[Asterisk-Users] VoIP Termination

[Mike Diehl (Encrypted email preferred)]

On Thursday 16 December 2004 05:17 am, Andrew Kohlsmith wrote:
> On December 16, 2004 12:03 am, Mike Diehl (Encrypted email preferred) wrote:
> > One of the catches is that I often telecommute and sometimes I do some
> > side business; these practices violate many provider's acceptable use
> > policies. So, I need a provider who doesn't care how I use the phone, and
> > one that works well with Asterisk.
>
> You've gotta be kidding, VOIP providers are trying to regulate who you can
> call?  Go with Nufone or iax.cc or even voicepulse connect -- use IAX2 over
> SIP, IMO it's just better.

Thanx, I will look into these providers.

This is an exerpt from Packet8's Terms of Use statement.  I've edited it for 
space, but I've tried to retain the context:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PERSONAL USE. 8x8's Service Plans for residential subscribers that offer 
unlimited minutes of PSTN calls ("Unlimited PSTN Plans") are for the 
reasonable personal residential use of End User only. End Users of Unlimited 
PSTN Plans shall not use the Services for commercial or governmental purposes 
or for profit or non-profit activities, including, but not limited to, home 
office, business, sales, tele-commuting, autodialing, continuous or extensive 
call forwarding, continuous connectivity, fax broadcast, fax blasting, 
telemarketing or any other activity that would be inconsistent with personal 
and residential usage. 8x8 reserves the right to immediately terminate or 
modify the Services of any End User using Unlimited PSTN Plans if 8x8 
determines, in its sole discretion, that End User is not using the Unlimited 
PSTN Plans for End User's reasonable personal residential use.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now I agree with their policy on fax-blasting, etc.  But according to them, I 
can't use my own phone for charity work?  I work at a national lab; would my 
wife be alowed to call me at work?  Or would the be a "governmental purpose?"

It gets better... If Packet8 decides, in THEIR SOLE DISCRETION, that I'm 
conducting a business with my phone, they can terminate my service, or 
increase the price of it.

I'm trying to make an issue out of this because I think it needs to change and 
I'm hoping people who are affiliated with these providers are reading this.  
I was going to go with Packet8.  I was going through the "final checklist" 
before subscribing when I came accross this fascist policy.

Sure, I can go with a business plan, but that would cost me $39.95.  That's $5 
more than I'm spending for an analog phone line!  Part of the reason for me 
to go with VoIP is to become "Quest Free."  But suddenly, Quest is starting 
to resemble the Boy Scouts when compared to the types of usage policies I'm 
seeing from some of the VoIP providers.

Sorry for the rant, but I hope you understand.

-- 
Mike
gpg key: http://diehlnet.com/~mdiehl/mdiehl.asc
83AD D927 758D 4BFC A800 0277 4B26 75A4 F0D1 C7EB