Michael D. Sullivan wrote:
> In article <telecom24.33.2@telecom-digest.org>, timeOday-
> UNSPAM@theknack.net says:
>>I 'm interested in trying out Vonage (or maybe some other VOIP service).
>> I stopped by Best Buy to pick up a second phone so I could leave my
>> land line connected to my old phone, while I hook up the new phone to
>> Vonage to see if it's any good.
>> I've also heard Vonage kits are available at BestBuy. This would
>> avoid the $10 shipping fee, and avoid the wait. Plus I heard the kits
>> were offered with a rebate on the hardware and the first month free.
>> That would be great.
>> But the sales clerk I asked at Best Buy had never heard of Vonage, or
>> voice over IP for that matter. And I didn't notice Vonage in the
>> Phone section.
>> I searched bestbuy.com and found no mention of them selling the
>> service. I searched vonage.com and found a lot of irrelevant hits.
>> But the Vonage.com website says their service IS offered in my city.
>> So what's the deal? Does Vonage through Best Buy still have the
>> hardware rebate offer?
>> I may have to resort to calling Best Buy on the phone, which is normally
>> frustrating and a huge waste of time.
>> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Another approach is to ask me for a
>> Vonage e-coupon. I send you this in email, then you use the link shown
>> there to set the entire thing up over the computer. By clicking on
>> the link in the email coupon, it walks you though the ordering and set
>> up procedure, assigns your Vonage number *AND* arranges to get the
>> Vonage TA box sent out to you. They give those rather high priority,
>> so you should recieve the TA in three or four days by Fed Express or
>> UPS. You use your credit card to pay for the TA box and the first
>> month of service then my coupon kicks in and whatever kind of service
>> plan you choose (and pay for) you get the *second month* for free. I
>> have been a Vonage customer now for almost two years; I think from
>> start to finish in the ordering/installing process took me a week in
>> total, from getting the e-coupon, clicking on the link, getting the
>> service set up and starting to use it. If you want an e-coupon, rather
>> than dealing with the stores (and often-times know-nothing clerks,
>> etc) write to me: ptownson@massis.csail.mit.edu and request it. PAT]
> Go to the computer networking section of Best Buy, where they sell
> routers and wireless cards, and you will find it.
> Michael D. Sullivan
> Bethesda, MD, USA
> Replace "example.invalid" with ".com".
> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: But counselor, TimeODay did ask a *clerk
> in the store* about it, and he did check the *web site of Best Buy*;
> the clerk got ignorant with him; the web site was obscure about it at
> best; now he should make another trip back to the store and hope to
> God to find someone who will point him in the right direction and have
> idea of what the product is about and what it does? ... with the
> 'magic' of email, had I sent him an e-coupon and had he redeemed it,
> Vonage would already be processing his order. Assuming he first made
> his ill-fated trip to Best Buy a few days ago, chances are likely by
> now with an e-coupon redemption he would be setting up his TA and
> making a test call on it. PAT]
Thanks to both of you for the good info.
Do you know if there's currently any way to get a rebate on the hardware
purchase price? In months past I heard about people getting a rebate on
the cost of the VOIP box upon activation.
Thanks.
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: In the past (maybe still?), Vonage did
include a rebate coupon in the package of hardware you purchased from
the Best Buy stores. But they did *not* give a month of free
service. In the referral program, I do not give a rebate, but *do*
give a month of service. You can consider that to be the same as a
rebate on the hardware, or an extension on the guarentee allowed for
return/don't pay for service plan. It sort of amounts to the same
thing. If you had the mail in coupon from your purchase at Best Buy,
you fill it in, Vonage sends back the refund in a month or so. If you
use the referral plan (with e-coupon) the 'rebate' gets automatically
credited as a month of service for the second month.
What sometimes happens is that people buy from the store, *and* ask
me for an e-coupon (and the second month of service) ... it won't
work unless you actually wanted *two* phone adapters, *two* phone
numbers and *two* obligations for a service plan. Basically, I am a
seller also, but your box (bought through me) is validated and
verified and drop-shipped by Vonage. So do it one way (through Best
Buy) or the other (through myself or other referrers) but not both,
hoping to get yet another free month. Vonage invariably honors the
Best Buy sale/rebate/user contract and tosses mine out. Personally,
I hope you go with my e-coupons instead of the store purchase, but
that's your choice. For an e-coupon email me: ptownson@telecom-digest.org
PAT]
timeOday (timeOday-UNSPAM@theknack.net)