ViaTalk Reviews

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ViaTalk is a company that has its roots in web hosting but it is making a strong mark in broadband phone service. A fast growing company with a technical heritage and customer support that is based in the USA, ViaTalk is a solid choice.


Currently, the most attractive plan from ViaTalk is the annual prepay of $199.95 with unlimited calling in the USA and Canada. They are offering an additional year free making the effective rate $8.33 per month for 2 years. You also get 1 free cloned phone line which allows 2 outgoing calls at the same time by different members of your household but uses only 1 shared phone number. ViaTalk offers a free lease for the required phone adapter but there is a $29.95 activation fee and a $10.95 shipping and handling fee. You have a 14 day money back guarantee if you are unhappy for any reason. However, the activation fee and shipping and handling are not refunded.


If you prefer plans with no commitment, they do offer a plan for $22.95 per month. It also has unlimited calling in the USA and Canada. Again, there is a $29.95 activation fee and a $10.95 shipping and handling fee.


As far as international rates, we found the rates to be competitive but not the lowest for the countries we tested. However, we found their rate to call India to be excellent but many European countries were not as aggressive as many of the other providers.


Overall, ViaTalk is a very solid choice and should be among your list of choices when shopping for phone service.

Unlimited Monthly

Activation Fee:   $29.95
One Time Equipment Charge: $0.00
Shipping & Handling: $10.95
First Month Service: $22.95
 
Total First Month: $63.85
Month 2: $22.95
Month 3: $22.95
Total for Months 4 -12: $206.55
 
Total Costs for the Year: $316.30
Average Monthly Costs: $26.36

ViaTalk Reviews Customer Reviews

It's the cost not the quality, May 19, 2009
Ricky - La Belle, PA

Customer Service
2
Sound Quality
3
Reliability
3
Features
4
Price
5
Overall Experience
3
HAD IT FOR OVER TWO YEARS - IF YOUR LOOKING FOR GOOD CS THAT IS FAST VIA TALK NOT FOR YOU. IF YOU LOOKING TO SAVE BIG TIME WITH A PRE PAID PLAN LIKE I DID THEN GET IT. I GOT TWO YEARS FOR 199.99 THEN GOT 18 mos. FOR 199 THAT ONLY 11.05 PER 30 DAYS OR .037 CENTS PER DAY . GET IT NOW .

Good for the price and VoIP, May 19, 2009
Eric - Philadelphia, PA

Customer Service
4
Sound Quality
3
Reliability
4
Features
5
Price
4
Overall Experience
4
been with these guys for almost 2 years. The unlimited pre-pay makes the cost pretty compelling when you compare to everyone else. I've used their PAP device, a grandstream device, and an Allworx phone sys. The customer support has more than usually answered my question - it can take a while on hold but that has gotten better. My 2 years is almost up and I'll probably renew - as I can't find a better deal at the moment.

good idea bad implementation, May 19, 2009
David - Athens, NY

Customer Service
1
Sound Quality
3
Reliability
3
Features
4
Price
5
Overall Experience
2
The major problem with via talk is their service. It took them a year and a half to fix an intermittent problem. If you write technical support it can take several days for them to get back to you and if you call you are probably going to get disconnected at least once. If you lose service this can be a nightmare. The people that work for via talk are kind and considerate, but sometimes all you want is the problem fixed.

Terrible Customer Service, May 19, 2009
Glenn - Chicago, IL

Customer Service
2
Sound Quality
3
Reliability
3
Features
3
Price
4
Overall Experience
2
I had Viatalk service for about 2.5 years. The 1st year I had virtually no problems. I then signed up for the 2 year plan. The 1st year of the plan I had no problems also. The second year problems started happening. We could call out but others couldn't call us. We had voice problems and echoes. I contacted their customer service but apparantly they couldn't do anything because the problems were getting worse. I finally had enough and cancelled.

Great Features, but no call, , May 19, 2009
Danny - Lynchburg, PA

Customer Service
2
Sound Quality
4
Reliability
5
Features
1
Price
1
Overall Experience
1
I purchased my Via-Talk contract 2 years ago. Things started off OK but have gone down hill in the past couple of months. The best best quality I could ever get was comparable to a poor digital cell signal. Within the past 6 months I get emails from them stating they are making huge improvements to the networks. Now, I can't even call out! I cannot check my voice mail from any number. When I submit a ticket for service it disappears into thin air because nothing is ever done. I am looking for a new VOIP home.

Great Customer Service & Prices, May 19, 2009
A. Marie - Houston, TX

Customer Service
5
Sound Quality
5
Reliability
5
Features
5
Price
5
Overall Experience
5
My brother told me about VOIP service and I started searching for services. I found Voice Reports and thought it was rich with detailed information on different providers. I must say that I really was looking for a company that had a great rate to Sao Paulo, Brazil. ViaTalk was it. I use my mobile phone alot but the rates are horrible and I wanted something that I can talk on when I get home and not burn up my cell phone minutes since nights & weekends on my cell plan don't begin till 9PM. I'm really happy with ViaTalk and can definitely recommend them. Their service is excellent.

Customer service is terrible, May 28, 2009
Norman - Los Angeles

Customer Service
1
Sound Quality
4
Reliability
3
Features
5
Price
2
Overall Experience
2
Service is pretty cool. But customer service is awful. I would not recommend

Completely Satisfied with Viatalk, May 29, 2009
Bernie - Buffalo Grove, IL USA

Customer Service
3
Sound Quality
5
Reliability
5
Features
5
Price
5
Overall Experience
5
I've been using ViaTalk for three years. It has USA Based Customer Service. Best pricing anywhere; I challenge anyone to find a better price with the same high quality of voice and customer service. I have two seperate lines. My 75 year old parents and 85 year old mother-in-law have signed up and enjoy the service. Five of my friends and neighbors have signed up and enjoy the pricing with excellent voice quality.

Poor reliability, June 04, 2009
Kenny - Fairfax Virginia USA

Customer Service
1
Sound Quality
2
Reliability
2
Features
5
Price
3
Overall Experience
2
The customer service is poor, the response time to a problem is poor, the line clarity and sound quality is very poor, and the reliability of the network is below standards. I do not recommend the company.

The Best VOIP Provider!, October 12, 2009
Tim - Newnan, GA

Customer Service
5
Sound Quality
5
Reliability
4
Features
5
Price
5
Overall Experience
4
This service is always on with no hiccups. I am a former VONAGE customer. When compared to the big names on the market this company sure competes. Seems like others don't agree. With a descent internet connection (I have 10mbps down / 1mbps up) this company will perform. I send faxes and run my home alarm off of this with no problems. Customer service is great and always there when you need them. They have a call back feature that can't be beat during high call volume days. Second free cloned line is a wonderful feature. Its like having a second phone line but with one number. You may be turned off when you see that to take advantage of the BOGO deal you have to fork out close to 200.00 up front but there is no contract and if you want to cancel anytime within the year you get your money back of the prorated months you didn't use. Give this company a try and you will not be disappointed. Minimum connection is 69kpbs up and down. The connection speeds that I am running with is well more than enough to withstand this but I have tried it on 3.0mbps down and 128kbps up and it works great also. If you are wondering how one comes up with $7.87 take $189.00 and divide by 24 because you are getting two years of service. The fees everyone complains about are different if you pay for the BOGO deal, because you pay for them all up front but the 911 and taxes which amount to $2.45 for me. UPDATE: Close to six months later and still a head strong company. Not a lick of problems. Sure Vonages new world plan is appealing but unless you call out side of america (Mexico, Europe, Asia) the plan serves no purpose and is still $24.99 plus taxes and fees. Viatalk still has them beat. Number porting can't be easier and I even ported my number from Vonage. No problem. I love ya Viatalk. When researching keep this in mind. All VOIP providers limit you on their unlimited plan. VONAGE = 5000 min PHONEPOWER = 3000 VIATALK = 5100 min <-- The best.

Poor quality, poor service, it is not becuase of VOIP it is because of VIATALK, December 08, 2009
Dee - Frederick, MD

Customer Service
1
Sound Quality
1
Reliability
1
Features
2
Price
1
Overall Experience
1
They will charge you a connection fee for service that you can never use. If you are lucky enough to get a dial tone your call will drop in less than 5 minutes. If you want your phone ported they will charge you for service for over a month while they get it ported. Then for all the headaches you suffer they will charge you a $49.95 disconnection fee, whether your fulfill the original agreement with them or not. They will never apologize for thier lack of service and will provide poor customer service, right up to the president of the company. If you don't believe me look at many the BBB complaints and the many review sites that warn the same thing I am going to tell you.....RUN as far and as fast as you can from them. If you still willing to risk it, don't say you weren't warned!

THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE, February 03, 2010
Glam - NJ

Customer Service
1
Sound Quality
1
Reliability
1
Features
2
Price
3
Overall Experience
1
I had viatalk over 3 year, and changed plan rencently, called customer service and confirmed change. But received bill with wrong charge, called again and they said will issue a refund and correct the wrong billing. I thought everything was done, but after a month, no refund and still with wrong charge. So called again, but they insist that they don't see any note showing I called, so they can't refund, only can do correct charge from next month... and I insist that need to be corrected, therefore they discontinuted my phone after this call... I never seen anything like this, of course I don't have to mention how long takes to get through customer service. The quilty is not clear, and can't hear much when you call, it has been lasted a few months.

Do not use this provider, March 03, 2010
Mike - Wilmington DE

Customer Service
1
Sound Quality
1
Reliability
1
Features
2
Price
2
Overall Experience
1
I don't like to write bad for any one but the customer service people of this company were very rude. The phone service was very poor in sound quality. They gave all kinds of reasons. I cancelled service after 4 months of nightmare. I do not recommand this company to anyone.

Get pain for $199 for a year and 2nd year pain is FREE, March 03, 2010
Andrea - Boston

Customer Service
1
Sound Quality
1
Reliability
1
Features
1
Price
1
Overall Experience
1
I am just waiting to end my service contract with this company. First, the customer service guys and girls are very rude. Second, they have few hidden terms and conditions which are not being disclosed the time of sign up and l you are stuck!! Do not advise to any one All you get for $199 is pain. If you like pain, it's cheap at ViaTalk

Beware!!! Professional SCAM, March 03, 2010
J. Peter - New York NY

Customer Service
1
Sound Quality
1
Reliability
1
Features
1
Price
1
Overall Experience
1
Please do not sign a contract with this company and never give your credit card number to this SCAM-Company or you will keep calling them for money back and they will humiliate you. Stay Away

You are getting what you have paid for!!!, March 03, 2010
Rose Mary - Philly

Customer Service
1
Sound Quality
1
Reliability
1
Features
1
Price
1
Overall Experience
1
When I called in as I was getting one way sound, they agent over the phone was not good. He said "you are getting what you have paid for". It my 10 days with them but I have to cancell it soon. The person was rude too.

Free or SCAM, March 04, 2010
Mathew Ford - South Jersey

Customer Service
1
Sound Quality
1
Reliability
1
Features
1
Price
1
Overall Experience
1
They advertised 'Free International calls to 60 countries' but after sign-up I found that there was monthly $8.95 extra for that... Well, it was surprise to me, no one told me when I called and signed up. They just charged my credit card without my notice. Next month my international calls were longer and they charged me 7 cents per minute for 112 minutes. Up on my calling they said it’s 1200 minutes for $8.95 plan. Again surprise… I wished they would have provided that information when I called for $8.95 monthly charge for International plan. Providing improper information is same as misrepresentation to the customers. I calculated Vonage is cheaper overall after all these surprises or SCAMs from VIATALK. Stay away from this company

I am tired off Via Talk, March 11, 2010
Collin Patro - Phoenix -Arizona

Customer Service
1
Sound Quality
2
Reliability
1
Features
2
Price
2
Overall Experience
1
The customer service is the worst you can experience. The phone takes too long to connect after dialing. So many hidden taxes on the name of government charges. Made me upset about charging my card without my authorization. Do not recommand to anyone. May good service providers are in market now so why would I get more stress for Viatalk

Very rude people in ViaTalk, March 11, 2010
Maria White - OH

Customer Service
1
Sound Quality
2
Reliability
1
Features
2
Price
2
Overall Experience
1
ViaTalk is not my choice of Phone Company. ViaTalk did not treat me with respect, they did not solves my problems quickly. It’s looked like ViaTalk did not try to listen my issue carefully. ViaTalk did not understand me and made me stay with them after I end my contract. Very bad phone company

Totally rip-off, Robbers..., March 15, 2010
Angela McAllen - New York NY

Customer Service
1
Sound Quality
1
Reliability
1
Features
1
Price
1
Overall Experience
1
I had service for 3 months with lots of service issues. Every week I had to call to fix. The calls were dropping, not clear voice etc. etc.... They only advised to reset the phone modem, which I did 30-40 times during 3 months. I was so tired. Finally they advised me to change my phone modem. Which I did but they charged me $11. 00 for shipping a replacement modem. I returned back the bad-modem with another $7 for shipping. (They sent a used modem too) With the second modem the issue was not resolved. After 3-4 times of resetting it they said your internet is the issue. But internet was just fine. I had Vonage for 2 yeas and never had to reset the modem. When I asked for 3rd modem, they sent, but another $11 shipping... I called them to wave it but they didn't so I didn't return previous modem. They charged me $50 for not returned modem. I talked to manager, she did gave me credit and not refunded $50 even I returned modem with $8 shipping. After 15 days, with 3rd modems was still there. I called and talked to a manager. She was very rude, and just said o cancel the service if I have the same issue. I was OK so I have her cancelled the service but also charged my card $50 for early cancellation... I retuned all their modems but they haven't refunded my $50 for modem can $50 early cancellation. So please be careful with this people. They are just robbers... I don’t recommend this service to anyone

Always worked well for me, May 11, 2010
Glen - Roanoke, VA USA

Customer Service
4
Sound Quality
4
Reliability
5
Features
5
Price
5
Overall Experience
4
A colleague told me about ViaTalk. He used them due to their low cost to call Poland, where he has family. I gave it a try and have been happy for more than 4 years. I only had to contact customer service once and the issue was resolved promptly. I have a solid internet connection via cable. I have my router configured for QOS and the phone has the highest priority. I've never had calls dropped or other problems. The web based admin makes it really easy to configure the service the way I like. One handy feature is having voicemails e-mailed to my work e-mail so I get them as soon as they're left.

No money back yet or Manager call after 32 days upon canceletaion due the bad customer service, June 01, 2010
Rollie - Rochester

Customer Service
1
Sound Quality
2
Reliability
1
Features
3
Price
1
Overall Experience
1
Terrible customer service, Viatalk due to me is around $200. They do not refund money or call back, once I get them on the phone through customer service they keep me on line and promising I will get refund in two three days (third time). This is the only way how I can complain due the small amount court is likely no options. Beware of this company, to add to this review, this is the only bad review I ever submit to any service or product as I am very easy person.

Unethical Company, July 13, 2010
John - Tampa

Customer Service
1
Sound Quality
2
Reliability
2
Features
4
Price
2
Overall Experience
2
When I first signed up, I had issues right away. I had my own phone adapter that was brand new and worked great, the Via Talk "Customer Service Reps" if you can call them that, refused to help me at all to set it up since I did not buy the device from them. They were really rude and blunt and would not even give me their most basic server settings so I could program my own device. So I winged it with settings I actually found through Google, no kidding, and I got it to work after about a week. After the first year I discovered they had been charging my credit card monthly an extra $15 or so for overage minutes fees, on their UNLIMITED mins line, every month. They out right lied about this and it was nowhere to be found on their website at sign up that over 5100 mins would be charged extra on their UNLIMITED mins accounts. Quitting them now for me means paying enough charges that you basically get no money back or a very small refund as they keep most of the money even after they prorate your bill. SO, I will let my 2 year contract run, report them for fraud and then they are history, I will never use them again. Oh and let's not forget about all the dropped calls on a very solid Internet cable modem connection, so buh-buy ViaTalk, you lost my business for good, you slammed my credit card behind my back and you know it and your customer service was below sub par.
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