or Missing in Action - Vonage Customer Service

For the last two days I've been trying to cancel our Vonage service. Not because of quality or price issues. Just because we no longer needed a second line in our house. On Tuesday morning (June 12) I called Vonage to cancel. After twenty minutes and two dropped calls I finally reached their call centre over a very crackly line (do they run their call centre over VOIP?). The person I talked to apologised and said they're computers were down, would I please call back after lunch. I tried again in the mid afternoon. Things had improved it only took five minutes to answer my call (another crackle line). This person said the computers are still down - please call again tomorrow. Which brings to this evening's conversation (over a good line):

Vonage: Welcome to the best digital phone service How can I help you?

Mark: I would like to cancel my Vonage account.

Vonage: May please have your account number, user id and email address.

Mark: account ####### user id ##### and email #######

Vonage: Why are you canceling the account.

Mark: Because we no longer need the second line.

Vonage: Unfortunately I can't do that for you. You will have to call back during regular business hours and talk to Customer Retention

Mark: But I don't want to be retained I just want to close my Vonage account.

Vonage: I'm sorry sir I can't do that, you have to call back during regular business hours.

Mark: So I've already spent 40 minutes of my time (during a working day) trying to cancel my account and now you expect to spend more. Would Vonage like me to bill for my time?

Vonage: I'm sorry sir I can't do that, you have to call back during regular business hours.

The conversation repeated itself for another few minutes. Clearly the rep had a script and couldn't say or do anything more.

When I finally succeed in talking to Customer retention I will have to pay a $40 fee to cancel. This is really annoying.

Up until this evening I would've considered using Vonage again - not anymore.

So what I've learned Vonage doesn't empower its front line service reps to do anything more than take your money. Vonage has an entire department devoted to retaining you and its not the customer service department. Vonage is prepared to waste your time. This is beginning to sound a bit like the AOL Horror story (original). Others have had problems cancelling Vonage. Yet more. You get the idea - but I will say it once more Vonage Customer service sucks. But what I don't get why wouldn't they have a simple option to do this online? Typepad does in fact I've never spoken to a human being at typepad.

Have you had Vonage customer service pain? Do tell.

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