SunRocket silently calls it quits, abandons VoIP biz
By Darren Murph 
posted July 17th 2007 9:47AM
posted July 17th 2007 9:47AM
And you thought Sprint was catching flack for denying an exceedingly small portion of its customers service. Turns out, Vonage rival SunRocket has apparently shut its doors and abandoned the business -- all without a single warning or notice beforehand. Callers who recently dialed in for customer care reached an automated message saying that the firm was "no longer taking customer service or sales calls," and each individual that was employed at the call center has supposedly lost their job. As expected, no attempts by Reuters to contact SunRocket were successful, so we still have no idea if paying customers will ever see a pro-rated refund if their service does indeed cease to exist. So, dear readers, are any of you feeling the SunRocket burn?[Thanks, Jerad]
UPDATE: Well, what do you know. Here's an article suggesting that SunRocket has actually been acquired by Pluto. We've seen no confirmations as of yet, but we'll keep an eye out.
[Thanks for the update, Bob]
I was wondering when Engadget might get around to posting this. A lot of people on forums are going bonkers with their service dropping out of nowhere. Some Gizmos have been flashing a red light, meaning that it's receiving a firmware update, but users have been noting it might be bricking their Gizmos, while other users have had theirs updating all day and night. SunRocket has also destroyed invoices from their website for customers to access their payments within the last 6 months, and only leaving the July 2007 invoice available. Everyone's figuring out on how they're going to dispute the charged with their credit card companies with the limited information they have. Also unlocking Gizmos has become popular, as many are willing to hop onto another VOIP provider. Many SunRocket customers are also wondering what's going to happen to their phone numbers that they've had for 10-20 years, trying to find companies that'll port their number as fast as possible, in hopes of not losing it. ViaTalk is one company that has shown support yesterday as they offered a promotion to "buy out an additional 12 months of current SunRocket contracts" by giving users up to 27 months of service with them for $199. (1 year with ViaTalk, 1 year of the Buyout, and apparently 3 months free). The promotion has ended yesterday at midnight and now they'll only take an additional 6 months. Strangely some customers are still experiencing uninterrupted service, and plan to wait it out as they may be handed off to another VOIP provider.
WHAT?!?! That is really troubling. When is my phone going to go dead???
Oddly enough, it's July 21st and my Sunrocket service is STILL working (I'm located in Denver, BTW)
I have signed up with Lingo recently. It is very good especially in terms of voice quality. Pricing is also affordable.
I have signed up with Lingo recently. It is very good especially in terms of voice quality. Pricing is also affordable.
I think I speak for everyone when I say...."who?"
If "everyone" does not include their 200,000+ customer base, then yes, you speak for everyone.
Hmmm. 200,000 / 6,700,000,000 = 2.985e-5.
Even if you want to limit it to just the US:
200,000 / 300,000,000 = 6.66e-4.
I think he speaks for everyone near enough that it makes no difference.
Sucky thing, though. I know some people who worked there.
OUCH - my phone is not working now, and will I get my money back, or more importantly, will I get to keep and move my phone number to a new provider???
My sunrocket service is still working, although staticy (has always been clear and reliable). Viatalk has a free shipping coupon code: SHIPFREE you can use to save the $10 shipping charge. $25 activation fee stinks, but I think that's typical. Sorry to see it go, but most troubled to see all those employees out without any advanced warning.
Yes I am very sour, my phone has already stopped working and I paid the annual rate so I have 5 months to go and I am not even hoping for a refund. Apparantly via talk offers a similar deal but I am a little aprehensive to get involved with another small outfit after this. Truth be told the sunrocket service was pretty good as a phone to make international calls cause cell phone companies are still charging an arm and a leg.
IMHO, the worst times are coming for this VOIP-to-landline industry, since there is nowhere to evolve. Mobile phone became the main voice phone device for people in America, and Internet - the main means of all other communications.
Many of my friends (including me) have already dropped their land line completely in favor of mobile phone (which has no long distance charges at all, anyway). VOIP is used mainly to call abroad, and VOIP calling cards work great with mobile phones for that purpose.
I think, the only way a standalone VOIP industry can survive is to couple with a mobile phone, but telcos will not allow that in the nearest future. Not until 3G is widespread, at least.
So those companies like SunRocket and Vonage are subject to extinction, IMHO.
Just my 2 cents :)
On the consumer level, yes landlines are going the way of the dodo it seems. I think there is a lot of room for growth with small businesses that have just a handful of lines. There can be big savings on the monthly bill while vastly increasing the abilities of the phone system.
Everybody may be dropping their land lines (we did about 3 years ago), but VoIP still offers something mobiles don't: cheap, cheap calls. When my wife started complaining that we were using up all our minutes and she didn't like having to cut off conversations with friends to avoid overages, I had three choices: 40 cents a minute (!!!) for overages, 20 bucks plus contract extension for a higher-minute plan (we had a really sweet legacy contract, so "only" 10 bucks more would have actually gotten us *fewer* minutes), or 10-20 bucks a month for VoIP with a ton of included minutes, and really really cheap overages. I actually ended up going with "none of the above" -- we found a good limited-time offer from a competing mobile carrier -- but I think that of the three I would have chosen VoIP. There's still something to be said for land lines, for some people.
Mine still works, but not every call. The web site is up, but they definitely don't answer the phones. My credit card company already gave me a credit while they investigate. The bottom line is that it's like a lease, we gave them $199 each for service and they've renegged on the contract.
The bigger problem is that Vonage is teetering on the edge too. This will reduce competition and the TELCOs and Cable Cos will continue their high charges.
In reality Sun Rocket and even Via Talk are probably feeling the impact of a flawed business plan that didn't really anticipate true costs. The revenue stream just isn't enough to handle the expenses. Pretty simple business.
I plan on not getting another provider and trying to go solo with my cell. We'll see.
Mine Gizmo is still working, but I am afraid that I shall lose my number only.
I'm one of the folks feeling the burn. Needless to say I'm not the least bit happy about it. I'm hoping that Via Talk turns out to have what it takes since SunRocket definitely didn't. I hope that I can salvage my phone number and get Visa to take care of the charges since it was so recent...
I actually work for a company that provides the voicemail for SunRocket and other providers. Usually when we do trouble tickets and the such we call them back but since then there has been no answer at their NOC either. Definitely not a way to leave a business, at least give your customers notice...
Definitely feeling the burn. My service was shut down without warning last night. I recently switched from Vonage to SunRocket and the service was way better in terms of the call quality.
I did have a problem trying to port my number and am so glad I was too busy (and too lazy) to keep trying. Since I eventually wanted to port my number, I kept my Vonage account active, and man, procrastination does friggin pay off sometimes! :-D
Now, as for the matter of the $99 that I had paid for one year of service, am pretty sure that's gone with no course for reprieve. Of course, am not going to let it go that easily, but if they declare bankruptcy, there's no option really.
I guess it's just a matter of time before Vonage succumbs too.
I just read this and dialed home.
"The number you are calling is invalid, please call repair service."
I just switched from Vonage a month ago! I wonder if they'll still process number portouts?
Try www.packet8.net. I have never had a problem with this VOIP. They have decent financials, and was the first VOIP with full 911.
I'm with Vonage. which is OK, as long as you don't need to talk to anyone there.
However my first choice was going to be Packet 8. But they didn't offer any Iowa phone numbers. I still believe that they don't offer any numbers in Iowa since they have no agreements with local carriers here.
Packet 8 has been around for a pretty long time. If I had to choose, I would choose Packet 8. Most of the others that I've run across since reading about Sun Rocket I've not even heard of before.
Also I hope that at least a handful of smaller VOIP providers stay afloat. If I had to choose between a regular copper line (which I hate with a passion) or the Cable company VOIP (Mediacom). I would choose copper.
The cable company VOIP cost as much as copper ($40. a month). You cannot have any additional lines, there's no such thing as virtual numbers, and there were other things, that I can't remember right now, that I asked about that they don't provide. It seemed like a total rip off.
Thanks to SR i am now looking for a new provider. Magicjack looks interesting as some kind of skype/voip hybrid with CLEC interconnect fees + ads + p2p routing to bring revenue/reduce infrastructure costs. Any thoughts?
SunRocket = Vonage = ViaTalk = Good Luck
Seriously what the hell?
But the guy said he had sold Sun Rocket to towns like Ogdenville, Brockway, and North Haverbrook!!!
But main Street's still all cracked and broken!!
nice simpsons reference
Given no advance notice, it sure would have been nice for some info on their web site. I just wish I knew if their is any chance of recovery, or should I immediately find another provider. With advance notice, I might have been able to forward incoming calls to my cell phone on every call, rather than after the first four rings.:-(
I ran into somebody who was laid off by SunRocket recently (prior to their complete shut down). Apparently a big chunk of people were sent home with their last paycheck, no severance or anything. The remaining employees were told they may have to work for free, and they might not make it through the month of July. I also heard SunRocket's CEO hates VOIP and doesn't even use their own product. Great way to run a business!
Damn! I just paid SunRocket the yearly fee of $199 two months ago.
I used a debit card so I'm not protected under credit card safeguards. What should I attempt to do to get a refund? Any thoughts?
Hired goons.
Nothing gives the personal touch quite like hired goons.
I also recommend the goon approach. It work for me usually
Contact your bank, they should be able to help you get your money back. They have similar ways of handling chargebacks like credit card companies.
you can actually call your bank to dispute all the charges that sunrocket billed...
This all comes as news to me. Just called home and my phone is working just fine. Sunrocket did recently erroneously charge my card but I havn't spent the time to get that resolved. O well, guess I'll have to contest it with Amex.... And find some new company ASAP. Suggestions are welcome.
Feeling the burn? Absolutely. To have you phone service cut off unexpectedly really sucks. I'm still trying to consider my options. Right now I think my best deal is to get the phone service through Comcast, although I hate them. But until AT&T offers DSL in my area I don't think I can move internet service providers, Clearwire does not have good deals and it has weak service. So by the time I pay for a regular phone service I can buy comcasts triple deal for about the same price.
I was a strong supporter of SunRocket. This really ticked me off. I have a call into my bank and it seems I'm going to get my money back.
You might want to try speakeasy--I've had them for about a year now and don't have any problems. It is "expensive" (that is more-so than other DSL--comparable to cable internet), BUT, you can have DSL without having a phone landline. I loved canceling BellSouth for good--oh, wait, now that's AT&T. So, now I just need to transfer from Sunrocket. ViaTalk is looking like the only comparable one...
I believe NUVIO.COM Nuvio has taken over....i have a press release but don't want to copy paste it.
I just signed-up of SunRocket at the beginning of May, so needless to say I was more than pissed about having over 9 months left on my contract.
But I just got off the phone with Visa and they are fully aware of the issue with SunRocket and they were more than happy to dispute the charge for the remaining time I have left on my contract, and they said it shouldn't be a problem to get a credit for 3/4th of the original charge, as what would be remaining on my contract.
I was a very happy and satisfied SunRocket customer until this morning when I not only found out they went out of business yesterday but they also conveniently re-upped my annual service on the same day. Class action here I come. What a bunch of degenerates.
Crap... so much for "no gotchas!"
The best part is that as of 12:25 7-17-07 they still have top level Google Ads running offering 3 months free service. Of course clicking through leads to a dead white-space.
Personally, I run with Vonage, but its not a very comfortable ride with all the negative VoIP news.
Verizon must be licking its chops.
My phone still works. But for how long I dunno. This sucks because I can't afford to sign up for another year service(VOIP). And I hate my local phone company. And I really hate Comcast. Going from $17 a month to $33 is not much of a savings for me.
I purchased the $199 for 2 year package on 3/30/07. This morning I filed a dispute with my credit card company and received the credit back for failure to deliver promised goods.
Sun Rocket has a call center in my city.
Here's a clip from a local news story covering the sudden shutdown yesterday: "All of a sudden the calls went away and it was dead air and all of our phones were dead and several hundred people are standing up in the building saying, ‘What's going on?’”
http://www.ky3.com/news/8534842.html
Good luck getting any help at all if you paid for their service–looks like they're gone.
My Sunrocket service was still up as of this morning. I only have 1 more month left, and was about to sign up for another year when I saw this article. Good thing!
I have had absolutely no problems with the Sunrocket service for the past 3 years or so. It's very disappointing that after such good service, they couldn't send out an email to notify their customers.
Well, one friend with SR is still working. The other. Limbo. The phone never rings, nothing. It's weird. OK, on my fourth try, it rang. And then I heard the click to go to voice mail where it rang some more, and then clicked me off.
Check your credit card. Sunrocket double billed me. My renewal was in May and they billed me then. I just checked my AMEX account to file a dispute and found Sunrocket charged me again just two weeks ago.
How sad. I just lost my SunRocket connection an hour ago during a converation and then to read the bad news. I am an established business person that had transferred my main number to Sun Rocket. This is a disaster and shall probably cost me $10,000 or more for sure.
These CEO's need to go to jail ..with the bad guys!
AT&T has a largely-unadvertised VOIP service called Callvantage:
https://www.callvantage.att.com/
It's not as cheap as Sunrocket/Viatalk, but about the same as Vonage's unlimited plan. And a friend of mine who has it likes it a lot. It also seems it's a little less likely to disappear, since as much as AT&T sucks, they're probably not going anywhere any time soon.