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Vonage: We Helped Kill SunRocket
Company picks an interesting time to brag...

"We helped put (SunRocket) out of business," Vonage spokesman Charles Sahner brags to the San Francisco Chronicle. "They had a cheap product and they couldn't compete." Technically, cable VoIP and CEO Lisa Hook's mismanagement (at least according to employees we've spoken to) played starring roles in putting SunRocket out of business, but ok.

Vonage has yet to turn a profit since its launch in 2001 and has its own worries due to their patent dispute with Verizon. Combined with SunRocket's implosion, this has led to a growing number of people this week proclaiming they're scared of indie VoIP:
quote:
"My gut tells me to cough up the money and use one of the new triple play (phone, TV, Internet) services from the big guys like Comcast or Time Warner. I wanted independent VoIP providers like the ones mentioned above to succeed. But I have a feeling that with SunRocket gone the others will fall like a house of cards."
Meanwhile, cable operators are dominating the industry; they own 70% of the VoIP market and (for what it's worth) are beating phone companies in customer satisfaction across the board.
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skullz5
join:2002-06-17
Clayton, NJ

skullz5

Member

Way to Toot your own horn

What a way for Vonage to toot their own horn, considering they are being sued themselves and may get put out of business.

Agent_haito
join:2002-09-20
Winston Salem, NC

Agent_haito

Member

Re: Way to Toot your own horn

geez, what a dumbarse.... One foot in the grave, the other on a banana peel..

knightmb
Everybody Lies
join:2003-12-01
Franklin, TN

knightmb

Member

Re: Way to Toot your own horn

said by Agent_haito:

geez, what a dumbarse.... One foot in the grave, the other on a banana peel..
It's just Corporate speak. Doesn't matter how good or evil your company is, you always have someone willing to take a shot at the competition and say anything positive about their company to anyone that will write it or listen.

I worked for a company that did the same thing, their main competition went out of business when Y2K came around and their software failed. But the company representative make news reports and anything else about how our company "put them out of business" when really it had nothing to do with it.

Unless you are a business owner with only yourself as the employee, you can't control everything everyone says while representing your company. It's just a matter of looking past the corp BS and talking to those that use the service to get an idea of how good or bad it is.

Jeff
Connoisseur of leisurely things
Premium Member
join:2002-12-24
GMT -5

Jeff to skullz5

Premium Member

to skullz5
said by skullz5:

What a way for Vonage to toot their own horn, considering they are being sued themselves and may get put out of business.
Sadly, it's a good thing when a company gets another to go out of business. The ramifcations of which include disappointed/annoyed customers, and loss of jobs. That's the other side of the coin.

Vonage, as much as I like their product (I have 3 lines), they are not in the position to be gloating. If Vonage gets put under by Verizon, all the other independnt VoIPs will follow, based on the braodness of the suit filed by Verizon.

I never used SR, but I did not wish them out of business.
AJICQ499087
join:2001-12-01
Louisville, KY

AJICQ499087 to skullz5

Member

to skullz5
Vonage can toot their own horn, but watch what is going to bury them! It's magicJack with the best voice quality of them all!
myokitis
join:2004-06-19
Alexandria, VA

myokitis

Member

Re: Way to Toot your own horn

said by AJICQ499087:

Vonage can toot their own horn, but watch what is going to bury them! It's magicJack with the best voice quality of them all!
Not a chance. As nichey as OTT VoIP providers are, PC-based voice providers (MJ included)are even more so. I hardly expect the average "Joe" wants to rely 100% on their PC for their primary voice service.

Mactron
el Camino Real
Premium Member
join:2001-12-16
PRK

1 edit

Mactron

Premium Member

Re: Way to Toot your own horn

said by myokitis:
said by AJICQ499087:

Vonage can toot their own horn, but watch what is going to bury them! It's magicJack with the best voice quality of them all!
Not a chance. As nichey as OTT VoIP providers are, PC-based voice providers (MJ included)are even more so. I hardly expect the average "Joe" wants to rely 100% on their PC for their primary voice service.
Important primary provider?.. Hmmmmm No. But a cheap LD phone for the Female of the house that just has to Yap, Yap, and Yap with her Sister and Girl Friends for hours on end ? It's great ! That all SR was here, "The Female Yap Phone".
The best part was it kept her off the main household line for the rest of us to actually make and receive a call.

Marduk
join:2004-09-05
West Chester, PA

Marduk to skullz5

Member

to skullz5
Comcast's triple play is a rip off. Especially when I decided to get Vonage, years ago. Now I have to pay a setup fee? No, that's not going to happen. I'll happily pay Vonage and comcast separately and still spend less than the comcast monopoly pricing plan.

Lets be clear. I don't wish to have comcast at all, but it's the most viable option, if not the ONLY option for internet and TV.
NYC Girl
Premium Member
join:2007-02-04
Bronx, NY

NYC Girl to skullz5

Premium Member

to skullz5
All I can say is WOW.

hayabusa3303
Over 200 mph
Premium Member
join:2005-06-29
Florence, SC

hayabusa3303

Premium Member

Why

Why did it take soooo long for Vonage to come forward with this?

Hey vonage let Lisa Hook run your business. She cant do much worse then you,cant turn a profit.

I dont see whats keeping vonage aloft anyway. Must be the cheap tech support( when i had them i hated it)..lol

laserjobs
Premium Member
join:2004-05-02
Las Vegas, NV

laserjobs

Premium Member

MagicJack is going to put them all out of business

Ad based softphone combined with an USB adapter for $40 a YEAR!!!

I would not be surprised if Google picks this company up to add to adsense and Grand Central.

»www.magicjack.com
95559781 (banned)
join:2007-07-21

95559781 (banned)

Member

Re: MagicJack is going to put them all out of business

I concur with Laser. MagicJack is simply incredible. This thing is going to sell like wildfire.

keyboard5684
Sam
join:2001-08-01
Pittsburgh, PA

keyboard5684 to laserjobs

Member

to laserjobs
Yep, okay.
I have no idea who "Magic Jack" is and nobody I asked about it did either.

I think I will stick with Vonage.
They offer softphones, USB adapter, etc.

Vonage is the most stable VOIP out there. If they go, so will everyone else.

So really, quit spamming the forum with this majicjack shit.

laserjobs
Premium Member
join:2004-05-02
Las Vegas, NV

laserjobs

Premium Member

Re: MagicJack is going to put them all out of business

I don't make a dime from magicjack so don't say I am spamming. I am just amazed at the concept and the low price point. The company has put together a brilliant product that makes money in both advertising and termination fees.

My point was that Vonage and other VoIP providers are in for some stiff competition if this takes off, which I expect it will.

KoolMoe
Aw Man
Premium Member
join:2001-02-14
Annapolis, MD

KoolMoe

Premium Member

Re: MagicJack is going to put them all out of business

The ILECs don't like these termination fees at all. With their current grip on our lovely government, I can almost assure you the fees won't last much longer.
Any business that builds their model on these fees is eventually doomed.
KM
rizwan602
join:2004-03-20
Gilbert, AZ

rizwan602 to laserjobs

Member

to laserjobs
Is Magic Jack like Skype where you have to use the PC to originate the call and then pick up the handset? Or all the dialing and phone call receiving done by the handset exclusively?

If everything is handled by the handset, I am going to have to look at this thing closely!! Sounds interesting so far!

Anyone know for sure?
jlvs2run
join:2006-04-08
Santa Maria, CA

jlvs2run

Member

handset or computer

said by rizwan602:

Is Magic Jack like Skype where you have to use the PC to originate the call and then pick up the handset? Or all the dialing and phone call receiving done by the handset exclusively?

If everything is handled by the handset, I am going to have to look at this thing closely!! Sounds interesting so far!

Anyone know for sure?
Good question. I presumed it was all from the handset. My house is internally wired, so that would work for me. If calls have to be made from computer that would kill it - surely that is not the case. Can someone verify this?
jlvs2run

jlvs2run

Member

handset through internal house wiring

I ordered 2 years of MagicJack yesterday for $59.90.

Yes, MJ does work through the internal wiring of the house. First disconnect that line and tape the wires at the box outside of the house, so the current doesn't fry your equipment.

Yes, you can use your handset to make calls from any phonejack in the house, with your internal wiring. You would only use the softphone and see any ads on their software, when dialing from the computer screen. But you don't have to do that.

The main negative for me is that MJ doesn't yet work with Linux, which I am using 100 percent of the time. So every time I want to make a LD call, I have to reboot the computer to windows. That's a hassle but I don't make that many LD calls so I have ordered it anyway.

In the meantime I also got a GrandCentral number in San Antonio, so my mom can call me for free.
amungus
Premium Member
join:2004-11-26
America

amungus

Premium Member

boring...

I used to have Net2Phone a long time ago... $25 lasted me a long time, and after so much inactivity (I have a cell...) they finally booted me Still, the few dollars I actually used were worth it, and the service always worked pretty well (for VOIP).

Anyway, I found this to be of interest on their site
»web.net2phone.com/sunrocket/

"Net2Phone® will honor up to twelve (12) months remaining on a qualifying SunRocket contract."

..Sounds like ol' Sunrocket folks aren't totally left in the dark. I do hope Net2Phone keeps going, they were decent. Just don't understand why nobody ever seems to talk about 'em, even on this site...

hayabusa3303
Over 200 mph
Premium Member
join:2005-06-29
Florence, SC

hayabusa3303

Premium Member

Re: boring...

Didnt yahoo messenger have them a long time ago? or am i wrong?
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: boring...

I believe they did. It was the Phone part of Yahoo! a long long long time ago. Back in the late 90s.

klamer
join:2000-06-09
Fort Worth, TX

1 recommendation

klamer

Member

...


"Instant karmas gonna get you
Gonna knock you right on the head
You better get yourself together
Pretty soon youre gonna be dead"

John Lennon

N3OGH
Yo Soy Col. "Bat" Guano
Premium Member
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs

N3OGH

Premium Member

Re: ...

said by klamer:

"Instant karmas gonna get you
Gonna knock you right on the head
You better get yourself together
Pretty soon youre gonna be dead"

John Lennon
Best post on the thread....

ColorBASIC
8-bit Fun
Premium Member
join:2006-12-29
Corona, CA

1 edit

ColorBASIC

Premium Member

Vonage sucks

I had them and every aspect of the service sucked. Outages, call quality, billing problems and finally their retention agents..holy crap they are abusive sacks of shat.

Screw Vonage. I hope it is the next to die.

keyboard5684
Sam
join:2001-08-01
Pittsburgh, PA

keyboard5684

Member

Re: Vonage sucks

I have them at home, 4 lines, and at work, 24 lines.

Had some problems here and there but no more than pots service.

I had a cheerleader once, she sucked, and I never wanter her to die?
SD6
join:2005-03-26
Pittsburgh, PA

SD6

Member

Enjoy it while it lasts

I remember the days when companies used to compete for my long distance service by sending me checks. It didn't last and neither will this sunny period of legitimized indie VoIP. We'll eventually arrive at a point where only the duopoly companies provide "reliable mainstream" VoIP, and the competition will consist of small companies who are beneath the radar and try to avoid the traffic filters.
IanR
join:2001-03-22
Fort Mill, SC

IanR

Member

Move to us we lose more money

Fools.

Racerbob
Premium Member
join:2001-06-24
Webster, NY

Racerbob

Premium Member

Hope they suffer the very same fate

Makes me even happier that I did not sign up with them after my Sunrocket service was discontinued. What a bunch of jerks.

jgkolt
Premium Member
join:2004-02-21
Avon, OH

jgkolt

Premium Member

70 % ???

Cable dominating with voip? or voip and digital phones? or digital only?
chrispix
join:2004-08-25
Rowlett, TX

chrispix

Member

That does it!

Well Vonage, see you later. You just took responsibility for screwing my Sunrocket Service. Making me change providers. Now you take full credit for all my aggrivation. Well. I hope you like it when I get my phone ported to you, then port it right back to Verizon VoiceWing!. I have had enough of all these VOIP startups. VoiceWing is same price as Vonage, and it surely can't have a worse web interface.. Shoot Vonage's web site is horrible compared to Sunrocket or ViaTalk.. And their features that they toot about are basic with anything else.. Nothing to see. Keep going to your next provider..
Zoder
join:2002-04-16
Miami, FL

Zoder

Member

Lisa Hook

Is that the same Lisa Hook who was president of AOL's broadband division and told thee Washington Post that broadband was a side issue?

If it is, I can't believe they would make her their CEO

NY Tel
Premium Member
join:2004-04-09
Smithtown, NY

NY Tel

Premium Member

Re: Lisa Hook

said by Zoder:

Is that the same Lisa Hook who was president of AOL's broadband division and told thee Washington Post that broadband was a side issue?

If it is, I can't believe they would make her their CEO
Yes that is the one and only same person.
OnTheNet3
Premium Member
join:2004-04-13
Broadview Heights, OH

OnTheNet3 to Zoder

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to Zoder
»You've Got...Problems
pvera
join:2001-12-01
Reston, VA

pvera

Member

Claiming victory too early

Sahner is claiming victory too early, he is still nowhere close to closure with the legal troubles of his own company.

The damage is already done. I was a die hard SR supporter, but once I saw how it fell apart, I immediately called Comcast and converted my account to a triple play package, which is a steal if you are already paying them for TV and internet. Even after the price hike once the first year is over, you are only paying $20 over your previous combined bill.

Vonage and others need to be careful. You might as well say goodbye to yearly plans after this mess. Vonage's pricing is closer to cable and telcos, and they can't compete at that level forever. All it takes is for the cable providers to declare a price war, they have deep pockets and can pull it off. The main reason this has not happened yet is probably because of the Vonage lawsuits, since there's no point to get all worked up to crush a company that is about to die by itself.

If I was Vonage, I would worry first about Verizon, and then after that is final, worry about companies like magicJack. Their pricing model is simply brilliant.

anon poster

Anon

Re: Claiming victory too early

"All it takes is for the cable providers to declare a price war, they have deep pockets and can pull it off."
I had Vonage and I agree, they are the worst. all issues are always on your side.
IN NYC Optimum voice(Cablevision) offers if you have been with them over 1 yr and have tv, internet and phone with them 4 lines @14.95 each.

QQQ
@rogers.com

QQQ

Anon

what's going on??

man should I be worried about vbuzzer? they are small company

phoneboy3
@telus.net

phoneboy3

Anon

Still cheering on Vonage from the sidelines

If Vonage succeeds then we will all be better off one way or another even if we don't use their service.

They have every chance of succeeding as long as they don't hire ex AOL execs to run their company.

burgerwars
join:2004-09-11
Northridge, CA

burgerwars

Member

Re: Still cheering on Vonage from the sidelines

Vonage spokesman Charles Sahner has a lot to learn about the business world. I would be surprised if a top company executive of any company would say comments like that. What he said, "that we're the leader, we put them out of business," comes across like a child who is bragging and also sounds foolish. I don't know what about Vonage is worth bragging about. They're losing money, burning through capital, have a high churn rate and a high cost of replacing customers, a stock price that has gone down the toilet, legal problems, and so on. I wonder how long will Vonage still be around as an independent company before it has to merge, or something far worse.

Enough said.
canadiancree
Crusin in the boonies
join:2004-02-10
Picton, ON

canadiancree

Member

Pure class right there

NO wonder I'm looking for a replacement for these folks (current, and unhappy Vonage customer)
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

tmc8080

Member

Can't stand that kind of arrogance...!

How's that PATENT LAWSUIT from Verizon going?
The dirty tricks by big telco are just the tip of what's to come.. now would not be a good time to brag about the competitive position of your company. So what, that SunRocket was financed by Venture Capital money and some talent that left MCI as it was all but certain in Verizon's hands...
whoody doo dah..

Never the less, there are 10 voip companies stepping up to the plate to pick up SunRocket's customers... and it's too bad Vonage won't get the majority of them either, maybe less now that Vonage is talking S**T.
reeze
join:2005-03-09
Brewster, NY

reeze

Member

OK then...

My SR service was relatively trouble-free for the over two years we had it. So now Vonage is gloating that THEY'RE responsible for me and 199,999 other customers having to scramble for phone service?

Even if it's not true (which it probably isn't, though I'm not going to waste my time reading their rationale), their gloating guarantees that I will NEVER consider switching to their service (I'm still considering where to go). I hope all other former SR customers follow suit. BA-FANGUL Vonage!!

(There, now I feel better!)

prestonlewis
Premium Member
join:2003-04-13
Sacramento, CA

prestonlewis

Premium Member

Vonage is partially right

I tried SR and wasn't very happy with their service. Vonage on the other hand, has been a very, very reliable product with great sound quality. However, as I've said before, it all depends on your ISP, it's connection to the internet backbone, and the ISP that connects to Vonage along with the myriad small clecs that might handle data from your VOIP phone to Vonage's servers. For me in Sacramento, I consistently have better pings to the NE United States than I do LA which is strange but that's just the nature of the beast. Traceroute is a good way to see what the bottle neck is if you have bad service with a VOIP provider. For me, Vonage works nearly perfectly while SR didn't. Other's will have different experiences not necessarily due to the VOIP provider, but due to the peculiarities of the internet.
a98308349823
join:2007-07-03
Portsmouth, NH

a98308349823

Member

Re: Vonage is partially right

Vonage prices getting too high.

Reason why I switched to Vonage was because my Verizon bill was $25 with the amount of calls that I made. Then I signed up with Vonage at $14.99 month, which has creeped up to $19 month with all the new taxes.

As soon as I see another reliable company for cheap, I'm dropping Vonage like a rock. Unless..... they come out with some less expensive plans.

If Vonage and the phone company are the same cost, what the point of signing up for vonage?
no1g8r
join:2005-05-05
Lawrenceville, GA

no1g8r

Member

Shooting themselves in the foot - as usual!

I was going to suck it up and let Teleblend take on my account, but I just couldn't bear to do it. Somehow I can't get past the fact that it looks like a reorganization without going through the trouble of bankrupcy, rather than truly going out of business.

So I was considering Vonage, but if these guys are proud of making 200,000 customers scramble for new service and risk losing their phone numbers, then they don't exactly follow a code of ethics that I agree with. It doesn't matter that I don't think Vonage was actually responsible for Sunrocket's demise, the fact that Vonage is proud of this self-proclaimed "accomplishment" is enough to turn me elsewhere.

They're coming off as high and mighty, just like the PSTN providers always have. It's one of the reasons why I left PSTN, so I surely wouldn't head in the direction of Vonage to get more of the same.

I'm looking at little guys now. Very little. This could get interesting!

+1 on the MagicJack, btw. For the average home user who keeps their computer up and running all the time (for broadband access) and the traveler who wants a simple, cheap means of calling while on the road, the MagicJack does it. Is it a panacea? No. But it's the best thing in their niche, and likely to pick up a lot of steam in the near future.
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