A class action lawsuit has been filed against the nation's largest Internet telephone provider for allegedly misleading consumer about the quality and reliability of its services. The class action was filed in US District Court in California and claims Vonage engaged in false advertising and deceptive business practices.
The company spends $500 million a year on advertising and promises higher quality, but the class claims the quality and reliability of the service is inferior to traditional telephone service, with problems ranging from dropped calls to service outages and equipment conflicts.
The lawsuit also alleges Vonage charges a $39.99 disconnect fee which is in effect an early termination fee. It also claims customers can cancel their services within 30 days with a money-back guarantee, but clients are not informed that the 30 days starts when they sign up for VoIP services and not when they actually get the necessary equipment and try the online service.