I agree with Reza on this listing being the absolute right venue for recommendations and *concerns*. This post is not being made to the Asterisk User list but rather to the Biz list. I don't see why something like this should be censored.
I understand Unlimitel's reasoning for payment on-time but I would not agree with them that accounts are *pre-paid*. A true pre-paid account would stop at $0 and customer is requested for more money. If a hacker is allowed to rack up $200 bill or so at the expense of the customer then a customer with a good payment record should be given a $50 chance as well. Or maybe not :-) Though, I commend Unlimitel for having a system in place to catch abnormal activity on the *post-paid* accounts. -Bruce > Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2010 11:01:04 -0400 > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [biz] Unlimitel > > I think Stephan has got it about right, however he may want to look a > product offering for new Asterisk (TAUG) members who basically want to > experiment with VoIP lines. > Although $50 is not a lot of money a six month introductory rate ($25) for > new customers may bring in some new clients that can be developed as they > grow. > As for myself I have found Unlimitel to have constantly improved their QOS > over the years and quite frankly would not consider any other carrier > unless > I had to. I would also like to mention a problem I had a couple of months > ago when one of my client's servers got hacked ( It was my fault for leaving > the door open). The hacker > made about 12 calls to North Korea early one morning. Within an hour, > someone from Unlimitel called me to ask if this was "real", at which time I > said "NO" and cut the calls and fix the > security hole. Although I had to pay for these calls ($200) if I had been on > a post payed business model I could have racked up thousands of dollars of > calls without knowing. > I am not a large user of VoIP services but I have to have the peace of mind > that comes with knowing that my clients can be sure that their lines are the > highest quality and are not going to disconnected > because the VoIP supplier goes out of business. It is in everyone's interest > to have a strong a viable carrier. > PS I shall be giving Unlimitel a back-up credit card (just in case) > > H > > On Wed, Aug 4, 2010 at 8:47 AM, Kovalenko, Alex <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Whoa. I did not mean to open a can of worms. > > > > I have resolved a problem by providing Unlimitel with my girlfriend's > > credit card # to authorize a payment for $12, after getting my > > girlfriend in the middle of the day over to McGill to scan her credit > > card form and signature (she was not too happy :) ) and will provide > > them with new CCs when they come in from a bank (hopefully this > > morning). Thank you. > > > > What I wanted to say was that I was a bit surprised that they treat > > you like a criminal threating to cut off your service within hours > > (for $12 nevertheless) even when you have steady minutes / payments > > for the last several years. I understand that it could become a > > problem, but maybe with new accounts, and not long term existing > > clients. As for www.VoIPGizmos.ca - we have clients who pay after and > > have about $8,000 in outstanding payments - we only give this benefit > > of the doubt to customers who have spent several thousand with us in a > > past and not for new ones. As Mike Lipkin would say, Trust your fellow > > man. > > > > BUT.... Unlimitel VoIP quality and support is amazing and highly > > recommended and the only of its kind in Canada. Just make sure no one > > steals your credit cards or you are in trouble, Buster. :) > > > > -- > > Alex Kovalenko, http://ca.linkedin.com/in/kovasys > > Director of Operations @ Kovasys IT Recruitment > > IT Recruitment and Headhunting | Chasseur de Tête en TI > > 888.568.2747 x701 | www.ITHeadhunters.ca > > > > Read about us in the News: > > http://bit.ly/KovasysNews > > > > Join our IT Jobs Association Linkedin group: > > http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2464449 > > > > Follow us on Twitter: > > http://www.twitter.com/kovasys > > > > > > > > On Wed, Aug 4, 2010 at 7:46 AM, Mark Palser <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Reza, I understand where you're coming from but for me this is like when > > > somebody asks for a reference and you can't give it because the person > > > was useless. People come and ask TAUG who they would recommend, so if > > > you've had a good experience with a company you put their name forth, if > > > that happens to be any company but Unlimitel we can all read between the > > > lines . To drag a person through the mud is bad enough but one who is a > > > regular reader/contributor is just bad form in my opinion, this should > > > have been discussed off board. I know I'm a lurker and read more than I > > > post, just my 2 cents. > > > > > > > > > > > > From: Reza - Asterisk Consultant [mailto:[email protected]] > > > Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 2010 12:43 AM > > > To: asterisk biz > > > Subject: Re: [biz] Unlimitel > > > > > > > > > > > > Dear Mark (and readers): > > > > > > As a TAUG promoter, TAUG evangelist, and someone who has contributed for > > > the benefit of TAUG and bringing/inviting over 100+ of my clients and > > > students to TAUG from different avenues of expertise, including but not > > > limited to promoting TAUG in major career fairs and providing Asterisk > > > training (while representing TAUG) at international venues world wide > > > over the past several years -- without prejudice, I have to interject > > > here and say that this **is** also the place to bring forth concerns > > > against carriers or service providers (not just recommendations) - for > > > the benefit of everyone else, no matter how bitter it may sound. > > > > > > > > > > > > Yes, the thread is ugly and though it may sound like a pissing contest > > > (as per your words) - it needs to be heard by those who are considering > > > VoIP services or have voip services from Unlimitel. > > > > > > I'm not going to speak for Keith, Alex, Bruce or Chuck -- though they > > > are my friends, business associates and also competitors for the past > > > several years. I am going to speak for myself about my experience with > > > Unlimitel and readers may interpret this as they see fit. No doubt, > > > Alex isn't happy, Keith, Bruce and Chuck are being diplomatic, but I'm > > > going to be very blunt. > > > > > > > > > > > > On October 1st, 2009, 10:51 AM - I wrote to Stephan; " I got > > > my own PRI's and have my own capacity now, and marketing to Toronto > > > based SMB & SOHO. I need to port out 2 of my numbers. One is my home > > > number and the other is my business number. 416-xxx-xxxx and > > > 416-xxx-xxxx. Nothing personal - just that I need more control over > > > these numbers. The 3rd number I have, I want to keep with you. Please > > > advise which company holds the PRI for my number and the main BTN - in > > > order to ensure my port out request goes smoothly. " > > > > > > Same day at 11:11 AM, I got a reply from him, " You will need > > > to port out all your number as we will now close your account. In your > > > port request just specify Bell as the carrier and Unlimitel as the > > > reseller. Use your billing information you have with Unlimitel in your > > > request. Bell will check your account status with our database to accept > > > or reject the LNP request. This is your 30 days notice that we will be > > > closing your account on November 1st 2009 and we will refund any balance > > > from your prepaid account on that date. I checked your usage for the > > > last 2 months and you used less than $6 in minutes. So we can't keep > > > your account with us with such low revenues. " > > > > > > I have referred customers to Unlimitel over the past several years and > > > had them purchase their own accounts with their own credit card for > > > termination and origination. For each of these referrals, I had been > > > offering Asterisk hosting solutions. Each of them are light users with > > > an average of 200-300 minutes per month. So I knew Unlimitel's excuse > > > to terminate me as a client was... well... (fill in the blanks). I > > > would caution you twice before you do business with Unlimitel. Was I > > > upset and am I upset at Unlimitel? Absolutely! Anyone would be. > > > > > > > > > > > > I assure you, and I promise you - I am **not** the only person Unlimitel > > > has fired as a client. This entire SNAFU could have easily been > > > avoided by Unlimitel if they exercised a little more customer friendly > > > professional approach with elegant courtesy, reasonable time line, > > > and/or parting away under good terms. > > > > > > > > > > > > As per your quote, " besides if you have nothing good to say, why say > > > it, this is supposed to be a community helping each other " -- You say > > > it, so your fellow community members are cautioned about the true nature > > > of certain business owners and you say it, because you believe that is > > > the right thing to do. > > > > > > > > > > > > I commend Alex and Keith for taking the stand in addressing their > > > concerns openly and boldly. > > > > > > > > > With no regrets, > > > Reza. > > > > > > > > > > > > On Tue, Aug 3, 2010 at 4:36 PM, Mark Palser <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > Take this off board, really isn't the proper venue, besides if you have > > > nothing good to say, why say it, this is supposed to be a community > > > helping each other, not a place to have a pissing match. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ > > > > > > Confidentiality Note > > > > > > This message is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to > > which it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged, > > confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. 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