Charter Subscriber Money Back? Staying, Going Lease or Devoomification

[rudolpht]

Devoomification. How will I live w/o Monsters & West Coast feeds?

While on a delayed trip to Norfolk this evening (jinxed from the get go) I searched the Voom.com site and noted that the money back agreement from Voom lasted 30 days from 1 Feb 04 for charter members. I called to inquire on options, specifically changing to a lease. 21 minutes later, the story I got was I would not only 1) require deinstallation and reinstallation, 2) loose my charter plus pak, and 3) loose my 300 early adopter credit. While I think #1 is just bureaucratic stupidity, I could deal with that. I also new I would be sacrificing a plus pak because I would be de-chartered. Also with recent cable installation I get recordable HBO, Max, Starz, ESPN, Sho and networks via Firewire. The lone premium missing is TMC. The main missing unique content is Monsters, and despite complaints about the box, it is a well crafted HD oriented user interface that the other providers haven't figured out how to do. (Incidentally the cable guide interface is horrific).

So my biggest punch in the gut was the rumored ability to maintain the 300 credit evaporated into thin air. What to do? I decided to change to a lease after being on hold to get a conclusive answer on the 300. (I was on hold a few times). At this time I was definitely internally brooding (but ever polite). I have been accused in the past of loving Voom in lieu of documented problems and a rocky start. I could eat the initial box cost (or the 500 after “rebate”). Could I actually be upset enough to drop it, and the 50 credit I also had on my bill? Should I wait another day when the 30 days actually elapsed? Well, in my frustration I said just cut me off. I'll go cold turkey. And I became a sorrowful ex-voomer.

So lessons learned: Charter member 30 day eval period is over in one day. Think about it and tradeoffs of going lease. Let me end my short termed board administrator/helper activity (sorry Sean) by unabashedly recommending Voom to anyone wanting HD and not having access to competitive cable offerings or needing archiving right away. I'm always up for a challenging startup and appreciate a vendor with an HD focus. I wish everyone well (and may be back when Ucentric capability is available).

Sean has been trying to work arrangements for better terms for the early stalwarts. I hope he is successful.

A Voomer in heart,
Tim

 

[Geno]

While on a delayed trip to Norfolk this evening (jinxed from the get go) I searched the Voom.com site and noted that the money back agreement from Voom lasted 30 days from 1 Feb 04 for charter members.

So lessons learned: Charter member 30 day eval period is over in one day.


Following is my email that says my Money back gaurantee was extended to April 30. I hope you didn't get burned by CSR Roulette.

Thank you for subscribing to VOOM.
We are currently finishing up contract negotiations with several networks.
Once those are complete we will begin offering those channels to
subscribers like yourself. However at this time, no exact launch date has
been made available for any certain channel or type of programming. As
you may, or may not be aware, we just extended the free programming
through March 31, 2004 and the money back guarantee through April 30,
2004. If you have any further questions please give us a call at
1-800-438-8666.

Don Mackey
VOOM Customer Service

 

[Sean Mota]

Tim,

when I checked my account online it stated no charges until 3/25/04

 

[rudolpht]

Geno,

Thanks. I didn't remember that & it looks like I did get burned.

Sean,

I actually checked the Voom website under customer agreement under the main page. It was pretty explicit but there is conflicting info all over that website.

Tim

 

[Sean Mota]

Geno,

Thanks. I didn't remember that & it looks like I did get burned.

Sean,

I actually checked the Voom website under customer agreement under the main page. It was pretty explicit but there is conflicting info all over that website.

Tim

Tim, I saw that but never paid attention to it. Sorry if you felt for it. Are you planning to revert back or you pretty much done with it?

 

[rudolpht]

"*For customers who subscribe to VOOM prior to 1/31/04, the guarantee period begins as of 2/1/04. " on http://www.voom.com/voom_guarantee.html .

I'll see if I can get "rechartered" pending further details.

Tim

 

[Ilya]

Tim,

I have also received an email similar to the one posted by Geno, and I called VOOM last week to verify the April 30 deadline. This is sufficient for me. I am not going to trust their website. I think that statement is outdated.

 

[rudolpht]

I did call and get things straightened out. The good news is we will be able to always convert to a lease, but the current plan (at least through April) lets you convert for no cost. At a minimum it makes sense to stay on for free programming until then.

Let me say Voom management is being very proactive, as evidenced by the drop in the total package cost, leasing, etc.

Tim

 

[Sean Mota]

Tim,
glad to yo have you back as a VOOMER. We'll see what's going to happen.

 

[rudolpht]

It's like I never left

Tim

 

[Carbo]

Just curious, Did you subscribe to comcast HD cable? If so did you get a digital box that you can record from? And what are the channels they provide?

 

[WLong]

He said the C word :shocked

 

[Ti-maniac]

Ken Ross at the avsforum reported here that charter VOOM customers could convert to a lease without having to go through the install/deinstall process.

Yet, when I called VOOM they again told me that this was not true.

Anyone else called VOOM to see if you could convert to a lease and avoid the install/deinstall process? If so, would you happen to have the name of the CSR?

Thanks,

 

[Sean Mota]

Ken Ross at the avsforum reported here that charter VOOM customers could convert to a lease without having to go through the install/deinstall process.

Yet, when I called VOOM they again told me that this was not true.

Anyone else called VOOM to see if you could convert to a lease and avoid the install/deinstall process? If so, would you happen to have the name of the CSR?

Thanks,

I do not think the policy has been set in stone yet. The last I heard VOOM knows about this and it is working on a model that would allow current members that signed before 2/20/4 to change to the lease program (if someone wish to).

The reason for deinstall/install has to do with inventory. Currently before you are change to lease, the equipment needs to return for inventory purposes and keeping track of equipment. Once VOOM figures this out, I think it will allow to change to the lease program.