  Corvus Flaming Tards Since 2003 Premium,VIP join:2003-11-26 | Deja vu
It reminds me european 56K modems being selles in brand new PC, they were locked for only one provider. I don't think SIPphone will win this. -- Jesus saves, but only Buddha makes incremental backups. |
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  WhyADuck Premium join:2003-03-05
| The problem may be with the advertising and packaging. No one could object if they were selling "Vonage service (includes Linksys or Netgear router programmed for use with Vonage)" BUT if their ads and packaging prominently feature the router and either do not disclose that it's "locked" to Vonage service, or disclose it only after the consumer arrives at the store and then only in fine print on the box (as an example - I haven't seen the actual packaging) then I think there is a serious problem. Customers have a reasonable expectation that routers are not tied to a single provider (just as when you buy a non-digital camera you don't expect it to be tied to a certain brand of film, to the exclusion of all others). If that is not the case, then it needs to be fully disclosed to the customer, certainly before they put any money down for the product, but also in the printed advertising so the customer doesn't make a wasted trip to the store to discover that the product is locked to a single provider.
Hopefully the stores that sell these intentionally-crippled devices will get a lot of returns, and decide that full disclosure up front is better for their bottom line. |
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  swsamurai Premium join:2002-04-17 Bakersfield, CA clubs:
·mybrighthouse
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They may not have to win it. We have all seen how companies will do this sorta thing for the noteriety. It may just be a play for advertising. Grant... a lawsuit is not a CHEAP way to advertise, but it does get your name out there, and makes the other company spend money to defend itself, or settle. |
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