Internet phone service provider Vonage Holdings Corp. has agreed to pay $3 million to 32 states to settle an investigation into some of its business practices.

In a filing Monday with the Securities Exchange Commission, the company said it also agreed to provide refunds to affected customers.

consumers who said they found it difficult to cancel their service with Vonage amid pressure from the company to keep their accounts.

Vonage also failed to clearly tell potential customers that they needed to have high-speed Internet service to use Vonage, which offers cheaper calls by sending voice data over the Internet just like e-mail and Web pages. Officials said those unable to use the service had to pay cancellation and other fees.

The 32 states are sharing the $3 million settlement to cover legal and other costs, and any refunds owed by Vonage are on top of that amount. Claims can be filed through attorneys general for the participating states.

Besides Idaho, Maine and Texas, the other states participating in the settlement are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.