VOIP SunRocket Internet Phone Service $199 for 15months = $13.27/month

[azoomee]

GEORGEPA -- THanks man it worked (btw I live in philly)!

 

[Jlensbo]

Does anyone know what a caller hears when he is on your SunRocket Blocked Callers list? I mean, do they get a recorded message that "your call is being blocked" or do they get a busy signal?

Thanx!

 

[georgepa]

jlensbo-

I think they just get a fast busy.


azomee-

Cool, glad it worked.


SuperBacon-

Let us know what they say. Would be cool if the one time I read about the double-dip was not an abberation but something they do for all.


GTFan-

I am not really disagreeing with you at all. I think Sunrocket *SHOULD* post about router setup as an alternative, and also mention that in some cases bandwidth is cut down, so "after router" setup is a good, oftentimes desireable alternative. The only thing I took very mild issue with was that it really is possibly the only extra investment one has with this, can be had for as low as $20. We are not talking a lot of cash and it really, in the end, is the better setup in 100% of cases, IMHO. Many already have a router anyway, plus there is a good portion of customers that does not have the type of bandwidth cut, so the ones that don't have a router and are affected may have to invest a little extra. But, it needs to be kept in perspective with the savings one has over POTS and also over other VOIPs who all charge for activation and/or equipment in some form or another. SR is now down to $13.28 per month as it is. I thought it was as easy a fix as can be had and there could be future benefits for Tom anyway. I admit that I rely on self-fixing more than anything, and post to allow others to self-fix as well. SR seems on the right way, we can do a lot to improve it some more for us with threads and forums like this, and as you know there are *some* things that can be done with admin access that I would not want to be without but probably would lose if they actually cared enough (and were organized enough) to lock things down tighter than a drum. I don't want them to be "too much on top of things," if you catch my drift. I want them to be so busy getting new deals cut with retailers, new features implemented to knock more socks off, instead of caring about the tweaks we have been able to turn on "under the radar." Kind of looking at it from a hacker/tweaker perspective, I suppose.


ElCapitan-

Honestly, you SHOULD call them up and tell them that you want to switch to yearly. Tell them about the 15 month code. They may let you switch on the fly. You are in your 31 day test period and you can cancel for any reason, even on day 30, with SR picking up the entire tab for any international calls or 411 calls you made during that time. I would think they would love to convert your deal to the yearly contract. If not, cancel right away and order the 15 month deal (but keep the phones.) I would have no qualms about keeping the phones as a free gift in that situation. They are worth good money to us but SR probably pays a lot less (perhaps $25 per set.) If they have good uptime and solid service SR may earn a customer for years to come. The $25 phone investment must be well worth it for them, you may end up referring more people in your neighborhood and circle of friends to them.

 

[astrosfan90]

Originally posted by: Jlensbo


Does anyone know what a caller hears when he is on your SunRocket Blocked Callers list? I mean, do they get a recorded message that "your call is being blocked" or do they get a busy signal?

Thanx!

Good question, I was wondering that myself. I also am under the impression that it's a fast busy, though I haven't tested it.

 

[idea]

I'm having a blast with the service. I just have one question. Twice since I signed up I have lost the dialtone. Resetting the gizmo doesn't fix it. You have to reset the router, THEN the gizmo. This makes the whole network go down. I was wondering if anyone had a way to make the gizmo more stable.

This is my network layout:
Optonline.net cable service
.Motorola SB4200 cablemodem
..Linksys WRT54G (dd-wrt v23 stable)
...Gizmo
...Device1
...Device2
...Device3
...etc etc

 

[ttown]

Originally posted by: idea
I'm having a blast with the service. I just have one question. Twice since I signed up I have lost the dialtone. Resetting the gizmo doesn't fix it. You have to reset the router, THEN the gizmo. This makes the whole network go down. I was wondering if anyone had a way to make the gizmo more stable.

This is my network layout:
Optonline.net cable service
.Motorola SB4200 cablemodem
..Linksys WRT54G (dd-wrt v23 stable)
...Gizmo
...Device1
...Device2
...Device3
...etc etc

Your symptoms sound ISP related. If I read your layout correctly, you have "device1" connected to the linksys, correct? When you lose dial-tone, Device1 loses connection also?? If so, the problem is at the router -- not gizmo. Occasionally, my isp changes the network I'm on and the symptoms sound similar to yours.
Make a note of all your routers network settings while your connection is good -- then, when it happens again, reset your router and check the settings -- I'll bet your isp changed your settings.

 

[RideFree]

Curse of the dynamically assigned IP.

 

[DoozerM]

Originally posted by: idea
I'm having a blast with the service. I just have one question. Twice since I signed up I have lost the dialtone. Resetting the gizmo doesn't fix it. You have to reset the router, THEN the gizmo. This makes the whole network go down. I was wondering if anyone had a way to make the gizmo more stable.

This is my network layout:
Optonline.net cable service
.Motorola SB4200 cablemodem
..Linksys WRT54G (dd-wrt v23 stable)
...Gizmo
...Device1
...Device2
...Device3
...etc etc

I would think since you have to reset the router, then the issue lies with the router or the ISP (as ttown suggests). Out of curiosity, do you use the QoS features of dd-wrt? When researching firmwares for my WRT54G, I compared them all, and was told on different forums that HyperWRT (Tofu) is more stable than dd-wrt for QoS. I use Tofu's HyperWRT and have had no problems as of yet.

 

[georgepa]

Idea-

I agree with Ridefree and DoozerM. Since you list the gizmo as being placed after the router your entire network going down can't have anything to do with the gizmo. The culprit would have to be the router (or the ISP.) The router may need to be replaced, but I would try the suggested router firmware change first to see if that brings your dropout rate down to zero.

 

[astrosfan90]

Am I crazy, or is this a new award? I don't think I've seen this one before: http://sunrocket.com/advantages/reviews/press/

Internet Telephony® Magazine
December 2005
SunRocket was awarded the 2005 Internet Telephony VoIP Service Provider Award, which recognizes SunRocket's contribution to the significant growth of VoIP throughout the year. Selected by the industry's most objective editorial team, this award presented by Internet Telephony® magazine reflects SunRocket's pioneering efforts, originality and innovation.

 

[azoomee]

DANG -- I just had a 30 minute call from the East coast to West coast on Sunrocket. I would have expected there to be a difference (at least a little) in voice quality. You'd never know you were talking over the internet. Impressive

 

[TotalEclipse]

Sorry if i missed it but,
How many people had success upgrading from one promotion to the 15 months for $199 deal.
I started with the $19.99 a month deal to test their service, but now I'm a happy customer.
Just want to save more if possible.

 

[astrosfan90]

I want to say that if you call Customer Service up and talk with them they'll hook you up with the deal, but I can't remember if someone said they'd done it or not. How long have you had the $19.99 deal?

 

[TotalEclipse]

Member Since: January 26 2005

Well after talking to somebody in billing, I could barely understand, see said the 15 months for $199 is only for new customer.

I guess I'll trying sending an email to builditbetter@sunrocket.com.

 

[stockjock]

ok...I'm a SR guy now. Hope the wife likes it.

 

[jono8]

Originally posted by: TotalEclipse
Sorry if i missed it but,
How many people had success upgrading from one promotion to the 15 months for $199 deal.
I started with the $19.99 a month deal to test their service, but now I'm a happy customer.
Just want to save more if possible.

What about people renewing?

I got this email last week:

On behalf of everyone at SunRocket, I want to thank you for being one of SunRocket?s earliest and most loyal customers. It is hard to believe, but a year has now gone by since we introduced the industry?s first yearly subscription plan. We sincerely hope your experience with SunRocket has been a great one. We are continuing to enhance and improve our service. We are thrilled that you are making the journey with us.

In January, your SunRocket Annual Edition will expire. At that time, your annual plan will automatically convert to a monthly plan at the rate of $19.95 per month. This is a $5 savings over our regular monthly rate for All-Inclusive Service. However, we do hope you?ll choose to renew your SunRocket Annual Edition for another year.

If you renew the Annual Edition by January 31, 2006, you will receive an extra month at no charge. This means you?ll get 13 months for $199. That works out to less than $15 per month for unlimited calling to the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, Enhanced Voicemail, built-in features, international calling, and more! Remember, you can cancel anytime, for any reason, and receive a refund for unused months. If you decide to renew the Annual Edition, your credit card will be charged on the date of your annual anniversary.

You may also choose to switch to SunRocket?s new Limited Edition plan for $9.95 per month. This plan comes with 200 minutes of calling every month plus built-in features. To learn more about this new plan visit SunRocket.com.


Renew your Annual Edition or switch to the Limited Edition now by replying to Renewal@SunRocket.com or by calling
1-800-786-0132, 7am to Midnight (Eastern Time), 7 days a week.

Keeping you as a SunRocket customer is very important to us. If there is anything we can do to keep you on as a valued SunRocket member, please don?t hesitate to let us know. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Joyce Dorris
Chief Marketing Officer
SunRocket

Anyone else get this? can us renewers get in on the 15 month deal?

 

[SoulAssassin]

Anyone else get this? can us renewers get in on the 15 month deal?

I posted it on the last page. You could try to call them and make a case for 15 months but since it's a promotion for new users to entice them to sign up, I doubt it. I'm happy w the 13 months being offered proactively.

 

[tomtrike]

RideFree said on 1/05:
Tom, You are making mountains out of the molehills.
1. Who said anything about a $70 router? The cheaper, the better. I took the trouble to link you to a $40 router on Newegg. You can get by for less than that. I advised you that there are lots of router deals right here in ATHD.
2. Why is a guy with a G4 & running the latest OS complaining about even a $40 outlay, let alone FAR, as they sometimes come through in This HD forum?
3. Do you really need an "engineer" to tell you how to plug your Mac & the Gizmo into any router LAN port and then plug the router's WAN into your Cable modem? Just use prebuilt CAT5 cabling and the connections are falling-off-the-log-simple.
Nuf said.

---------

Ok I bought the router, a Netgear WGR614. Set it up: Cable modem > Router port 1 > Computer . Router port 2 > Gizmo. I still have the same slow download (3.0 Mbps ). I have double checked all connections, rebooted according to Netgear's sequence and still take at least a 50% hit on the download speed with the router between the cable modem and the computer. The Gizmo voice connection works with any setup. If I remove the router and go straight to the computer from the modem I am back to 10 Mbps.

I found another forum where someone complained that this router cut their download speed in half.

This was all supposed to be plug and play. I retired from trouble shooting 10 years ago. So I see nothing has changed. SNAFU.

tomtrike

PS: Where do I go from here? Return router? What brand would not cut download speed and work with my Mac? Or am I missing something?

 

[tomtrike]

RideFree said on 1/05:

"Tom, You are making mountains out of the molehills.
1. Who said anything about a $70 router? The cheaper, the better. I took the trouble to link you to a $40 router on Newegg. You can get by for less than that. I advised you that there are lots of router deals right here in ATHD.
2. Why is a guy with a G4 & running the latest OS complaining about even a $40 outlay, let alone FAR, as they sometimes come through in This HD forum?
3. Do you really need an "engineer" to tell you how to plug your Mac & the Gizmo into any router LAN port and then plug the router's WAN into your Cable modem? Just use prebuilt CAT5 cabling and the connections are falling-off-the-log-simple.
Nuf said. "

---------

Ok, I bought the router, a Netgear WGR614. Set it up: Cable modem > Router port 1 > Computer . Router port 2 > Gizmo. I still have the same slow download (3.0 Mbps ). I have double checked all connections, rebooted according to Netgear's sequence and still take at least a 50% hit on the download speed with the router between the cable modem and the computer. The Gizmo voice connection works with any setup. If I remove the router and go straight to the computer from the modem I am back to 10 Mbps.

I found another forum where someone complained that this same router cut their download speed in half.

This was all supposed to be plug and play. I retired from trouble shooting 10 years ago. So I see nothing has changed. SNAFU.

tomtrike

PS: Where do I go from here? Return router? What brand would not cut download speed and work with my Mac? Or am I missing something?


tomtrike

 

[tomtrike]

Ben at SunRocket (Level III) just called. He believes that I am one of 30 who have had this rare download problem. It seems to affect those with a very fast connection like my 10Mbps. So he is sending me an experimental ATA made my Innomedia to use instead of the Gizmo.

I will report back when the ATA arrives.

PS: Now I can take the router back to MicroCenter.

tomtrike

 

[GTFan]

Good luck with the new SR adapter, Tom. Please let us know everything you can about it, I've seen talk in the VOIP forum at broadbandreports.com that they're switching to another one myself. This is another good resource for questions about VOIP and home networks in general (if you haven't already heard about the site).

My answer with the Netgear would've been as you suspected, return it and try another one. Routers are like gizmos, none of them work the same for everyone's network configuration.

 

[laketrout]

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin

Anyone else get this? can us renewers get in on the 15 month deal?

I posted it on the last page. You could try to call them and make a case for 15 months but since it's a promotion for new users to entice them to sign up, I doubt it. I'm happy w the 13 months being offered proactively.

I must have missed this when I was away and can't find the info. Are you saying that renewals are being offered 13 months at $199? Thanx for help...

 

[RideFree]

Originally posted by: GTFan
Good luck with the new SR adapter, Tom. Please let us know everything you can about it, I've seen talk in the VOIP forum at broadbandreports.com that they're switching to another one myself. This is another good resource for questions about VOIP and home networks in general (if you haven't already heard about the site).

My answer with the Netgear would've been as you suspected, return it and try another one. Routers are like gizmos, none of them work the same for everyone's network configuration.

Tom,
I'm with GTFan on this one.
Sometimes you get what you pay for. (Just out of curiosity, what was the deal on the WGR614?)
You probably already know the one about the Japanese fan...

 

[SuperBacon]

Just spoke with SunRocket regarding the promo code(extra 3 months free)
They told me they could not apply the code after i had already signed up.
I tried to get part of it, at least an extra month, but to no avail.
Guess its one of thos ymmv after the fact.

 

[SoulAssassin]

Originally posted by: laketrout

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin

Anyone else get this? can us renewers get in on the 15 month deal?

I posted it on the last page. You could try to call them and make a case for 15 months but since it's a promotion for new users to entice them to sign up, I doubt it. I'm happy w the 13 months being offered proactively.

I must have missed this when I was away and can't find the info. Are you saying that renewals are being offered 13 months at $199? Thanx for help...

Yup.