Originally known for its home VOIP services, Vonage has shifted its primary focus to business cloud communications in the mid 2010s. Vonage offers cloud communications and calling plans for residential customers and businesses, including small and medium-sized businesses, mid-market companies, and enterprises.
Business services
Vonage offers two unified communications platforms for businesses that integrate communications services, such as video conferencing, voicemail transcription, and desktop sharing, using voice as a platform. Cloud communications services allow business customers to connect with various business applications and customer relationship management (CRM) tools through a middleware technology.[66] For business customers that rely on high quantities of voice, video and data communications in their day-to-day operations, Vonage provides quality of service over its own private Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) network and via a Software Defined Area Network (SD-WAN) product.[67][68][69][70]
Residential services
Residential services provide home phone plans using VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) over a broadband Internet connection, such as cable Internet service or DSL. Features for Vonage home phone residential service includes voicemail transcription; 411 calling; caller ID; call waiting; do not disturb; and a network availability feature which forwards all calls to a mobile phone if Internet connectivity is lost.[71][72][73][74] Many of Vonage's residential products offer international calling plans.[75]
Service requirements
Vonage customers must have a broadband Internet connection, such as cable Internet service or DSL, through an Internet service provider (ISP). To initiate subscription a customer must provide a billing and shipping address in the country of service. Vonage supplies an analog telephone adapter which connects a customer supplied standard analog telephone to the Internet and the Vonage service.[76] Residents of the U.S., Canada, and the UK may subscribe to Vonage by credit card from their respective country, but the Vonage adapter can be connected to the Internet anywhere.
Usage is generally referred to as "unlimited", though Vonage has different national "fair use" policies limiting Vonage-to-phone calls to a few thousand minutes per month in the UK,[77] Canada,[78] and U.S.[79] Evidence suggests that calls are limited to a length of 3 hours and 56 minutes.
Telephone number availability
Subscribers may choose a number in the country of the service they subscribe to for their primary line, in an area code of their choice. Subscribers can obtain additional "virtual numbers" for a monthly fee. Vonage also offers virtual numbers in Mexico, Canada and Europe. While the company supports porting a U.S. telephone number via the FCC's local number portability (LNP), not every phone number is available in every area code. Additionally, customers can transfer an existing number to Vonage, which can take up to 7 to 10 business days from the time the customer completes the Number Transfer Authorization (NTA).[80]
Emergency calls
Vonage offered 911 service on a VoIP platform for the first time in 2003.[81] For 911 location services to work, subscribers must activate the 911 calling feature by registering their full address with the company. Customers are responsible for maintaining their 911 location information at all times.[82]
If a customer dials 911 before the 911 verification is completed, the call will usually be routed to a national 911 call center where basic information must be given (name, location, nature of emergency, etc.), after which the call is transferred to a local public service answering point, like a local Police Department.[83][84]
Quality of service and equipment compatibility
VoIP service relies upon consistent broadband-ISP uptime and VoIP-equipment compatibility with the ISP's modem. Although VoIP was initially optimized for voice, some fax equipment can be operated over VoIP,[85][86][87] but compatibility of monitored alarm systems and other devices is less certain.[88] Vonage offers "specially commissioned" Fax Line service.[89] Vonage recommends customers keep a basic traditional landline dedicated to their home alarm system and use Vonage for the rest of their calling needs.[90]
Vonage implements
Charitable contributions
In March 2023, The Vonage Foundation entered into a partnership with Girls Who Code to help provide accessible coding education opportunities to women of all ethnicities and backgrounds by sponsoring its Summer Immersion Program 2023. The program focuses on creating a more diverse workforce in the technology industry by providing virtual classes for high school STEM students for free.[92]
