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Hey everyone. This is more of a rant/fyi.... let me lay down the back story for you
I work in the State Surgeon's office for the state of DE. I am a full time-active medic who works beside the Deputy State Surgeon and several other health systems specialists. October 4 2008, our Signal Company is deploying to Iraq for a year. Below is an e-mail from a fellow soldier I work with in my unit who is also being deployed with the signal company. After she spoke with Vontage over the phone, I was utterly stunned at the costumer service and the way this company treats soldiers who are forced to leave their home to serve their country. She sent this E-mail to Vontage, local news papers and to Sen. Joe Biden. She is deploying with his son next month...
02 September 2008
Hello,
I am a soldier in the Delaware Army National Guard preparing to deploy to Iraq 4 October 2008. I recently went to cancel my telephone service with Vonage telephone company and was told I had to either pay a $90 fee or pay a small monthly fee while I was deployed. When I told the representative that I was deploying and that was the only reason I was canceling my service, this still did not matter to Vonage. I was never late on my bill and I understand that the service agreement was for two years. When I asked if this is there process for all service members who deploy, I was told yes. I told the representative that this was the first time I was told by a company that I have to pay a fee to terminate a service due to military service or still pay while deployed. I was outraged and could not believe the values of this company. I could not believe this is how Vonage treats service members and disconnected the call. I was upset and started to discuss the matter with other soldiers in my office when I got an email from Vonage saying my account was cancelled and I was charged $89.98. I called Vonage and was transferred to the billing department where I explained that I gave no one permission to charge my account. I was on the phone for approximately an hour with no resolution, after the customer service representative spoke with his supervisor in length about my situation he was told there is nothing they do different when service members have to cancel there service due to deployment. My problem is that Vonage is charging soldiers a fee to cancel there service when they are deploying or pay them a fee which adds up to $20 less than the termination fee. I am outraged that a company would do this to service members who are called upon to serve there country. What about the soldiers who are preparing for deployment and do not have an extra $90 to spare? Something needs to be in affect so businesses can not profit from service members called to duty! How much has Vonage made from the thousands of service members deployed that had no choice but to pack up and ship out when the order came down? There is nothing in place to protect the service members from getting charged for serving there country. The money has already been taken from my account and I know I will not get it back but what about the next service member that is called to serve? I do not want companies like Vonage to be able to get away with this. Maybe there is a law or something in place that protects the service member and some of us are just not aware of this. Please let me know if there is such a law or any guidance on helping my fellow soldier from ending up in this same situation.
If you are a soldier and have Vontage watch out. If you are thinking of signing up with Vontage please don't. I have never heard of a company before that charges soldiers who are forced to deploy. Normally, a soldier has to show a proof of orders for the time they will be gone and will not be billed or suffer cancelation fees to their contract.
I work in the State Surgeon's office for the state of DE. I am a full time-active medic who works beside the Deputy State Surgeon and several other health systems specialists. October 4 2008, our Signal Company is deploying to Iraq for a year. Below is an e-mail from a fellow soldier I work with in my unit who is also being deployed with the signal company. After she spoke with Vontage over the phone, I was utterly stunned at the costumer service and the way this company treats soldiers who are forced to leave their home to serve their country. She sent this E-mail to Vontage, local news papers and to Sen. Joe Biden. She is deploying with his son next month...
02 September 2008
Hello,
I am a soldier in the Delaware Army National Guard preparing to deploy to Iraq 4 October 2008. I recently went to cancel my telephone service with Vonage telephone company and was told I had to either pay a $90 fee or pay a small monthly fee while I was deployed. When I told the representative that I was deploying and that was the only reason I was canceling my service, this still did not matter to Vonage. I was never late on my bill and I understand that the service agreement was for two years. When I asked if this is there process for all service members who deploy, I was told yes. I told the representative that this was the first time I was told by a company that I have to pay a fee to terminate a service due to military service or still pay while deployed. I was outraged and could not believe the values of this company. I could not believe this is how Vonage treats service members and disconnected the call. I was upset and started to discuss the matter with other soldiers in my office when I got an email from Vonage saying my account was cancelled and I was charged $89.98. I called Vonage and was transferred to the billing department where I explained that I gave no one permission to charge my account. I was on the phone for approximately an hour with no resolution, after the customer service representative spoke with his supervisor in length about my situation he was told there is nothing they do different when service members have to cancel there service due to deployment. My problem is that Vonage is charging soldiers a fee to cancel there service when they are deploying or pay them a fee which adds up to $20 less than the termination fee. I am outraged that a company would do this to service members who are called upon to serve there country. What about the soldiers who are preparing for deployment and do not have an extra $90 to spare? Something needs to be in affect so businesses can not profit from service members called to duty! How much has Vonage made from the thousands of service members deployed that had no choice but to pack up and ship out when the order came down? There is nothing in place to protect the service members from getting charged for serving there country. The money has already been taken from my account and I know I will not get it back but what about the next service member that is called to serve? I do not want companies like Vonage to be able to get away with this. Maybe there is a law or something in place that protects the service member and some of us are just not aware of this. Please let me know if there is such a law or any guidance on helping my fellow soldier from ending up in this same situation.
If you are a soldier and have Vontage watch out. If you are thinking of signing up with Vontage please don't. I have never heard of a company before that charges soldiers who are forced to deploy. Normally, a soldier has to show a proof of orders for the time they will be gone and will not be billed or suffer cancelation fees to their contract.
