Very Orany (about my) Internet Purchase

August 23, 2005 10:02 AM

I just got screwed by a VOIP company. After a month of trying to reinstate a virtual number they accidently deleted, they’ve now confessed that they assigned it to someone else. I asked “What can you do to make this right”, and all they said was “we can give you a new phone number”. What official-type people can I complain to so I can get “The Rage” out of my system?
posted by alan to law & government (5 comments total)

Write a letter to their CEO. Explain exactly what happened, who you talked to, what they said, and why that's unacceptable.

Keep writing until you get fed up.

Also, you might want to copy your congressperson / local officials on the letter. CCing the FCC couldn't hurt.

Make sure you document every phonecall / communication with the VOIP company for future use.

What company was it?
posted by bshort at 10:06 AM on August 23, 2005

If this was a standard telephone company I would've said call up the Attorney General's office and speak to someone in the Regulated Industries division and file a complaint.

But I'm not sure whether VOIP companies are regulated or not. Either way, the AG's office of consumer affairs would probably not be a bad place to start.

Also, yes, the more documentation you have the better obviously, and don't discount a frustrated letter to the company's PR dept either.
posted by eatcake at 11:29 AM on August 23, 2005

Write a very polite but firm letter detailing their screwup and your losses due to loss of phone number. Ask for free service in that amount.
posted by theora55 at 1:47 PM on August 23, 2005

VOIP remains essentially unregulated, by design; caveat emptor.
posted by dhartung at 9:39 PM on August 23, 2005

If they want to keep you as a customer, they owe you more than a new phone number. I'd try calling and politely asking them to make good with a credit to my account in an amount I thought was reasonable. Then follow up with a letter if that doesn't do it. Give someone in management a chance to do right before going to the FCC/AG/etc.
posted by mediareport at 11:57 PM on August 23, 2005