iTalkBB service quality survey completed

How do you rate iTalkBB's call quality?

The poll on iTalkBB's call quality has officially completed. During the past several months, 80 votes have been collected from different users. Overall, 13% of people rates the service excellent; 38% rates satisfactory; 13% rates acceptable; 33% rates poor. This is consistent with previous result collected last year. For those who are not satisfied with the service, please check this post on how to report your problem and to seek service help.

iTalkBB Opens Hong Kong DID

Starting from March 24, 2008, iTalkBB will open a new service -- the option for you to bind a "third" phone number in Hong Kong for your phone. The optional Hong Kong phone number is in addition to your US/Canada local number and your free secondary China phone number. However, it would cost $4.99 per month. In the promotional period (before May 1, 2008? not sure at this time), the one-time activation fee of $14.99 is WAVIED. 

This service is optional and you can turn it on/off any time through the iTalkBB account management website (after login with your iTalk BB number). But it would be charged on the month basis, meaning any partial service month will be charged full month rate of $4.99.

I don't have any particular need to have a Hong Kong phone number. But if you have family or friends in Hong Kong, adding this service will make their calls to you appearing as Hong Kong local calls, saving a hefty long distance charge for them.

   

Report your iTalkBB problem (if any)

iTalkBB operates 24/7 customer service lines (1-877-482-5503), and it is available both in English and in Chinese. For those who're phone-shy, there is now a new feedback channel available: iTalkBB Call Quality Report. Hope you will not have to use it (as your service quality will always be good), but if you do, this form may help.

online chinese movies for iTalkBB users

It didn't get said enough that iTalkBB global unlimited plan subscribers actually get FREE Video-On-Demand service too. I talked about this before in a previous post here. Here is how it works:

• Log in to your iTalkBB account at http://www2.italkbb.com

• Click the banner show in your account management page as shown below
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• Login to VideoPark using your iTalkBB BBN number and password

• Enjoy the movies: below are a sample of recent movies on show. Now you get another reason to try iTalkBB. Click below to sign up with iTalkBB and don't forget using promotion code "953110" to knock $10 off. Enjoy!
  

Find out who uses iTalkBB

I found out some interesting statistics on QuantCast.com about the demographic of iTalkBB visitors: Mostly Asian, mostly with high education background, likely mid-age, likely male . It seems that if you take the biggest bin of each category, you get a profile of me. No wonder I use iTalkBB...

iTalkBB Cancellation Policy - Round 2

There is a heated discussion recently on MITBBS, one of the biggest Chinese-in-America forums/BBSs, about iTalkBB. The origin post is from an upset user of iTalkBB who found out that no partial-month service fee was granted after he/she cancelled the service in the middle of the month...

Unfortunately, as I have talked openly in a previous post, iTalkBB does NOT have a really accommodating or flexible cancellation policy: one needs to beware of the early termination charge ($69.99 within the first 12 months), and needs to be sure to return within 7 days the phone adaptor (in original packing) after termination of service. Now we learned that you'd better terminate service at the end of a service month, as your payment to the unused partial month is not refunded according to iTalkBB's term and policy. I hope I can do my part as a promoting dealer to convince iTalkBB's management to change that, though I think it would be much easier said than done.

Meanwhile, here are some advices:

(1) read iTalkBB's term and policy before you subscribe or terminate iTalkBB's service. It is worth noting that iTalkBB's policy isn't any worse comparing to most voip competitors, such as packet8.

(2) Subscribe to the $299 annual plan if possible. Many fees (activation/early termination) are waived for annual plan users.

(3) Use iTalkBB promotion code 953110 when sign up with iTalkBB. Send email to iTalkBB.deal@gmail.com for additional help on billing dispute.

Update: In iTalkBB's recent promotions, you are not subject to the $69.99 early termination fee UNLESS you request additional rebate (details here).

Need a second line? check out iTalkBB's Economic plan

Many of us have cell phones for each one of the family members. More than 90 percent of the calls are made from cell phone rather than home phones. And thanks for the competition among all different carriers, we can get newer phones, better coverage or better rates by switching phone numbers at the end of service contract, which can typically save you hundreds of dollars.

On the other hand, you really need a minimum usage phone to be listed as contact number or home phone number at various places. I was using Verizon in the past for this purpose. But it is costy (~$20/month with tax and fees) and inconvenient, as I can't move my phone number with me when I move out of the area code. iTalkBB would come to the rescue--

I have talked about the great package of iTalkBB's "Global Unlimited Plan". Now I think it's time to say a bit more on its "Residential Economic Plan", which is great for the aforementioned situation. Here is why:

Cheap, Cheap, Cheap! $4.99 monthly charge, with tax included. Usage charge is 2 cents per minute for calls within US/Canada and to China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, etc. (complete list here). For two-hours' talk from the line each month, you would end up paying about $7.50 per month. Can't beat that.

Rich in features! For the low monthly cost, you still get great features such as caller id , call waiting, call forwarding, 3-way call, 911 support... You will also get a phone number in China the same way as in Global unlimited plan, except that you need to pay 2 cents per minute using that number.

Promotion Code 953110 save you an additional $10 at the sign up, which is two-months' service.

Now you decide...