Editing Vonage (section)

==Services==
Originally known for its home VOIP services, Vonage has shifted its primary focus to business cloud communications in the mid 2010s. Vonage offers cloud communications and calling plans for residential customers and  businesses, including small and medium-sized businesses, mid-market companies, and enterprises.

===Business services===
[[Image:Omar Javaid, CTO of Vonage, speaking at RISE 2018 conference.jpg|thumb|right|Omar Javaid, CTO of Vonage at the time, speaking at 2018 conference]]
Vonage offers two [[unified communications]] platforms for businesses that  integrate communications services, such as video conferencing, voicemail transcription, and desktop sharing, using voice as a platform. [[Cloud communications]] services allow business customers to connect with various  business applications and [[customer relationship management]] (CRM) tools through a [[middleware]] technology.<ref name="SoftwareAdvice">{{Cite news |last=Harris |first=Daniel |title=Is Vonage right for your small business? |url=http://www.softwareadvice.com/resources/vonage-business-solutions-for-smbs/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122190621/https://www.softwareadvice.com/resources/vonage-business-solutions-for-smbs/ |archive-date=2021-11-22 |access-date=2016-08-11 |work=Software Advice}}</ref> For business customers that rely on high quantities of voice, video and data communications in their day-to-day operations, Vonage provides [[quality of service]] over its own private  [[Multiprotocol Label Switching]] (MPLS) network and via a Software Defined Area Network (SD-WAN) product.<ref name="NetworkWorldJul16">{{Cite news |last=Kerravala |first=Zeus |date=July 26, 2016 |title=Vonage's cloudy strategy is now clear |url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/953703/vonages-cloudy-strategy-is-now-clear.html |work=Network World}}</ref><ref name="NoJitterJun16">{{Cite news |last=Schultz |first=Beth |date=June 28, 2016 |title=CPaaS Oligarchy in the Making? |url=http://www.nojitter.com/post/240171781/cpaas-oligarchy-in-the-making |work=No Jitter}}</ref><ref name="CRNJan16">{{Cite news |last=Narcisi |first=Gina |date=January 4, 2016 |title=Wheeling And Dealing: Top 6 Telecom Moves Impacting The Channel In December |url=http://www.crn.com/slide-shows/networking/300079249/wheeling-and-dealing-top-6-telecom-moves-impacting-the-channel-in-december.htm/pgno/0/3 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822185058/http://www.crn.com/slide-shows/networking/300079249/wheeling-and-dealing-top-6-telecom-moves-impacting-the-channel-in-december.htm/pgno/0/3 |archive-date=August 22, 2016 |access-date=August 11, 2016 |work=CRN}}</ref><ref name="SiliconANGLE16">{{Cite news |last=Furrier |first=John |date=March 7, 2016 |title=Vonage's big push at Enterprise Connect 2016 |url=http://siliconangle.com/blog/2016/03/07/vonage-big-push-at-enterprise-connect-2016-ec16/ |work=SiliconANGLE}}</ref>

===Residential services===
Residential services provide home phone plans using [[VoIP]] (voice over Internet Protocol) over a broadband Internet connection, such as cable Internet service or DSL. Features for Vonage home phone residential service includes voicemail transcription; 411 calling; caller ID; call waiting; do not disturb;  and a network availability feature which forwards all calls to a mobile phone if Internet connectivity is lost.<ref>[http://www.vonage.com/features.php?refer_id=WEBHO0706010001W1&lid=main_nav_included_features "Vonage Standard Calling Features for VoIP Phone Service Plans"]. Vonage.com</ref><ref name="ForbesDec09">{{Cite news |last=Woyke |first=Elizabeth |date=December 31, 2009 |title=Vonage's Second Calling |url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/0118/technology-internet-phone-cellular-vonage-second-calling.html |work=Forbes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Wortham |first=Jenna |date=October 5, 2009 |title=Vonage releases calling apps for iPhone and Blackberry |url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/vonage-releases-calling-apps-for-iphone-and-blackberry/ |work=Bits, NYTimes.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Furchgott |first=Roy |date=August 5, 2010 |title=Vonage App calls Facebook Friends Free |url=http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/05/vonage-app-calls-facebook-friends-free/ |work=Gadgetwise, NYTimes.com}}</ref> Many of Vonage's residential products offer international calling plans.<ref name="TruTowerOct14">{{Cite news |last=Nay |first=Josh Robert |date=October 2, 2014 |title=Vonage's Second Calling |url=http://www.trutower.com/2014/10/02/vonage-extensions-app-home-plan/ |work=TruTower}}</ref>

===Service requirements===
[[Image:Vonage missed call notice.jpg|thumb|right|Display on a residential-use Vonage Box phone adapter]]
Vonage customers must have a broadband Internet connection, such as cable Internet service or DSL, through an [[Internet service provider]] (ISP). To initiate subscription a customer must provide a billing and shipping address in the country of service. Vonage supplies an [[analog telephone adapter]] which connects a customer supplied standard analog telephone to the Internet and the Vonage service.<ref>[https://support.vonage.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/714/related/1 "What do I need to get service with Vonage?"] Vonage.com</ref> Residents of the U.S., Canada, and the UK may subscribe to Vonage by credit card from their respective country, but the Vonage adapter can be connected to the Internet anywhere.

Usage is generally referred to as "unlimited", though Vonage has different national "fair use" policies limiting Vonage-to-phone calls to a few thousand minutes per month in the UK,<ref>[https://www.vonage.co.uk/uk-fair-use-policy/ "UK Fair Use Policy"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110829225541/https://www.vonage.co.uk/uk-fair-use-policy/ |date=2011-08-29 }}. Vonage.co.uk.</ref> Canada,<ref>[https://www.vonage.ca/fair-usage-policy/ "Fair usage policy"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190703232248/https://www.vonage.ca/fair-usage-policy/ |date=2019-07-03 }}. Vonage.ca.</ref> and U.S.<ref>[https://www.vonage.com/reasonable_use_policy/?lid=footer_reasonable_use "Reasonable use policy"]. Vonage.com.</ref>  Evidence suggests that calls are limited to a length of 3 hours and 56 minutes.

===Telephone number availability===
Subscribers may choose a number in the country of the service they subscribe to for their primary line, in an [[area code]] of their choice. Subscribers can obtain additional "virtual numbers" for a monthly fee. Vonage also offers virtual numbers in [[Mexico]], Canada and [[Europe]]. While the company supports porting a U.S. telephone number via the FCC's [[local number portability]] (LNP), not every phone number is available in every area code. Additionally, customers can transfer an existing number to Vonage, which can take up to 7 to 10 business days from the time the customer completes the Number Transfer Authorization (NTA).<ref>[https://support.vonage.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/881 Number Transfer – FAQs] Vonage.com</ref>

===Emergency calls===
Vonage offered 911 service on a VoIP platform for the first time in 2003.<ref>[http://www.vonage.com/corporate/about_timeline.php "Vonage  Timeline"]. Vonage.com</ref> For 911 location services to work, subscribers must activate the 911 calling feature by registering their full address with the company. Customers are responsible for maintaining their 911 location information at all times.<ref>[http://www.fcc.gov/guides/voip-and-911-service FCC Consumer Advisory: VoIP and 911] [[Federal Communications Commission]]</ref>

If a customer dials 911 before the 911 verification is completed, the call will usually be routed to a national 911 call center where basic information must be given (name, location, nature of emergency, etc.), after which the call is transferred to a local public service answering point, like a local Police Department.<ref>[http://www.vonage.com/features.php?feature=911 "Vonage 9-1-1 dialing"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070616181332/http://www.vonage.com/features.php?feature=911 |date=2007-06-16 }}. Vonage.com, ''Features''. Retrieved 2010-03-30.</ref><ref>[https://support.vonage.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1110 "Traditional 911 and Vonage 911 Dialing"]. Vonage.com Support.</ref>

===Quality of service and equipment compatibility===
VoIP service relies upon consistent broadband-ISP uptime and VoIP-equipment compatibility with the ISP's modem. Although VoIP was initially optimized for voice, some [[fax]] equipment can be operated over VoIP,<ref>[http://www.voipmechanic.com/faxingissuesandotherdevices.htm Faxing Issues and Other Devices]. VoIPMechanic.com. Retrieved 2010-03-30.</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Hanes, David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mmocBBbJaa0C&q=fax+problems+voip&pg=PA130 |title=Fax, Modem, and Text for IP Telephony |last2=Salgueiro, Gonzalo |publisher=Cisco Press |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-58705-269-9 |page=130}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Olejniczak, Stephen P |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Og574PMpk8EC&q=fax+problems+voip&pg=PA170 |title=VoIP Deployment For Dummies |date=29 January 2009 |publisher=Wiley |isbn=9780470440056 |page=170}}</ref> but compatibility of monitored [[alarm device|alarm systems]] and other devices is less certain.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 17, 2009 |editor-last=Jones |editor-first=Paul E. |title=SIP Forum – Fax Over IP Task Group Problem Statement |url=http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-jones-sip-forum-fax-problem-statement-00 |access-date=2010-03-30 |website=IETF.org SIP Forum |editor-last2=Salgueiro |collaboration=yes |editor-first2=Gonzalo}}</ref> Vonage offers "specially commissioned" ''Fax Line'' service.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vonage Business |url=http://www.vonage.com/ |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=Vonage.com |language=en}}</ref> Vonage recommends customers keep a basic traditional landline dedicated to their home alarm system and use Vonage for the rest of their calling needs.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Vonage Residential {{!}} Answer {{!}} Home Alarms and Medical Alert Devices |url=https://support.vonage.com/app/articles/answer/Home-Alarms-and-Medical-Alert-Devices-1075 |access-date=2025-01-27 |work=Vonage.com}}</ref>

Vonage implements [[Voice over IP]] sending audio via [[Real-time Transport Protocol|RTP]] and signaling via [[Session Initiation Protocol|SIP]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=PBX SIP Trunking Service Provider & Cloud Solution |url=https://www.vonage.com/business/quality-of-service/sip-trunking/ |access-date=2019-12-20 |website=Vonage.com |language=en}}</ref>

===Charitable contributions===
In March 2023, The Vonage Foundation entered into a partnership with Girls Who Code to help provide accessible coding education opportunities to women of all ethnicities and backgrounds by sponsoring their Summer Immersion Program 2023. The program focuses on  creating a more diverse workforce in the technology industry by providing virtual classes for high school STEM students for free.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-16 |title=The Vonage Foundation Partners with Girls Who Code to Expand Opportunities in Tech |url=https://www.hrotoday.com/news/womens-history-month/the-vonage-foundation-partners-with-girls-who-code-to-expand-opportunities-in-tech/ |access-date=2023-03-23 |website=HRO Today |language=en-US}}</ref>