Sunrocket Troubles (not taking anymore customer service calls)

Sunrocket rumors have been amock for a few days/weeks about them going down.

Last week there were rumors by workers at Sunrocket that they have been let go.

Today if you call their customer service number it says

"we are no longer taking customer service or sales calls goodbye."

Shahhere

Hot deals link to additional information

Here is a DSL reports link

The waiting begins...

From what I have read that their registration server are now offline so that means that if you disconnect the gizmo and reconnect it, it will not register and no longer work.

Shahhere

It hasn't been authenticated yet, but apprently this memo was sent to SR employees today:

http://gigaom.com/2007/07/16/sunrocket-is-toast-memo/
Unfortunately this email contains very bad news. We have just been informed that any and all last ditch efforts to keep operations running as well as a potential sale of the company have not gone through and that SunRocket will cease operations at COB today. As such, today is my last day and everyone else you may have worked with at SunRocket. … Regarding outstanding and future invoices: Sherwood Partners out of Palo Alto will be handling the close down of all invoices, current and outstanding.

Now we know why they were able to offer service so cheaply. Assuming they will be entering Chapter 7 liquidation, it's very likely that those who prepaid for service will receive only pennies on the dollar, if that.

Even I am under the 30 days period. But whom do you call to cancel ?

Update : Contacted my credit card company and informed them about this happening. They suggested to raise a dispute and thats what I did. Now I really hope that all this information is true and that Sunrocket is not going to fulfill their commitment otherwise I stand to loose $40 fee for dispute investigation

Any recommendations on a "stable" provider for low usage?

I hope they're not planning to cut us off - I mean they provide a public service - would FCC allow them to just cut off service? I signed up last year and am in my second year of service.

shahhere said: jairocon said: I hope they're not planning to cut us off - I mean they provide a public service - would FCC allow them to just cut off service? I signed up last year and am in my second year of service.

From what I am reading everywhere since they are VOIP they are not regulated the same way by FCC as other POTs providers would have been. . Will update with more information.

ShahhereThx for the update - please let us know if you find out more - I skimmed through the 40+ page thread you linked at dslreports, it looks like nobody knows what's going on and customer service has been laid off. My service still works. Unfortunately I won't get any refunds, since I can't dispute a 15mo old credit card charge... It's too bad, I've never had a problem with SunRocket!

my service is currently working but the gizmo has a blinking red "run" light.
someone posted at the dsl forums that if you disconnect your gizmo right now, you'll lose your service because their registration servers are down. Any opinions?

shahhere said: jairocon said: I hope they're not planning to cut us off - I mean they provide a public service - would FCC allow them to just cut off service? I signed up last year and am in my second year of service.

From what I am reading everywhere since they are VOIP they are not regulated the same way by FCC as other POTs providers would have been. . Will update with more information.

Shahhere

This is correct. VOIP is NOT regulated by the FCC or even state PUCO (Public Utilities Commissions). Even when VOIP is offered by a regulated company, for example, AT&T, the VOIP service is not regulated. Non-regulation impacts many things includung pre-payment for service with no promise to deliver future service, little or no network quality, no back up power at server locations, and even the rates. Rates can change without any notice because tariffs are not required to be filed as is the case for regulated regular phone service, POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) including long distance, international, and toll free.

The benefit of VOIP? No taxes like the Federal Excise Tax, State and Local Communications taxes, and other surcharges...yet.

pukkadmaal said: DSL Report recommends that we should start porting number before their demise. I paid $200 for two years service. Is there anyway we can get our money back besides fighting with credit card?Sorry, you'll have to get in line behind the rest of Sunrocket's creditors.

orangespot said: my service is currently working but the gizmo has a blinking red "run" light.
someone posted at the dsl forums that if you disconnect your gizmo right now, you'll lose your service because their registration servers are down. Any opinions?

i have 2 gizmos (one number was forwarded to the other).

i plugged in 2nd gizmo, VoIP light came on, but red is flashing. dialtone and calling work...

i have a fear that my number will be lost or ???? ugh.

orangespot said: my service is currently working but the gizmo has a blinking red "run" light.
someone posted at the dsl forums that if you disconnect your gizmo right now, you'll lose your service because their registration servers are down. Any opinions?My light is blinking red as well. I had the gizmo disconnected for a few days until this morning and then I plugged it in - everything worked fine. Then I accidentally disconnected it for about 2 hours over lunch and plugged it back in and it's still working fine - with the red light blinking.

Anyone thinks it would be impossible to port # to another VOIP or TELCO?

anyone lost service????
Its still on in NJ area as of 7pm EST...

explorerx said: anyone lost service????
Its still on in NJ area as of 7pm EST...

After reading the above message, I rebooted my Gizmo and I got dial-tone for about 3-4mins and then the dial-tone went away again.

Here's an excerpt from an article in today's NY Times:

Internet Phone Company Halts Operations

By MATT RICHTEL
Published: July 17, 2007

"SunRocket, an Internet telephone company, has ceased operations and is moving its customers to one or more other companies, according to a person briefed on its status.
A recording on SunRocket’s customer service line said the company “is no longer taking customer service or sales calls.” Executives of SunRocket, which was founded in 2004 and is based in Vienna, Va., could not be reached for comment.
Telecommunications industry analysts said the development high lights the struggles of start-ups trying to offer telephone service over the Internet.
These start-ups face enormous competitive pressure from the biggest players in the telecommunications industry, both cable and traditional telephone companies. The cable companies in particular have made a strong push into the telephone market by offering the service as part of a product bundle with television and Internet access.
The start-ups, like SunRocket and Vonage, the best known of the group, tend to offer a single product, and they do not have the same power as the larger companies to control quality of service because they do not operate their own telecommunications lines, said Richard Greenfield, a media analyst at Pali Research in New York."

So it appears that they hope to migrate their customers to another VOiP provider but it seems hard to do if they've shut down their CSR lines.

poison7FL said: Dead in FL

Still working for me, am in FL...

Though i already filed a dispute with AMEX and was credited the full amount:

For AMEX card holders, Do this:

- Call the number on the back of the card
- wait to talk to a representative (may be in the menu or just press zero)
- Tell the rep that you want to file a dispute (of course its much better if you got a new sunrocket account within the past 1 yr)
- File a dispute under lack of service / dissatisfied service
- AMEX will refund you the $$ immediately (but thats a courtesy)
- AMEX will do the investigation from their end to determine if Sunrocket ceased to exist
__________________

mzbagel said: The good news is that you can still use the Simple Forwarding option to forward your calls to another number for now.

My forwarding doesn't work. I cannot get incoming calls but so far can still make outgoing. Sucks, as this phone was 99% incoming. I really NEED this number, if only to give a number change message.

Any ideas for an inexpensive immediate way to keep the number only to have a recording saying "this number has been changed to xxx-xxx-xxxx?

i thought i was the only one having issues with SR. since yesterday the service was acting up. when power cycled the gizmo works fine for few minutes then no dial tone. this really sucks. i wonder if we can get out $ back. i signed up for the 1 yr 2nd yr free deal.

N2P uses an ATA so that you can plug in your regular phone, just like SunRocket.