I grew up with the dependability of Ma Bell. I learned very young that when I picked up the headset, I heard a dial tone. When someone dialed our number--AMherst 6-4528--Ma rang her bell. That technology was ancient by today's standards, but it was reliable. It worked. Every time. It was also expensive by today's standards.
I don't know what the last comment meant, because I don't have a silver device.
So a few years ago I decided it was time to try a less expensive Internet phone. As a test, we signed up with Vonage, which I used as a second line. It worked quite well, but after a couple of years I just was not ready to be completely dependent on an Internet connection for something as important as our phone service, and I no longer had use for a second line, so Vonage went out. A few years later, however, our Internet connection was much more reliable and I decided to try an Internet phone again. MagicJack, "The Smarter Home Phone Service," seemed like a good choice. I started with the via-my-computer connection and it worked well. Then I purchased the direct-to-router device. It did not work so well. The power supply burned out. I bought a new one. That one burned out. I forked over another $50 for a completely new device.
The new device worked for a month or so. Then calls started coming through sporadically. Then they didn't come through at all. They showed up only as voice mails attached to emails. Dial tone but no connection. The MagicJack website provided no solutions, but it did provide a click-to-chat with a support tech. I spent more than an hour unplugging devices, waiting, checking connections, waiting, waiting for a higher-level tech. Repeating all the unplugging and waiting. The chat finally ended when the tech told me to disconnect my router for 10 minutes, which, of course, disconnected the chat.
I gave up on MagicJack, turned to FaceBook friends for advice, and purchased Ooma. After several weeks and $30 to MagicJack to give up my old phone number to Ooma, I was up and running with a dial tone and phone calls that actually came through the phone receiver.
I had paid MagicJack for a five-year plan. It would have been a good deal if the phone had actually worked for the full five years. Through August of 2018. But it didn't, so I contacted MagicJack today to get a refund for the remaining four years. Here's the transcript of the chat with MagicJack:
Please
wait for a site operator to respond.
You
are now chatting with 'Genevieve'
Your
Issue ID for this chat is LTK111530165934341X
Genevieve:
Hello, how may I
help you?
Michael
Astle: I need to cancel
my Magicjack account. My phone number has already been ported to another
service. It looks like I have several MJ services paid through 8/26/2018,
11/26/2015, 11/20/2015, and 7/31/2015. How do I cancel these and receive a
refund?
Genevieve:
Thank you for addressing your concern.
Genevieve:
This is your phone number **********, right?
Michael
Astle: That is the
number assigned to my account. I've never used that number. My home phone
number was also attached to this account, but it has been ported to Ooma.
Genevieve:
Thank you
Genevieve:
Please wait
while I check that for you
Genevieve:
You may terminate your use of the Services at any time. Remaining
balances will not be refunded.
Michael
Astle: So I can cancel
or let the service run out in time, but you won't refund any balance?
Michael
Astle: I had to switch
because your service did not work. I replaced the power supply twice and the
whole unit once. Then I spent a lot of time with MJ tech support, who could not
get my phone working. I was not receiving the service I paid for, so I switched
to Ooma. You should refund the balance since you were not providing the service
I paid for.
Genevieve:
I understand .
Genevieve:
But once you started to use the service even if it is not yet fully
consumed we cannot process a refund for that.
Michael
Astle: But your service
did not work. I had no phone service and you could not provide it. I paid for
it and deserved to receive what I paid for. Can you please escalate this to
someone who can take care of it?
Genevieve:
One moment
please...
Genevieve:
I can transfer you to a senior agent but I bet they will only tell you
the same information.
Michael
Astle: Please transfer
me.
Genevieve:
Please hold, I
am transferring you to a senior agent.
Please
wait while I transfer the chat to the best suited site operator.
You
are now chatting with 'Ayla'
Your
Issue ID for this chat is LTK111530165934341X
Ayla:
Hi there. Please hold for a moment. Let me read your chat with your
previous operator so that I can assist you right away, okay?
Michael
Astle: Okay.
Ayla:
Thank you
Ayla:
I am afraid we can no longer refund on those device that service that
has less than 1 year
Michael
Astle: Why? I paid for
reliable phone service and did not receive it. I patiently worked with your
tech support to get the service working and only switched when they failed.
Ayla:
We only refund on those service that are not used for example you
purchased a 1 year plan or a 5 year plan and it is not use we can refund that
one however if the service is used even for 1 week we can no longer refund the
remaining years
Ayla:
Or days
Michael
Astle: So my only
option is to take this to small claims court?
Michael
Astle: I paid for a
five-year plan, but you did not provide five years of service. That is a breach
of contract on your part.
Ayla:
It is on our terms of service section 3 "If you transfer or port
out your Service phone number, your Service is terminated and you relinquish
all claims for a refund of your initial licensing period as well as any renewal
licensing purchased".
Michael
Astle: That would imply
that I chose to port out. I ported out due to desperation because I needed
phone service that you were not providing under the agreement.
Ayla:
Okay
Ayla:
One moment
please...
Ayla:
Checking on the usage of the device
Ayla:
As I have checked it here the device that we can refund is for the
silver one that was not used but we cannot refund on the plus device since the
device was used so we can no longer refund on that
Michael
Astle: Fine. I will
share my experience with my 431 Facebook friends and all blog followers.
Several FB friends had already recommended Ooma over MagicJack, and this
confirms why. At least I'm done with MagicJack. You all still have to work
there.
Ayla:
Alright
Ayla:
Is there
anything else I may help you with today?
Michael
Astle: Seriously?
Ayla:
Yes
Michael
Astle: I would like a
cheeseburger. It's lunchtime and I'm hungry.
Ayla:
I am making now a report on the Refund for the 1 year plan of the
silver device
I don't know what the last comment meant, because I don't have a silver device.
I disconnected at this point because the exchange was obviously pointless.
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