Vonage’s appeal was rejected by a U.S. appeals court, and so troubled VOIP provider Vonage will have to pay $117.5 million to Verizon as punishment for infringing their patents. In addition, Vonage will be required to donate 2.5 million to charity. Ouch, ouch, ouch.
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Executive Email Carpet Bomb Against Vonage Results In $450 Credit
By 11.2.07
Score another point for consumers making it over the unyielding wall of “customer service.” Keith writes in about his recent struggles with Vonage, over an account he thought had been completely canceled six months earlier, “The carpet bomb instructions were inspired and within 3 weeks of sending my carpet bomb I got my resolve… The great part is I got my credit from the same person who stone walled me the months previous. Oh success is sweet.”
Security Firm Says Hackers Can Access Vonage Calls
By 10.26.07
It’s not a good week for Vonage. VoIP Security firm Sipera has announced that they’ve discovered a vulnerability in Vonage’s equipment that can allow hackers to take control of user accounts to intercept calls, make calls via the accounts, eavesdrop, or launch DoS attacks. Although most VoIP systems are about as secure as sending IM messages over a public wifi network (that is, not secure at all), Vonage has a couple of special problems with its Motorola adapters not authorizing requests, which leaves a special door open for bad people doing bad things. The problem also affects adapters from Grandstream and Globe7.
By 10.20.07
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Emboldened by the easy victories of other telecoms, AT&T has directed its squad of time traveling super-lawyers to sue Vonage for patent infringement. [NYT]
Vonage Settles With Sprint For $80 Million
By 10.9.07
Vonage has settled a patent infringement lawsuit with Sprint, agreeing to pay $80 million. Vonage has also struck a deal with Sprint to license their technology, a move that helped boost Vonage’s stock, according to the NYT.
By 9.24.07
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Vonage customers can switch to the $14.99 Unlimited Special from the $24.99 plan by calling 1-866-243-4357, talking to Account Management Department, asking for the reduced plan, and threatening to cancel if they don’t give it you. [Hustler Money Blog]
Vonage Destroys Router, Refuses To Issue Refund
By 9.15.07 — Updated: 10.11.16
I have been a loyal Vonage customer for 3 years. Within the last year (I can’t remember when) I purchased a new Linksys WRTP54G router to replace my existing router. This router has built-in Vonage voice ports. What Vonage and Linksys do not tell you when you purchase this router is that Vonage has 100% full access to your router and can do with it what they choose.
Vonage CSR: "Customer Lacks The Courage To Stay With Us Due To Litigation"
By 8.12.07
ber-lawyers. The CSR explained as he typed that he was listing Tony’s reason for canceling as: “Customer… lacks… the… courage… to… stay… with… us… due… to… litigation.” Tony’s letter to Vonage, after the jump:
Vonage Announces "Workarounds" To Counter Verizon Patent Infringement
By 8.9.07
“We have substantially completed the deployment of workarounds for the two name translation patents and have completed the development of the wireless patent workaround,” said Vonage chairman and chief executive Jeffrey Citron, in an e-mail message. “This is a significant step toward moving ahead with our business in the wake of the Verizon litigation.”
Good news for customers who want to stay with Vonage. Will their ‘workaround” defeat Verizon’s team of robotic super-lawyers? Only time will tell.
Vonage's Endless Chanting Hold Message Drives You Insane
By 7.2.07
Andrew is trying to cancel Vonage, but the hold message is driving him insane. After the 6th minute on hold, the smooth jazz went away and now Andrew is being forced to listen to the same chanting “call volume” message over and over again. He’s awash in a sea of his own rage—which will no doubt be directed at whatever CSR finally picks up.
Vonage: Sorry, You Can't Cancel Without Speaking To The Retention Department
By 6.15.07
Vonage: I’m sorry sir I can’t do that, you have to call back during regular business hours.
Watch out, Vonage. We thought Verizon held the patent for the cancelation gauntlet of doom. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER
Vonage Is Like, "We Are Totally Working Around Those Verizon Patents, OK?"
By 5.16.07
We’re not sure if it’s hip to be on Team Vonage, but to hell with it. We are. At least, we’d like them to stay in business so they can worry about things like improving their crap customer service and not “Oh God, are we going to be able to feed Tiny Tim this Christmas?” We’re pro-capitalism like that. Anyhow, we’re pleased to announce that Vonage claims to be able to work around Verizon’s parents.
Vonage: Consumerist! Save Us From Verizon!
By 4.26.07
One of Vonage’s friendly PR guys IM’d us the other day to let us know that Vonage was starting a website with the intention of saving themselves from the tyranny of evil known as Verizon. (Dare we speak its name!) We’ve been following this story for what seems like 12 years at this point, so we figured we’d go ahead and link their site.
Vonage CEO Quits, Company Will Cut Jobs, Marketing
By 4.12.07
Bye-bye, Mike. Vonage CEO Michael Snyder “resigned from the board effective Thursday, and Chairman Jeffrey Citron will be interim CEO until the company finds a replacement,” according to CNNMoney. Vonage will “reduce its general administrative expenses by $30 million through the rest of 2007 by cutting its workforce and consolidating operations.
Never Mind, Vonage Can Still Sign Up New Customers
By 4.9.07
Vonage caught a break and can continue to sign up new customers after being found guilty of infringing patents belonging to Verizon. According to Marketwatch: “A federal court of appeals issued a stay that allows Holmdel, N.J.-based Vonage to continue to do business as usual until an appeal is heard. Vonage is seeking to make the stay permanent.” So, to amuse ourselves whilst we await the outcome of the appeal, here’s some intelligent analysis of the infringing patents.
No New Customers: Judge Bars Vonage From Serving New Accounts
By 4.6.07
Roger Warin, a lawyer for Vonage, told the court the choice between a partial stay and a total prohibition on using the Verizon technology amounted to “cutting off oxygen or a bullet to the head” for Vonage.
