[Cain]

I sent the following email to support@broadvoice.com and didn't get a reply yet. Does anyone know the answer?

From: "Cain" <cain@gan-eden.net>
To: <support@BroadVoice.com>
Subject: $24.95 Unlimited World Plus plan - how many minutes/month (unlimited meaning 43,000??)
Date: Sat, 23 Oct 2004 00:41:04 -0400

Hi,
 
I'd like to get clarification as to how many minutes IN REALITY you guys would allow me to use (me = home user with a wife and 4 kids who like to talk on the phone FOR HOURS every single day), before you kick me off your service claiming "excessive usage" or somesuch. Your advertisement states "a billion minutes" but that's obviously just for illustration purposes as there are not a billion minutes in one month period (not even in 1900 years)...
 
If your limit is "dynamic" based on "network usage" or whatever, please give me the lowest limit you can PROMISE TO ACCEPT, and I will make my own decision whether that limit is high enough for me or not. I really dislike the fact that VoIP companies these days like to keep their customers in the dark as to those "magic numbers" and I do intend on getting a CRISPY CLEAR answer as to what those limits are, if you want me to sign an agreement with you allowing you to "backcharge me" for anything you "may" find excessive in the future, or charge me for "canceling" after my usage doesn't match your expected profits on my account.
 
I realize this is a highly competitive market, but boasting "unlimited" and "billion minutes" plans without actually intending to deliver on that promise seems kinda fishy to me.
 
Sincerely,
Cain Bin-Adam

[mberlant]

Cain, this letter is brilliant. I, too, look forward to a clear declaration of what BV believes is the definition of "unlimited".

[dipac]

I would probably say, assume that unlimited minutes is truly unlimited and wait until they complain that you're excessively using their network. In that event, take your business elsewhere - If you choose to.

By the way, i would gladly sign up if i lived in the US or Canada. Doesn't really work well for me in Australia because i am on DSL and a pre-requisite is an expensive PSTN Line that i now use only for local calls!

[Cain]

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	for cain@gan-eden.net; Thu, 28 Oct 2004 10:58:04 -0500
Subject: RE: $24.95 Unlimited World Plus plan - how many minutes/month (unlimited meaning 43,000??)
Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2004 11:58:03 -0400
From: "BroadVoice Support" <support@broadvoice.com>
To: "Cain" <cain@gan-eden.net>

Cain:

We apologize for the delay.

Unlimited means that you can place and receive unlimited calls as long as
you comply with our terms of service.  Usage of the service is not allowed
for auto-dialing, continuous or extensive call forwarding, telemarketing,
fax broadcasting, or fax blasting.

Keep in mind our Unlimited World/Plus Plans are designated for residential
use only, whereas the Unlimited Business plan is for business use.  Per our
terms of service, BroadVoice reserves the right to immediately terminate or
modify the Service, if BroadVoice determines, in its sole discretion, that
Customer's Service is being used for non-residential or commercial use.
(Section 1.2.1)

Realistically, we have no cap for the amount of minutes you may use, unless
you are on the BYOD Lite Plan $5.95/month, which allows 100 minutes of
outbound calls per month.  Otherwise, you may make as many phone calls as
you like, for as long as you like.

You may view our Terms and Conditions, as well as our FAQs for further
information.  If you have any furhter inquiries, please do not hesitate to
send an email to support@broadvoice.com

Terms and Conditions: http://www.broadvoice.com/terms.html
FAQs: http://www.broadvoice.com/support_faqs.html

Thank you.

BroadVoice Customer Care




-----Original Message-----
From: Cain [mailto:cain@gan-eden.net]
Sent: Wed 10/27/2004 11:03 PM
To: BroadVoice Support
Subject: Re: $24.95 Unlimited World Plus plan - how many minutes/month
(unlimited meaning 43,000??)
 
I did not receive a response to the below emails requesting clarification
re your service terms. Please assist.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Cain 
To: support@BroadVoice.com 
Sent: Saturday, October 23, 2004 12:41 AM
Subject: $24.95 Unlimited World Plus plan - how many minutes/month
(unlimited meaning 43,000??)


Hi,

I'd like to get clarification as to how many minutes IN REALITY you guys
would allow me to use (me = home user with a wife and 4 kids who like to
talk on the phone FOR HOURS every single day), before you kick me off your
service claiming "excessive usage" or somesuch. Your advertisement states
"a billion minutes" but that's obviously just for illustration purposes as
there are not a billion minutes in one month period (not even in 1900
years)...

If your limit is "dynamic" based on "network usage" or whatever, please
give me the lowest limit you can PROMISE TO ACCEPT, and I will make my own
decision whether that limit is high enough for me or not. I really dislike
the fact that VoIP companies these days like to keep their customers in the
dark as to those "magic numbers" and I do intend on getting a CRISPY CLEAR
answer as to what those limits are, if you want me to sign an agreement
with you allowing you to "backcharge me" for anything you "may" find
excessive in the future, or charge me for "canceling" after my usage
doesn't match your expected profits on my account.

I realize this is a highly competitive market, but boasting "unlimited" and
"billion minutes" plans without actually intending to deliver on that
promise seems kinda fishy to me.

Sincerely,
Cain Bin-Adam

As expected, no "magic numbers" revealed...

Cain

[PhoneBoy]

From talking to various providers, I can tell you that they have ways to determine whether or not you are making "residential" or "business calls." While few would tell me exactly how they determine that, they all generally said it comes down to volume and calling patterns.

I spread my usage out over a few different providers plus my PSTN line (for local/800 calls) and my mobile phone. I don't think I'm anywhere near violating anyone's terms of service in terms of usage.

[NachoR]

I am just sing up for the Unlimited Word Plus Unlimited Plan.
I am very corius about the minutes limit.

I see the rates for big providers and resselers VoIP termination tu USA and Canada are under 1 cent.
So, If i pay U$S 24, my supouse is I have a least 3000 minutes.

The termination to other countrys are similar.
For example Argentina termination is under 2 cents, that is becouse they include that countrys in the Plan.
But i am not sure about all this..

If some one have coments about, please tell us.

Sory my english, i am from Argentina.

Nacho R.

[mberlant]

Nacho,

Please don't apologize for your English. It is better than my Spanish. No se disculpe por su ingl

[NachoR]

Michael, thanks for answer.

But, i am still confuse...
Sopose I live in Brasil, Can i use the Word Unlimited Plus service to make my "local" (for me living in Brasil) calls ?. Or BV unlimited plans only support big amount of outgoing minutes to USA and Canada and BV will supose the international calls don

[PhoneBoy]

I don't see that as a restriction in their plans.

[mberlant]

The fact that you are physically in Brazil makes no difference. For example, if you lived in Miami and subscribed to this same service in your home would your calling patterns be any different? I do not think they would.

As long as your calling patterns are "residential" in nature you are behaving just as BV's marketing people have anticipated. That is why they are offering these service plans.