tj008
join:2004-06-24
Cincinnati, OH
| [ViaTalk] New email this morning...
Got the following email in my box this morning. This doesnt look good. High fees to port numbers, and to change your number. Free incoming minutes will be just the first incoming minute on the non-unlimited plans. But, if you act right now, you dont have to suffer these changes.
Who's idea was this? Enjoy...
"ViaTalk Pre-Launch Group Member:
Thank you for your patronage, feedback, and participation throughout our launch. We are more than pleased to announce that we will be entering BETA Phase 3 next week. We have received a substantial amount of feedback from many of you. As we have stated before, ViaTalk believes that openly listening to customers and implementing their suggestions is paramount to achieving success on a long-term basis. Based on your feedback during this phase, we’ve done the following:
1) Added the ability to change your voicemail password online
2) Added fully functional Caller ID with Name
3) Added the ability to check your total minute usage online
4) Lowered international rates
5) Added the ability to change the number of times your phone rings before calls are sent to voicemail
6) Added a web-based order status and tracking system which allows you to see when your order was processed, receive your new telephone number and track equipment shipping all online.
ViaTalk strives to keep prices low while keeping quality high. As a member of our exclusive BETA group, you have had access to special pricing. In additional to the feature enhancements, beginning with the launch of BETA Phase 3 on Monday, July 25, 2005, ViaTalk will be making the following changes to our pricing:
1) Adding a $20 charge for number porting you transfer an existing number to ViaTalk in order to make the process the fastest and most efficient porting process of any VoIP provider. This fee does not apply to customers ordering service with porting before July 25, 2005.
2) Adding a $20 number change charge for changing your telephone number after service has already been established. This allows us to provide you with the capability to change your number as often as you’d like.
3) VT_500 and VTB_1500 plans will feature the first incoming minute free, but no longer will offer all incoming calling. This will only affect customers establishing service after July 25, 2005.
Once again, these pricing changes will apply to new customers only. If you order service before July 25, 2005, these fees won’t apply to you and the BETA pricing will be “grandfathered in” for you. For that reason, if you haven’t already ordered service, now would be a great time to do so. If you’ve lost your ViaVite coupon, don’t worry. If you order before Monday, just use coupon code PHASETWO and we’ll give you $30 off your second invoice generated. Remember, you can get unlimited calling for under $16 monthly (including all taxes and regulatory surcharges) with select prepay terms. For more information or to have questions answered, just visit www.ViaTalk.com or call us at 866-25-PHONE.
Don’t miss your opportunity to save $30, order service now. If you’re still unsure, visit »Company entry - ViaTalk to see what other customers are saying. Remember, if you don’t think ViaTalk is as good as everyone says it is, you’ll be able to get a full refund with our money back guarantee. Don’t miss your chance.
If you would like to opt-out of receiving future ViaTalk updates and offers, please see the instructions at the end of this e-mail. Have a great weekend and thank you for considering or currently using ViaTalk for all of your telephone communication needs. We certainly appreciate your business and interest.
The ViaTalk Team
www.ViaTalk.Com
866-25-PHONE"
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DSL. Voip providers: Lingo (UTStarcomm), Nuvio, SIPphone, FWD, InPhonex. Voip providers on trial: SunRocket, GalaxyVoice. Tried: wIPphone=rates OK, Teleo=great, no ATA, Broadvoice=great until..., will give em another chance. |
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okieopie
Premium
join:2004-02-06
Alexandria, KY
1 edit | 1) Adding a $20 charge for number porting you transfer an existing number to ViaTalk in order to make the process the fastest and most efficient porting process of any VoIP provider. This fee does not apply to customers ordering service with porting before July 25, 2005. I'm surprised that they can charge a fee for porting a number. Or, even if they can, that they would want to considering the competitive VOIP market. |
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ropeguru
Premium
join:2001-01-25
Grafton, WV
clubs:
 ·VOIPo
| reply to tj008
So for the VT_500 plan, you will have to pay for all incoming time, except the first minute, and after 500 minutes, 3.9 cents per minute out going?? Plus $14.95 a month for the service?? What a rip off... At least with others when I get a number I do not pay for incoming. And the out going minute rate is a little high also..
I see them losing a lot of business over this.
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FWD#: 223611 |
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JmanA9
join:2003-06-12
Export, PA | reply to tj008
I too do not like the idea of having incoming minutes deducted from my plan. Fortunately, I already have an account, and this won't effect me, but I think this will be a pretty big turnoff for new users wanting to sign up for the service. |
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KLH
join:2001-09-24
Vincennes, IN
 ·Cinergy
| reply to okieopie
Reply to the "I'm surprised they are allowed to charge a porting fee"
Be careful if you have a Nextel cell phone and port your number. Some Nextel affiliates charge you I think $20 to port your number FROM nextel. Nextel is the only one that I know of that chargers their users a fee for switching carriers and keeping their number.
Now as far as VoIP goes, most companies eat the cost of the number porting fee (man hours) to get you as a customer. ViaTalk just wants to make more money I think. |
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devil24
Premium
join:2002-06-28
Houston, TX | reply to tj008
I didn't get this email... but wow, this is BS... not a good move from the guys at ViaTalk. |
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JmanA9
join:2003-06-12
Export, PA
| said by devil24  :I didn't get this email... but wow, this is BS... not a good move from the guys at ViaTalk. I also didn't recieve that email. |
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tj008
join:2004-06-24
Cincinnati, OH
| reply to tj008
If this is the best way they could think of to get as many new customers from the viavites group, they need a new marketing director.
If they wanted to add a sense of urgency this is NOT the way to do it. Just think of the referrals that are NOT going to happen from this "hurry in now" offer. What incentive will there be to get your friends in - one free incoming minute? or paying $20 to keep the number theyve had for years? hmmmm.
Not good.
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DSL. Voip providers: Lingo (UTStarcomm), Nuvio, SIPphone, FWD, InPhonex. Voip providers on trial: SunRocket, GalaxyVoice. Tried: wIPphone=rates OK, Teleo=great, no ATA, Broadvoice=great until..., will give em another chance. |
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VTBrendan
Viatalk
Premium,VIP
join:2005-06-27
Clifton Park, NY
| reply to tj008
Hey,
Just stoppin by to let you guys know that during the beta (specifically this phase) we are trying a few different pricing structures. There is a good chance they will be modified/tweaked in the future, especially if they are received by the general public in the same fashion that they are here.
We appreciate everyones feedback be it good or bad, so that you all for taking the time to let us what you think.
-Brendan |
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okieopie
Premium
join:2004-02-06
Alexandria, KY | Well, I think you're finding that here your new pricing structure is going over like a lead balloon.  |
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Jim K
join:2002-05-02
Columbus, OH
 ·Verizon FiOS
| reply to tj008
At the beginning of ViaTalk's beta offer there were a bunch of fees that weren't liked. Those were removed to quiet the complaints. Now different fees/restrictions are being added, probably to bring their income up to the original expectations. ViaTalk is not being up front about what their pricing needs to be, leading to dissatisfaction with their pricing games.
Major fee and service changes before ViaTalk is even out of "beta" is ridiculous. |
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VTBrendan
Viatalk
Premium,VIP
join:2005-06-27
Clifton Park, NY
| Jim,
The whole idea of us having this beta is so we can tweak products & services (and their pricing) to find the point where our customers believe they are paying exactly what they should for the value they are receiving. To me, if we were changing them after the beta would be ridiculous. Regardless, we appreciate your feedback along with everyone else’s and I assure you that it will be taken into account when we do our next set of updates.
-Brendan |
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montano
join:2001-04-29
Central Cali
·VOIPo
| reply to tj008
Once my credits run out, I will cancel ViaTalk. For the simple reason of charging for incoming calls. It's sad because the service is great, but the price is already high @ $15/month for 500 minutes....now they will be deducting incoming minutes also !! I pay $10/month for 500 minutes with MyPhoneCompany, and they DO NOT count incoming minutes.
Even though it says I'm 'grandfathered in' at the old prices/free incoming, I won't in good faith be able to recommend ViaTalk to anyone. I mean how can you tell someone they will be charged for every incoming call they receive.... even if it's a wrong number/telemarketer/bill collector/etc.
Someone needs to rethink this brilliant idea !!! |
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phillipsclan
join:2004-10-17
Springfield, MO | i didnt get this email
i wonder why? |
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crodgers79
join:2002-10-12
Port Deposit, MD
| reply to VTBrendan
I'm going to have to stick-up for VTBrendan here. I signed-on with Lingo in June of 04, only days after they launched. Lingo many months worth of technical problems, bad support and a whole host of other issues and not one Lingo Rep stepped-up to the plate to publicly answer questions or address comments made in this forum. Months later, one or two Lingo Service Reps chimed-in but that was only _after_ they took a beating here for the quality of service and most of them admitted that they weren't permitted to speak for their company when posting here.
VTBrendan is one guy trying to do his best to answer our collective concerns. I applaud his efforts! While I do agree that this pricing structure is not the greatest, I think VTBrendan has made it abundantly clear that they are, in-fact, listening to this very important community of VoIP users.
If ViaTalk can port my existing number, I'm dropping Lingo like a hot brick and moving on to ViaTalk; I can honestly say that my first call with ViaTalk was light-years better than any call I had _ever_ made with Lingo and I worked with Lingo Tech Support for months, went through two ATAs, various router and firewall configs, you-name-it. With the ViaTalk LinkSys ATA, I just plugged it in and it worked! No tweaking on my part was required! What a relief!
As always, "the proof will be in the pudding." I think ViaTalk has been more than responsive to this communities suggestions thus far, so lets give these guys some room to operate and be appreciative of the fact that a guy like VTBrendan is here to work openly and honestly with us!
Just my $0.02,
Chris R. |
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devil24
Premium
join:2002-06-28
Houston, TX
4 edits | The only part I agree with is that VTBrendan is a nice guy and that he has gone the extra mile trying to help us around here.
The rest is BS...
There are several companies out there with better offerings at similar prices. ViaTalk, being the new guy in town, should not resort to this. It'll be bad for their business. Trust me.
"VT_500 and VTB_1500 plans will feature the first incoming minute free, but no longer will offer all incoming calling"
Why give me the first minute for free if you're going to charge for the rest!?!? that's incredibly ridiculous, especially for the business plan. |
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VTBrendan
Viatalk
Premium,VIP
join:2005-06-27
Clifton Park, NY
| Hey,
At least I'm a nice guy right? I will go as far as to say that based on the customer reactions that we have seen today both here and elsewhere there is a good chance these policies will be changing again in the near future, possibly even before they were to go into effect.
-Brendan |
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qworster
join:2001-11-25
Bryn Mawr, PA
 ·DSL EXTREME
·Brand X Internet
1 edit | reply to tj008
Brendan....
I KNOW you're a nice guy because I've talked with you before.
First off, you have a superior product. Voice quality is great. Customer service is better. I believe ViaTalk has a right to be profitable.
A number change charge is fair...but not that much. $10.00 seems about right (and in line with what both Vonage and Packet 8 charge).
Vonage occasionally waives this charge. They did once for me a couple of years ago because I'm a long time customer. I hear they also do if someone gets a 'bad ' number (ex: A friend of mine got a phone number that was formerly owned by a deadbeat - and he was averaging 20-25 collection calls a day!). You might consider doing the same.
Porting is normally free, even well after the account is activated. The reason for this is many times a number can not initially be ported, but later it can be. This happened to me. When I first got Vonage I tried to port my Verizon number, but Verizon had not yet set up my C.O. for porting, so I kept the Verizon line (my wife had that number for many years). Three years later when we moved, Verizon was now able to do the port and Vonage did it for free. All that said, I'd certainly be willing to pay a nominal fee (5-10 dollars) for porting to guarantee it goes hassle free (though mine was I've heard horror stories from others here).
The charge for incoming minutes will simply not fly. If you do this you so neuter your measured plans that no one will buy them. No wired phone service (even the bells) charges for incoming calls! It's a bonehead idea that should be taken out back and shot!
Your pricing structure is good. My advice to you is not to try and be the cheapest, just be the best at the same price (or imaybe a buck or two cheaper) then the others.
Don't undercut them too much or you'll be seen as a cut rate company. People expect to pay a certain amount for phone service. Stay within that window of price expectation, keep your quality up (in all ways) and you should be fine.
Besides, you had me at "hello" *G*
Good luck... |
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Jim K
join:2002-05-02
Columbus, OH
·Verizon FiOS
| reply to Jim K
Re: [ViaTalk] New email this morning...
SunRocket seems to have the pricing model about right - a yearly fee or a monthly fee. But they don't have 800/business service or a 500 minute plan, or very wide area code coverage.
Using SunRocket's example and having a 500 minute plan (no incoming charges), a 5-$10 dollar porting fee, 800 service/business plan and wide coverage, pricing would be uncomplicated and hopefully profitable for ViaTalk and others. |
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voiplover
Premium
join:2004-05-28
Portsmouth, NH
·callwithus
1 edit |  reply to tj008
Do I smell a going out of business sale?
Most providers don't charge to change #'s.
$20 to speed up porting; Most of the process is on the original providers shoulders. Are they planning to bribe the other providers employees or something?
I've changed #'s with P8 and have never been charged by them. It only costs them a few minutes of CS help to save a subscriber.
Rule #1 for pricing voip: You can go down in price, but you can't go up. You can add services but you can't force voip users to pay for them.
Subscribers would not bother using voip if they didn't mind getting porked by pots companies. |
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