Net2Phone, What's the Catch? Review: net2phone sucks big time.
Bill Gates
penny. I got burned, so I'm putting out this warning. Pass it on.
I have sent four emails or messages via their website to them, and I
called them five times (but only got thru once). Even so, nothing has
been done to correct the billing errors. I'm still being overcharged,
and I still haven't been credited.
Here's the hard evidence and the details:
I called Customer Support at
Called a Customer Service representative at 1-877-N2PHONE (627-4663).
(Note that you can't find this # if you don't file it away when you
first sign up!)
Spoke at length with Regina, ID # 4023. At 2:08 PM (-0800) on 3/29.
Conf #. 400492. Says that there are different plans - AOL, ICQ, etc.
She says that I'm 'on the wrong plan', and that I should receive a
credit within 72 hours, and am now on the right plan.
She says that there are different plans, and mentions AOL and ICQ, but
can't explain what plan I was on, or what plan I will be on. Says I
was and will be getting the normal Net2Phone rates.
She also says that all the plans have the same rates ?!?! She can't
explain why I find different rate quotes on different net2phone pages
at the exact same time - e.g. 1st 2 minutes or 1st 5 minutes of
PC-to-Phone US-to-US calls are free; PC-to-Phone US-to-Beijing calls
are 4.9cents or US$ 0.08?
It's now 4/12... still no credit.
Interesting to see URLs like
https://ocs.net2phone.com/webrates/webrates.asp?appname=netscape&language=english&ratename=n2p-ns-usa-0501
- note the 'ratename' and 'appname'!
Here's the URL to detailed billing history:
https://ocs.net2phone.com/account/account.asp?action=calls&app_Name=my+account&language=english
'Call History', which is in 'Account Home'. (They used to call it
"Call Detail", but it seems that they reorganized the site, IMNSHO to
make things harder to find.) Here's an alternate URL (why all the
different interfaces???
https://ocs.net2phone.com/account/lookup.asp?wci=calls&action=calls&app_Name=my+account&language=english)
Here's what I ususally get:
"Error
Sorry, an error occurred while we processed your request."
or "HTTP/1.1 Server Too Busy"
I complained about this on 3/20, and it's still not fixed. FYI, I'm
on a reliable high speed 'net connection, and I'm using the site
'normally' - logging in, and clicking on links, not using URLs like
the ones above directly.
Finally, I can bring it up, if I try about a dozen times. This is my
actual, complete billing history (with **** as the last four digits)
Account Number: 415346****
PIN Number: ****
# Location Date/Time Dialed # Min Rate Amount
1 US-San Mateo, CA Mar-19-02 / 11:54 pm (415) 377-**** 1 0.02 US$
0.02
2 China-Beijing Mar-19-02 / 11:57 pm (011) 861-06298**** 9 0.08 US$
0.72
3 US-Snfc Sf01, CA Mar-20-02 / 03:12 pm (415) 921-**** 1 0.02 US$
0.02
4 US-Snfc Sf01, CA Mar-20-02 / 03:13 pm (415) 921-**** 1 0.02 US$
0.02
5 US-Etby Eb01, CA Mar-20-02 / 08:39 pm (510) 665-**** 3 0.02 US$
0.06
6 US-Etby Eb01, CA Mar-20-02 / 08:42 pm (510) 665-**** 1 0.02 US$
0.02
7 US-Etby Eb01, CA Mar-20-02 / 08:43 pm (510) 665-**** 1 0.02 US$
0.02
8 US-San Mateo, CA Mar-25-02 / 04:03 pm (650) 579-**** 7 0.02 US$
0.14
9 US-Ardmore, PA Mar-25-02 / 04:55 pm (610) 658-**** 4 0.02 US$ 0.08
10 US-Snfc Sf01, CA Mar-26-02 / 10:09 am (415) 923-**** 2 0.02 US$
0.04
11 USA Mar-28-02 / 03:56 pm (415) 346-**** 1 0.02 US$ 0.02
12 USA Mar-28-02 / 08:52 pm (510) 548-**** 1 0.02 US$ 0.02
13 USA Mar-28-02 / 08:54 pm (215) 849-**** 1 0.02 US$ 0.02
14 USA Mar-28-02 / 09:02 pm (610) 664-**** 1 0.02 US$ 0.02
15 USA Mar-28-02 / 09:03 pm (610) 664-**** 25 0.02 US$ 0.50
16 USA Mar-28-02 / 09:28 pm (800) 967-**** 4 0.00 US$ 0.00
17 USA Mar-28-02 / 09:35 pm (510) 548-**** 3 0.02 US$ 0.06
18 USA Mar-28-02 / 09:37 pm (510) 697-**** 2 0.02 US$ 0.04
19 USA Mar-28-02 / 09:44 pm (415) 377-**** 2 0.02 US$ 0.04
20 US-Catasauqua, PA Mar-29-02 / 04:19 pm (610) 264-**** 1 0.02 US$
0.02
2 US-Snfc Sf01, CA Mar-29-02 / 04:31 pm (415) 923-**** 4 0.02 US$
0.08
3 US-Snfc Sf01, CA Mar-29-02 / 04:37 pm (415) 392-**** 2 0.02 US$
0.04
4 US-San Mateo, CA Mar-29-02 / 08:37 pm (415) 235-**** 2 0.02 US$
0.04
5 USA Mar-31-02 / 02:01 pm (415) 350-**** 1 0.02 US$ 0.02
6 USA Apr-01-02 / 08:42 pm (415) 377-**** 1 0.02 US$ 0.02
7 USA Apr-02-02 / 01:31 pm (610) 658-**** 18 0.02 US$ 0.36
8 USA Apr-02-02 / 02:00 pm (415) 377-**** 1 0.02 US$ 0.02
9 USA Apr-02-02 / 02:01 pm (408) 853-**** 5 0.02 US$ 0.10
10 USA Apr-02-02 / 02:14 pm (718) 961-**** 1 0.02 US$ 0.02
11 USA Apr-02-02 / 02:17 pm (718) 533-**** 2 0.02 US$ 0.04
12 USA Apr-02-02 / 02:19 pm (408) 853-**** 1 0.02 US$ 0.02
13 USA Apr-02-02 / 02:21 pm (718) 533-**** 1 0.02 US$ 0.02
14 USA Apr-02-02 / 02:24 pm (650) 962-**** 11 0.02 US$ 0.22
15 USA Apr-04-02 / 12:06 pm (415) 377-**** 1 0.02 US$ 0.02
16 USA Apr-04-02 / 12:08 pm (408) 853-**** 1 0.02 US$ 0.02
17 USA Apr-04-02 / 07:35 pm (415) 896-**** 39 0.02 US$ 0.78
18 USA Apr-10-02 / 07:29 pm (877) 642-**** 1 0.00 US$ 0.00
19 USA Apr-10-02 / 07:30 pm (877) 642-**** 1 0.00 US$ 0.00
20 USA Apr-10-02 / 07:31 pm (877) 642-**** 1 0.00 US$ 0.00
21 USA Apr-10-02 / 08:56 pm (800) 993-**** 5 0.00 US$ 0.00
22 USA Apr-12-02 / 01:55 pm (415) 346-**** 1 0.02 US$ 0.02
"The first 5 minutes of each PC-to-Phone call are FREE, and it's only
2¢ per minute to keep talking after that!"
-http://net2phone.netscape.com/english/dialprob.html
But I'm being charged from the first minute. They're even listing
calls that didn't go thru - e.g. the last three (877) 642-**** calls.
All these calls were PC-to-Phone, originating in California.
The only thing I can recommend is that if you've paid these
charlatans, you can at least get rid of the ads by using this version:
http://classic.tucows.com/adnload/4728_674.html . Adding certain
appropriate entries to your hosts file can also block the ads.
Technically, the service isn't to bad; there's a delay, and occasional
drops that you have to get used to, and it's hard to call toll free
numbers- I often get a fast busy, probably because they give 'em a low
priority since they don't bring in any revenue.
Also, notice that they've also charged me a $.99 fee, on top of the
$25 minimum, that I didn't expect, and when I did find out about it,
thought it would come out of the $25 I'd already put in!
Billing History:
1 Mar 19, 2002 Credit Card Payment US$ 25.00 Success 5***********9554
2 Mar 31, 2002 Service Charge (US$ 0.99) Success
I'll be monitoring this thread for replies; Don't email me expecting
me to read it. I won't. Please post if this is helpful!
No_SPAMMERS
Aplios and I use VoIP Blasters (VB) to our folks. If you often
call China, you might want to consider invest some money to buy
VoIP Blasters which only costs about $20/u-units and the calls
through VB are free (well, you will have to pay for Internet
access). The only caveat is that VoIP Blaster requires a
computer host. So, if your folks also have a computer (looks
like you already have one), you can call your folks using VB or
vice versa for FREE (no more headaches with NetZero). You can
find VB by visiting Creative Labs (CL) website. You also might
want to check out the following sites:
http://www.fobbit.org
http://sourceforge.net/projects/voip-blaster
http://www.asteriskpbx.com
for a third pary driver and software for a VB to run under Linux
or unix as well as windows that are behind a Firewall + NAT
router.
Good luck.
On Friday 12 April 2002 14:16, `Bill Gates' of
`BillIs...@HotMail.com' posted on `comp.dcom.telecom.tech'
Bill Gates
> Heck, I don't deal with NetZero nor Net2Phone. My roomates use
> Aplios and I use VoIP Blasters (VB) to our folks. If you often
> call China, you might want to consider invest some money to buy
> VoIP Blasters which only costs about $20/u-units and the calls
> through VB are free
call the US, and China.
The people I'm calling don't have computers, or of course I'd be
making the calls for free, whether with Net2Phone, or your
suggestions, or something else...
Even with all of Net2Phone's screwups doubling or tripling what I get
charged, the way the prices become outrageously high is if I factor in
the time I spend resolving this crap. Counting that, I'll get $10
worth of calls for $75, instead of $50 worth of calls for $25.
> You can find VB by visiting Creative Labs (CL) website. You also might
> want to check out the following sites:
>
> http://www.fobbit.org
> http://sourceforge.net/projects/voip-blaster
> http://www.asteriskpbx.com
>
> for a third pary driver and software for a VB to run under Linux
> or unix as well as windows that are behind a Firewall + NAT
> router.
>
> Good luck.
>
...
Gill Bates
Net2Phone stories from over the years.
They have not replied to my last two emails. I am just going to try to
stay away from them.
Last summer they started charging me 10 cents for calls to the US even
though I kept getting emails saying that 'my rate' was 3.9.
The same thing happened to a friend, but it was worse. He kept
checking his balance and one day he noticed his account had dried up
and they had charged him 'the new' rate retroactively. It might have
been negative. He decided not to 'add' any credit to that account.
Regarding the different 'rate plans'. I also have an IDT calling card.
IDT used to own Net2Phone and may have bought them back after spinning
them off. Anyway, they also have different rates. And it seems it is
just a matter of calling them up, asking them to give you details of
all of their rates and then choosing the best one
At one point there were 3 or 4 and 2 of those were exactly the same
except for the per minute charge.
The monthly charge seems to just creep up and I don't think it existed
when I signed up.
Buyer beware.
On 12 Apr 2002 11:16:46 -0700, BillIs...@HotMail.com (Bill Gates)
wrote:
Paul E. Jones
Paul
"Bill Gates" <BillIs...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:6f9c31dd.02041...@posting.google.com...
Bill Gates
http://and.doxdesk.com/parasite/BargainBuddy.html for some info on the
spyware malware.
BillIs...@hotmail.com (Bill Gates) wrote in message news:<6f9c31dd.02041...@posting.google.com>...