Vonage fighting for its life

In its ongoing fight with Verizon, Vonage won a temporary reprieve last week from the appeals court. But Vonage has a long road to travel before it’s out of the woods.

With its back against the wall, Vonage is now trying to enlist its 2+ million customers to lobby on its behalf. Below is the e-mail a friend received encouraging her to join a “grassroots campaign.” (Not clear how big Vonage would have to be for this to be an “astroturf campaign.”)

From: Vonage Customer Care <VonageCustomerCare@services.vonage.com>
To: (name deleted)
Sent: Friday, April 27, 2007 4:20:58 AM
Subject: Important News from Vonage

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Dear Vonage Customer:

Vonage invites you to be among the first to join a new grassroots campaign aimed at preserving your right to choose your phone service. We’re launching a national movement – Free to Compete – because we believe marketplace competition is good, and we want consumers to have a choice. To learn the facts and find out how you can help preserve competition and your right to choose your phone service, please visit FreeToCompete.com.

Since the day we opened our doors, our mission has been to provide consumers with an alternative to the services offered by entrenched landline phone providers. In our five short years, we've gone head-to-head with many of these industry giants, and amassed 2.4 million customer lines with our innovative technology, cool features and value pricing.

You may have heard that Verizon® is suing us over patents they say we violated. Verizon has pursued litigation against Vonage in an effort to achieve in court what it cannot achieve in the marketplace. The suit could result in limiting competition and consumers' freedom to choose a communications provider, which could ultimately drive up the cost of phone service. Vonage will continue fighting this attempt to limit your choice, while ensuring that you continue to receive the reliable, quality service you've come to expect.

As our customers, you are the most passionate and effective spokespeople we have. Let your voice be heard by visiting FreeToCompete.com. where you can:

1. Send an email to Verizon telling them you support Vonage as they defend your right to a better phone service
2. Sign our Petition
3. Learn the facts of the case
4. Spread the word

We hope you'll join us in taking up this important challenge by visiting FreeToCompete.com. Together, let's move the battle for free competition and choice in the phone industry out of the courts and back into the marketplace!

And thank you for choosing Vonage.

Regards,

Jeffrey Citron
Chairman, Interim CEO and Chief Strategist


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Technorati Tags: patent infringement, Verizon, VoIP, Vonage