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Vestalink kicked me off the unlimited plan for exceeding its limits?

Started by Codesmith, October 22, 2014, 05:53:20 AM

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Codesmith

QuoteDue to higher that normal call volumes your Vestalink account has been downgraded from an unlimited plan to a 2000 minute a month plan.

You will be receiving a credit for the difference on your account.  

Our systems have detected excessive usage on your account indicating that you are using the service for purposes other than for non-commercial/business/work use.
FYI the credit offered both times was zero.

I prepaid for 24 months of unlimited residential usage.  I talk a lot, that's why I didn't go with a 2000 min plan.  However I only use the phone for residential purposes and all minutes are to a handful of numbers belonging to family and friends.

One month there were multiple tragedies occurrences and my account got demoted.
I complained, and was restored to "unlimited status".  

I began diligently monitored my monthly usage and ensured it didn't exceed 2500 minutes.

Despite what I consider to being excessively accommodating considering I paid for unlimited residential usage,  I just got demoted again.

I'm sick of being treated this way.  My best guess is that in addition to secret monthly limits, there are also weekly and daily limits to my unlimited plan. 

I'm interested in what options and courses of action I can take other than paying for unlimited and receiving 2000 minute plan instead with a $0 refund.

LTN1

Can you get your prorated refund and then go to Localphone? Localphone offers a monthly 5,000-minute subscription for $5 per month (works out to be .001 cent per minute).

If you use this referral link, you will help me to get some minutes (and you still get the full discount): http://www.localphone.com/?rb=hXpcSREP9SxhcHyYT2X7RfzVYygtr8OrWYXcYs0mpYs

dircom

Same thing happened to me one month (I used 3660 minutes one month), family problems
I emailed them, they reinstated me.  I was told their computer kicks you out.
I would email them, and ask to be reinstated under your old plan

(I did use GV a lot the next month for outbound calls, just so I wouldnt have the problem again)
otherwise I am happy paying $3.12 cents per month for "unlimited" service
there have been two or three small outages, and recently I have had an outgoing caller id problem which is being resolved.

If there comes a time when I am not satisfied, the Anveo $7 a month plan looks good, free incoming, and 1000 minutes outgoing  (got to remember taxes with legacy type phone bills are close to ten bucks a month)

You could also think about getting your most frequent caller an Obi if they were willing (free calls Obi-Obi)

Usetheforceobiwan

#3
Quote from: dircom on October 22, 2014, 07:44:22 AM
You could also think about getting your most frequent caller an Obi if they were willing (free calls Obi-Obi)

You can also get a free WebRTC based sip calling account from getonsip.com.  This is purely SIP based and doesn't touch the POTS system but you can set up an account on an Obi for incoming and outgoing.  While getonsip doesn't allow you to have an all number sip address (I know I tried), you can make outgoing calls from a regular phone using SIP addresses you inputted into your Obi address book.   Then your friend (in a remote place) can receive your calls by just logging into Getonsip's website.  They can also call you (on your Obi) by just entering your Getonsip account name.  If you want to do video, you just log into your Getonsip account using the same credentials as you use on your Obi but you'll be using the web browser to call the other party.   Nice thing about Getonsip accounts, they allow multiple logins using the same credentials so if someone calls your Getonsip account, it will ring your Obi and whatever other device or web browser you are logged into that account as well - great way to receive your home calls (GV, VL, CC, whatever) at work (via a browser) if you forward them through your Getonsip account logged into a web browser which should work through most firewalls.  And it costs nothing for the service and if you believe what's been said about WebRTC, it's pretty secure.

Codesmith

Yeah I had this happen once, and I emailed them and they fixed it.  At the time the only way to monitor your usage while on the unlimited plan was to download a cvs file.

My problem is that my usage is consistently averaging 2205 per month, I purchased "unlimited" which is one tier above their 2000 minute plan, and all my calls are long calls to the same small group of family and friends.

I bought it at the $75 promotion, they refund minus the per month rate.  I am 7-8 months into a 24 month contract, so my refund is zero.

They still haven't replied to my email.


Codesmith

Update

I never got a response to my first email, but after 11 days they responded to a post on another forum and I was switched back.

Usage for that month was totaled 1227 minutes.  48 hours prior to being automatically demoted I was on the phone for a total of 239 minutes in one day.

Closest thing to an explanation was "Please watch out for the usage as a regular resident line don't use the phone for more than 2 hrs a day."








carl


Mooserator

Why not file a grievance with your credit card company for a charge back of the Vestalink fee (basis of false advertising, for "unlimited" service) , cancel your account, and take your business elsewhere?  Vestalink is not going to change their policy for you tomorrow, next week, or next month...

carl

Quote from: Mooserator on November 11, 2014, 07:04:11 AM
Why not file a grievance with your credit card company for a charge back of the Vestalink fee (basis of false advertising, for "unlimited" service) , cancel your account, and take your business elsewhere?  Vestalink is not going to change their policy for you tomorrow, next week, or next month...

Because you can go only so many months back to do that and different cards have different policies, but the OP should have at least tried  that .

Mooserator

Visa and MC generally allow 120 days from the point at which the "consumer was aware of a problem".  Easy to find that statement in several google links.  From the OP's time stamp, he is still within that window...