one chunk of time, doesn't make the company money in the long run. U have been warned. Your next bet is to sell your house, wife, and that brand new Lexus, and pay your bills on time, MONTHLY! Look at Vonage, They have had BIG issues, still around. Look at Packet 8 and Lingo, still around! These places have had BIG issues, and I used their services before. They ahve a model that brings revenue monthly, may nt be much, but they are still chuggin along! Companies who think that getting subs to pay $200 for 2 years of VOIP UPFRONT will keep them in the market are SADLY MISTAKEN! watch who's around this time next year, HINT: It won't be pre-paid for 2 years! JE Lets see pots line for me 12 months = $1188.00. My voip provider for 12 months = $105.60. Savings so far $1082.40. Next 12 month saving is $1082.40 if voip don't shut down but of course I done have saved enough to pay a pots line for the next 19 month Yep voip prices is a lot higher then pots. | |
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Re: WOW!Was it the cost of the recurring service that was an issue or was it the fact that they were signing people on with free shipping($10), Free Gizmo($50) and Free Telephones($30). Then on top of all this a marketing campaign. If you are only making $3 of gross margin per line, it takes you 29 months just to make back the crap you sent out free to everyone. That means your administrative/support expenses are in the hole for 30 months. Almost all the voip providers charge startup(for the box) and shipping. The smartest thing to do(not necessarily the most ethical) is declare bankruptcy and sell out the existing accounts. Anyone you owe money to(for hardware) goes away and then you start charging a signup fee. | |
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to Caddyroger
said by Caddyroger:said by JE:Does this teach you penny pinchers, to stop paying for this 2 yuear around the block service? ViaTalk will be the next to go. With a Business Model like that, you will never survive! It just doesn't work. Paying for a year ot two at one chunk of time, doesn't make the company money in the long run. U have been warned. Your next bet is to sell your house, wife, and that brand new Lexus, and pay your bills on time, MONTHLY! Look at Vonage, They have had BIG issues, still around. Look at Packet 8 and Lingo, still around! These places have had BIG issues, and I used their services before. They ahve a model that brings revenue monthly, may nt be much, but they are still chuggin along! Companies who think that getting subs to pay $200 for 2 years of VOIP UPFRONT will keep them in the market are SADLY MISTAKEN! watch who's around this time next year, HINT: It won't be pre-paid for 2 years! JE Lets see pots line for me 12 months = $1188.00. My voip provider for 12 months = $105.60. Savings so far $1082.40. Next 12 month saving is $1082.40 if voip don't shut down but of course I done have saved enough to pay a pots line for the next 19 month Yep voip prices is a lot higher then pots. Don't forget to add your BB too. Just because you may have it for "internet access" doesn't mean you shouldn't add it for over head too. So, if your paying 40 bucks a mo for HSI.. That's still only 480.00 plus your SR fee. Now, if your paying that much for POTS.. your either dump or can't add. I have AT&T pots and pay 50 bucks a month (including all those fees) for unlimited local and LD with a host of nice features yep.. had dumbrocket and voiceeclipse for about 30 months total and wised up). Now that the wife is working for home and requires a L/L (no VoIP or cell connection allowed), that amount is written off taxes.. So, for the satisfaction of knowing that at 3am, I'm going to have dial tone.. it's worth every penny. | |
| | | | B04 Premium Member join:2000-10-28 |
B04
Premium Member
2007-Jul-16 11:59 pm
Re: WOW!Sorry, that's just a stupid argument. What does the broadband bill have to do with it?
Perhaps he or she should add his electric bill and mortgage payment to the total too, so that you can feel better paying twice as much for POTS as the most expensive 3rd party VoIP provider charges?
It's great that you feel better paying for POTS and you feel you're getting your money's worth, but don't call people "dump" if they can't get the same telco deal in Washington that you can in Michigan, or if they feel it's worth the gamble to to pay less than half what you're paying. You're just being silly.
-- B | |
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tc1uscg
Member
2007-Jul-17 12:50 am
Re: WOW!said by B04:Sorry, that's just a stupid argument. What does the broadband bill have to do with it? Perhaps he or she should add his electric bill and mortgage payment to the total too, so that you can feel better paying twice as much for POTS as the most expensive 3rd party VoIP provider charges? It's great that you feel better paying for POTS and you feel you're getting your money's worth, but don't call people "dump" if they can't get the same telco deal in Washington that you can in Michigan, or if they feel it's worth the gamble to to pay less than half what you're paying. You're just being silly. -- B Sorta like paying 1200 a year for POTS. Maybe calling internationally but reg local/LD? Give me a break. | |
| | | | | | B04 Premium Member join:2000-10-28 |
B04
Premium Member
2007-Jul-17 12:54 am
Re: WOW!Maybe you're right; maybe not. It depends on where you live. I'm in the northeast and I think I was paying around $70 for little more than local calling on a single number. (But please don't call me "dump" for it.) I could easily imagine a bill going over 100 a month, particularly if more than one POTS line is involved.
Just because something is true, or feels true, for you doesn't mean it applies equally to everyone else in the country...
-- B | |
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tc1uscg
Member
2007-Jul-17 12:56 am
Re: WOW!Agreed.. I won't call you dumb if you don't call me stupid.. Truce | |
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morboComplete Your Transaction join:2002-01-22 00000 |
morbo
Member
2007-Jul-13 1:06 pm
with a name like Sun Rocket is anyone surprised that the rocket finally hit the sun?
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| | Subaru1-3-2-4 Premium Member join:2001-05-31 Greenwich, CT |
Subaru
Premium Member
2007-Jul-13 2:45 pm
Re: with a name like Sun Rocketsaid by morbo:is anyone surprised that the rocket finally hit the sun? lol no | |
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loitus
Anon
2007-Jul-13 1:09 pm
Guess what?It's back up in NJ.
:P | |
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Sale?I'm not a SunRocket sub, but I'd like to make an observation. Assuming management is preparing the company for a sale, don't they have an obligation to provide service to those who have paid for it? It sounds to me like they're letting all the employees go and preparing to turn out the lights...or at least let them burn out on their own. However, there are subs who have already prepaid for service, and, IMHO, the company is contractually bound to provide it. If things were the other way around, where a sub had signed a contract for a time period and agreed to pay a fee each month, you can be damned sure that the company would demand their money, and the customer wouldn't be able to just walk away from the contract because they didn't feel like honoring it anymore.
I realize that the company might be able to file for bankruptcy and close down, but that hasn't happened, and, unless it does, they should have to provide the services they agreed to provide. | |
| | morboComplete Your Transaction join:2002-01-22 00000 |
morbo
Member
2007-Jul-13 1:19 pm
Re: Sale?said by ISurfTooMuch:don't they have an obligation to provide service to those who have paid for it? However, there are subs who have already prepaid for service, and, IMHO, the company is contractually bound to provide it. Enron baby. all those people and their retirements just disappeared. | |
| | halfband Premium Member join:2002-06-01 Huntsville, AL |
to ISurfTooMuch
said by ISurfTooMuch:However, there are subs who have already prepaid for service, and, IMHO, the company is contractually bound to provide it. If things were the other way around, where a sub had signed a contract for a time period and agreed to pay a fee each month, you can be damned sure that the company would demand their money, and the customer wouldn't be able to just walk away from the contract because they didn't feel like honoring it anymore. For the most part the customer can get out of the contract once the customer is dead. Any claims go against the customer estate. For a company the same is true, once they are pronounced dead you can get in line at the bankruptcy court if the assets are liquidated. If the company assets are sold through the over site of the court, the details of which liabilities are picked up by the new owner are negotiated as part of the asset purchase. | |
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to ISurfTooMuch
If an airline goes bankrupt and you hold a ticket, you don't get a refund.
Doesn't matter what business or what contract you have, if the firm goes bankrupt, you aren't going to see a cent.
remember www.cyberrebate.com ? millions of people lost money there | |
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to ISurfTooMuch
said by ISurfTooMuch:I'm not a SunRocket sub, but I'd like to make an observation. Assuming management is preparing the company for a sale, don't they have an obligation to provide service to those who have paid for it? It sounds to me like they're letting all the employees go and preparing to turn out the lights...or at least let them burn out on their own. However, there are subs who have already prepaid for service, and, IMHO, the company is contractually bound to provide it. If things were the other way around, where a sub had signed a contract for a time period and agreed to pay a fee each month, you can be damned sure that the company would demand their money, and the customer wouldn't be able to just walk away from the contract because they didn't feel like honoring it anymore. I realize that the company might be able to file for bankruptcy and close down, but that hasn't happened, and, unless it does, they should have to provide the services they agreed to provide. They are not under the same "rules" as a baby bell or telco so the FCC can't make them do much of anything much less the SEC or PUC. When I had my issue with bumrocket releasing my number (a case of the left hand didn't know what the right was doing), thanks to the backbone telco (who was regulated under FCC) having a hand in it too, did the PUC and FCC get involved to get my number back, even too Comcast's protest (they sucked up my number and issued it to one of their customers). So, till there is some oversight by some one or agency who can hold their feet to the fire.. your sorta out of luck thinking you have rights. | |
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Hmm.Drat, I really wanted Vonage to go first. | |
| | Mactronel Camino Real Premium Member join:2001-12-16 PRK |
Mactron
Premium Member
2007-Jul-13 1:29 pm
Re: Hmm.Hmmm. Why ? Be patient, they may not be far behind. | |
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jgkolt Premium Member join:2004-02-21 Avon, OH |
jgkolt
Premium Member
2007-Jul-13 1:21 pm
privatethey are a private company so who knows what they will disclose | |
| | ••• | Noah VailOh God please no. Premium Member join:2004-12-10 SouthAmerica |
Hats off please.Anyone here know how I can post taps?
NV | |
| pvera join:2001-12-01 Reston, VA 1 edit |
pvera
Member
2007-Jul-13 5:27 pm
SR dead, Reston (Fairfax County), VAMy SR was solid all night and all through the day. I said screw this, no big deal. Went to take a nap, came back an hour later: no SR. Dead.
I am one of the "lucky" ones on the 2-for-1 plan already well into my second year, so I don't really have much to bitch about it except that I really liked it, and I'll miss it.
The site is still up, and it let me forward the number elsewhere, so let's hope the forward works.
UPDATE: It started working again, the sound quality is worse than usual but at least it is up. | |
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Wesley
Anon
2007-Jul-13 8:16 pm
Re: SR dead, Reston (Fairfax County), VAMy service remains solid altho I had about a 5 minute period of time where I was not able to complete a call.
Even now all appears to be working flawlessly. The member services site is functional as well, but just to be on the safe side I forwarded my phone as well.
At this point I see no reason to be alarmed.
I'm a fairly new subscriber, but I've found the company to be reliable and responsive to every problem I've had. I'm sure they'll notify us what to expect. I'm monitoring my mail.
----- Wesley | |
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stinkypete
Anon
2007-Jul-13 6:43 pm
4PMThe meeting was at 4PM and the company was cut down to 20 people, most of which were told they'd have jobs for two weeks but not much more. | |
| wiglaf join:2002-07-05 Alexandria, VA |
wiglaf
Member
2007-Jul-14 4:31 am
regrettableThe failure of any one company in this market makes for a less competitive environment. My own feeling is that the standalone VoIPs are falling prey to anti-competitive tying in cable company offers. It's punitively expensive to buy cable without also purchasing of the cableco's VoIP offering in the form of a bundled package.
That's just me. There's natural monopolies, and natural monopolists. Anyone in telecommunications is a natural monopolist. An industry that requires uncompromising and brutal regulation.
How long will it be before Verizon bundles its FiOS with VoIP and cell service (through the great Satan, Verizon Wireless)? One reason to press Verizon to divest Verizon Wireless. | |
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RE: D-day for Sunrocketstinkypete (Unregistered) 4PM The meeting was at 4PM and the company was cut down to 20 people, most of which were told they'd have jobs for two weeks but not much more. Has been two days since 4 PM the service still looks rock solid. Could Stinkypete (already stinks to high heaven) be a cable company employee lying through his teeth just to hit sunrocket. Maybe DSLreports should practice better caution for the sake of its own credibility before becoming a platform for such trolls. Regards nutcr0cker | |
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Re: RE: D-day for SunrocketI am(was) a SunRocket subscriber since the beginning. It (service) is all but dead...I cannot make calls out with any consistency and cannot receive calls...no voice mail..no forwarding..looks like belly up to me!
If you charged your annual/monthly fee to a credit card and you don't receive you product you can file a claim with the CC company.
Another day... | |
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mrm5970
Anon
2007-Jul-18 10:58 pm
How to still get your incoming SR CallsI figured out a way to still be able to get my incoming SR calls even though my phone isn't working at the house. If you go into your SR account under features, call forwarding, you can set up a preference to forward your calls to another number. I set up "simple forwarding" with one of our cell phones, and when I dialed the house phone it rang on the cell. While it doesn't help you to be able to dial out, you can at least receive calls until you port your number somewhere else. | |
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