Warning:
We encourage everyone to read this about a new security threat from CNN, of all places:
http://weblog.infoworld.com/gripeline/archives/2009/01/is_it_safe_to_w.html?source=NLC-GRIPE&cgd=2009-01-27
This refers to a plugin they offer, Octoshape Grid Adobe Flash Plug-in, which is more than a Flash Plug-in. I turns you computer into a part of a peer-to-peer network. Read the license agreement carefully. Not cool.
Vonage still has problems, we just no longer track them. The Vonage stock value has plummeted to somewhere south of $1 most of the time, which means we predict they will drop off the NYSE pretty soon. Then they become pretty much road kill. Here’s another interesting insight on the company. Some years ago it took them 3 months (see below) to move my existing number from Qwest to Vonage. During that time the phone number was dead - it went nowhere. That was a business line - you don’t to that to a business line, ever. I billed them for the lost business. About $20,000. They never paid me.
Now I want to move my number from Vonage to Verizon FIOS. Guess what? Vonage won’t let you do that. To move my phone to Verizon FIOS, Vonage blocks my number and won’t let me transfer it. If you want to leave Verizon FIOS, that’s not a problem. they will let me move my number out. Since Vonage won’t, that means my business will need a new phone number. It also means I will need to hold onto that Vonage line for a few months until all customers and friends are moved to the new number. I have to edit the phone number on hundreds of my web pages. I have to reprint business cards for three businesses. The transfer cost for this will be about $1000 probably. but it should be done because I think Vonage will disappear soon. Incidentally, Bush and Company (SEC and FTC) have done nothing to stop their practices.
If you are currently using Vonage and wish to change, I would suggest you put your Vonage account on a separate credit card. This is what I have done. Then when you turn Vonage off you also turn the credit card off. Some people have told me that Vonage keeps billing them after they turn Vonage off. Don’t expect to get that money back.
Now that I’m switching everything to Verizon FIOS, I have to change my phone number on my business cards and several hundred web pages. I doubt if Vonage will pay for that. The SEC under Bush should have fined them and stopped their practices. But then, the failed Administration did nothing. Neither did the Administrative’s SEC do anything with Madoff. I’m glad God will judge the Administrative leaders. Congress certainly didn’t.