Bad Service...Is ViaTalk the next Sunrocket?

[kraj2007]

I was holding for 177 minutes right from being caller #76 to being caller # 5. Then I heard that, phone support is no longer available.

I'm not sure what is happening. I was actually trying to follow up on a service ticket created 10 days back.

[WithoutService]

Wow, when we had Sunrocket you could speak to people without hours of waiting (and listening to the creepy music and how 'important your time is to us' and 'thank you for your patience'). Hope you have lot's of patience, without priority service you'll need it.
Hope someone else has more encouragement for you than I do, we never got service and finally gave up on VT.

[tostien]

I recently signed up for ViaTalk and I am one step out the door.

It took me a month and three phone calls (hours and hours on hold) to get them send me my router and sign me up.

I finally get everything and they signed me up for the wrong rate plan.

I get monthly additional bills for $2.50 for E-911. On my other line, Vonage charges $0.99 for the same thing. I asked the representative where I was informed about this extra charge. He said to look at the bottom of every page of advertising... it does not list a price, just that there may be a charge.

While I figured out the 2 phoneline thing meant 1 phone number with 2 channels before I ordered, it was only by reading the forums. Their website was misleading in that an average person reading it would think it meant 2 phone numbers.

I have tickets about the improper billing going unanswered for 10 days now.

I chose them due to their high ratings on broadbandreports.com. Oddly enough, their ratings are now way down below Vonage's.

My $16.66/mo phoneline is $25.50/mo. I was misled.

I am one foot out the door.

[kieranmullen]

hot did you arrive at 25.50?

[tostien]

It's $23/mo for the unlimited line as they advertise, then they charge you $2.50/mo extra in fees that they don't advertise or tell you about other than that there 'may' be 911 fees... $2.50/mo is absurd.

Alas, the sounds quality and reliability of the phoneline has been great and I enjoy the second channel so I'm staying with them for now despite my upsetness with them as a company and their less than honest advertising.

[jbrannon7]

I agree, Viatalk are lieing theives.

When I signed up it said 199.00 but the lieing theives charged my credit card 238.90.

[kieranmullen]

taxes shipping adapter activation fee taxes?

I agree, Viatalk are lieing theives.

When I signed up it said 199.00 but the lieing theives charged my credit card 238.90.

[kieranmullen]

Spam... What makes you think your comapny is bigger or better than viatalk?

[ravneetg]

ViaTalk is ViaGone!

[TSull]

Thanks for the useful contribution.

[titolindo]

Why all the fuss over the fees and surcharges? This is the U.S. and not Europe where what you see is what you pay (the taxes/VAT are all included).
I am going to switch from Earthlink TrueVoice and this is what I get billed on a monthly basis (when the advertise $14.95/month). That is $2.93 over what is advertised and I pretty much expected that. All telecommunications fees that our government regulators impose are going to be in addition to what a VOIP provider charges. I see several places where it shows that service activation and shipping/handling will be charged.

08/08/07 Aug 8-Sep 7:trueVoice Basic 1.00 14.95 14.95
08/08/07 **FUSF Fee 1.10
08/08/07 **Cost Recovery Surcharge .75
08/08/07 *Sales Tax 1.08
New Charges: 17.88

Consumers need to do their homework before buying....hence the adage: Let the Buyer Beware :eek:

[fj5693a]

I ordered VT a couple of weeks back execting it to take a week like Vonics did but received it in 3 days. I hooked it up and realized it was short one plug on the adapter that Vonics had so I typed an email which it did not send but refered me to FAQ and there was the answer. I purchased a router and installed VT and it worked great, it took two weeks to get the Vonics adapter set up properly, and still is and the voice quality is much better than Vonics was, which I attribute partly to the better router.

The taxes and fees are always added to the advertised price AT&T adds $7 or $8 to the $20 they advertize which they indicate wil include voice mail, caller ID, and call waiting but you only get the basic service to get the package you have to buy the long distance at $6 I think plus tax and fee. ViaTalk is working so good we are considering canceling AT&T and just using VT.

I called on something and was caller 15, I held for 5 min or so and was 13. I hung up and sent an email which I have not received an answer to but I figured it out. This is not great service but the phone stays on, or has, Vonics would turn it off for all day at a time or hours at time with no explanation or warning.

The telephone industry is in flux at this time and changes and poor service will be the norm I fear. Hopefully the result will be better rates and better service for the long run. I got the two year deal for $199 ($238) and who knows what will be available in phone service in two years????

Fred

[titolindo]

It's been awhile since I had POTS service but I do remember that when calling the local tel company they would explain in detail the charges including the fees. What is advertised is the basic rates w/o all the fees since it looks prettier....but they do go over each fee and the total bill you can expect when you place and order. It takes like 20 minutes to order though and I'd rather not here all the fees that I cannot avoid anyhow...I figure about another $10 or whatever.

Now whether a company has to go over the details of what the total charges are on your bill is a matter for the Public Utilities Commission or regulatory body that applies. Traditional phone companies are held to a strict protocol....I really don't know whether a VoIP provider is regulated and has to do all that - the advantage is that the VoIP provider can reduce admin cost and pass that onto the consumer. Also HOW the fees are explained isn't regulated I believe, especially if done online. So a company can give the information however it wants to - terms of service, fine print, or whatever. They are not required to total it all up into one neat price.

The advantage of buying online is you can do your own homework and usually there is more information to be found. I can recall trying to find info from AT&T and it's like picking through a haystack.

[efrost]

Shame on ViaTalk for the decline, or disappearance, of their support...
I have a service ticket still open from August, with many emails to support, and no replies, let alone a solution..
Step up to the plate and show us why we should be recommending your service..

[Debs]

I ran the gambit (Teleblend, Vonage, Voip.com, BBTelesys) after Sunrocket's demise and in my opinion, ViaTalk is solid. I successfully faxed both inbound and outbound. The light on the voice router hasn't so much as flickered since I installed the service. I submitted an LOA to have my number ported today. I cannot find another VoIP provider that offers what ViaTalk offers at the price they offer it.

Try calling support early, around 8 a.m. EST or late if you're PST. I have also been stuck in long wait queues to speak to Customer Service. It is disheartening but from a business standpoint, and with what ViaTalk charges for their service, they may have to keep their staff lean to be solvent.

I spoke with ViaTalk a couple of times before I signed up. I was fully informed about the $2+ a month for the taxes. Gotta pay the tax man! :-/