Sorenson stinging ZVRS again!

December 2, 2011 Archives

Dear Sorenson Communications,

You just released the third video today. You keep stinging ZVRS. Did you know that you can be so annoying and a major nuisance for all of us?

Do you know what you reminded me of someone?

A bumblebee.
A deranged bumblebee.

You are a large and lumbering, black and yellow deranged bumblebee making a loud droning buzz. You are pollinating misinformation as usual.

Shoo… go away.

You are harmless little insect because you don’t usually attack a human, UNLESS if your life is under threat. So, are you feeling threatened that you are losing customers who made a choice to port their OWN 10-DIGIT PHONE NUMBER to any VRS provider? Then you had to attack ZVRS three times? That’s SO pathetic! I feel sorry for you.

You are becoming a major pest. Do you know what you should be afraid? We can report against you for harassment and misinformation. FCC is your pesticide. Be very afraid.

Translation from Spanish : “I don’t like this!”

Your former customer,
Amy Cohen Efron

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98 comments on “Sorenson stinging ZVRS again!”

Amy,

You are not supposed to cut and paste Sorenson’s Logo on your website WITHOUT their perimission.. tsk tsk…

GO SORENSON! GO SORENSON!! GO SORENSON!!!

I am not making any money from my blog… therefore no biggie. Let them tell me to stop. Fair use laws apply.

Amy, you’re no better at stinging Sorenson. Its interesting watching you over the years going from someone who offered something very little to the community to someone who has let a company poison your mind with your anti-Sorenson propaganda. It’s getting a little boring and annoying. Shoo… Go away too! Show me a product better than Sorenson and ten you’ll have something I’ll listen to but I’ve used Z products myself, they have high hold times and much worse video quality. It’s a fair game.

Aww David… you support Sorenson. That is your individual choice. I am criticizing a large company who have gone so low to use their customers’ testimony against ZVRS. That is what they are doing. Not talking about other VRS providers, attacking ZVRS specifically. I like my Z20 product and you like VP200/nTouchVP.

Companies’ marketing tactics.. I give a grade.

My opinion.

Amy

whoa! I couldn’t believe this! sorenson is getting worse these days. They are in a panic mode right now trying to do a damage control losing customers to other VRS providers especially to ZVRS. Once again, sorenson is using this sicko tactics.

Watch this – sorenson will make one more video with “puppet master” Ron Burdett begging customers not to use other VRS providers or sorenson will go die/fade!!

This is actually getting bored with it. Why don’t you talk about walmart (the biggest stores of world)

You have to understand, Sorenson is a good because they’re spend a billions on new product and by ITSELF Sorenson and the new product create BY sorenson which is in the house.

As for ZVRS, you have to understand, the product has been relased like 5 years ago for Z20 and Z340 released 7 years, they both are so OLD!!!!! They just need to rid of all products. If you want to upgrade you will not able to upgrade but have to pay for upgrade while Sorenson provide a free upgrade at no cost. You gotta think about it.

I forget to add some. ZVRS bought a product from some company and use mirial which is hearing company to develop for deaf but Sorenson develop ntouch vp in the house by 6 deaf engineer which I know them from Gallaudet. So you need to research carefully as well.

and ZVRS attacking on Sorenson too so no big deal

I say: to each to their own. Like Amy said, it’s an individual choice. The 3rd video reinforces that fact — that we all make our own choices. Sorenson and Z, along with other VRS companies, compete for customers. These “testimonials” appear to have come from those who are loyal to Sorenson. Power to them! Although I watched them, their message actually fell on deaf ears. 🙂

Really, it’s all about competition for our minutes. They (all VRS companies) will resort to comparing themselves against the competition. You see that all the time on TV with Coke poking fun at Pepsi, Progressive mocking other car insurance companies (and some hit back at Progressive as well), and so on.

This is exactly what we are seeing here between Sorenson and Z. As far as I’m concerned, Sorenson is the Goliath and Z is the David, the upstart David, that Sorenson has every reason to fear. In response to that perceived fear (maybe due to declining minutes), S has gone on the offensive. I know this because I already ported not one, but two numbers from Sorenson to another VRS company.

Because I ported both of my numbers that I got from Sorenson back when I had my VP100s, Sorenson contacted me not once, but several times, going as far as showing up at my work office, unannounced no less, to try and get me to try their nVP and n* products. Each time, I turned them away saying that I don’t find that their products and services meet my needs — they really never have since day one.

And not to mention that they insult my intelligence by requiring that an installer install an android app on my pager (and this is coming from a guy who rooted his android pager — replaced Sprint’s OS with a different one).

Anyway, I digress, I have friends who kiss and sniff anything that comes from Sorenson, going as far as to bleed black and yellow, and will not even entertain the notion of changing companies. I tell them this: as long as you do not try to proselytize anything Sorenson, and respect my choice, I’ll respect yours. If you don’t, then I’ll pontificate on the top of my hands the ills of going black and yellow (and I have plenty).

I’m most interested in watching these two duke it out in the marketplace for our minutes. So far Z is winning the battle with marketing creativity, right people, and continuous innovation by the deaf and hard of hearing for the deaf and hard of hearing. Sorenson, every step of the way, tries to wrest control of the marketplace as evident by their attempts to ligitate this or that issue in courts against FCC/NECA, etc. So yes, I’m most interested…

Amy said “……. You can be so annoying and major nuisance to all of us”. Uhm….. All of us? What do you mean? Every VRS users, including SVRS, Purple, ZVRS and so forth customers like me? I’m proud to say I am SVRS loyalist.

Gotta go playing a chess game, I guess

When your largest competitor who owns 80% of the market share is making videos about you, that can only mean one thing.

They are worried!

They have reason to be since people are porting out from Sorenson in large numbers.

@None

I have not seen any videos from ZVRS slamming Sorenson or talking them down.

I have seen ZVRS explain the difference between ZVRS and Sorenson products. They also explained that your 10 digit number is YOURS… not Sorenson’s.

I have seen ZVRS keep releasing positive videos about Z Life which has nothing to do at all with Sorenson. ZVRS has no reason to attack Sorenson at all. In fact, ZVRS has gone out of its way to make sure that Z products are interoperable with VP-200’s. For example, 1Number will allow you to add your VP-200 to one of four VP’s you can add. When you receive a call to your primary number, it will ring all your VP’s INCLUDING your VP-200. Would Sorenson do something like this? Obviously not.

They made it clear by their recent videos that you are either with Sorenson or against Sorenson. That is pretty sad and pathetic in my opinion. It does nothing good for all deaf people.

Ah, it isn’t called capitalism for nothing, Amy. 🙂

Business is business.

However, I’d chime in my endorsement: 1st choice is Convo whilst 2nd choice is Z4. The rest? It depends, and I seldom touch their services, if at all. SprintIP on a very rare occasion is utilized for text-based relay.

As for those Sorenson cheerleaders above, this kind of business is a cut throat competition. So, don’t let it affect you personally for you to go out and about cutting other patrons’ throat who endorses other companies.

-getting off of mah soap box-

The last customer in this recent port video used to be a Z employee. His employment with Z was terminated recently so its understandable why he is in this negative video by Sorenson.

I have also seen this man making negative comments on Facebook against his former employer.

Sad and pathetic

It is a choice we all have. We have OPTIONS we can decide on. We can choose to have more than one VP from more than one VRS company or we can choose to be loyal to one.

For me, the simplest thing was to pack up VP200 and I never got a call from them after I ported my number.

The thing here is people need to KNOW that porting means you are moving YOUR number from a VP to another VP.

Any VP company that retaliates by talking negative about another VP company is a big turn off for me. Something for some of you VP companies out there to think about. Just promote your product and let us decide.

None:

Your claims of 5 years for the Z20 and 7 years for the Z340 are false:

http://www.alldeaf.com/1968874-post74.html

The Z340 is the Creative InPerson. Creative announced it in January, 2008. The FCC mandated 10 digit dialing plan was not enforced until the beginning of 2009. It is not quite 4 years old, which is a far cry from your claimed 7 years.

The Tandberg E20 started shipping March of 2009 to the hearing world (with pretty buggy firmware at the time: TE1.0). ZVRS started evaluating it internally at that time, and rejected firmware builds up to TE2.2.1, which was released by Tandberg in August, 2010. Until that point, the firmware was not interoperable with other VRS videophones. After thorough interoperability testing and integration with the rest of the ZVRS platform features, ZVRS started shipping the z20 to testers in November of 2010. General deployment to customers really began the beginning of 2011. This is 2 years, not 5 as you claim.

These are the facts.

Sorenson people had been blood through their vein that mean sorenson wash their brain. Zvrs is champ because they have full device so sorenson only have device that must hook up tv or hdmi to hdtv. And people can put all contacts list on zvrs website it will automatic to z20. Some people are just complan that is all

If you do not like Sorenson, just return the device to Sorenson. If you like Sorenson, keep it. You have a choice.

this for WRI who havent see Z attacking Sorenson..

here is the link..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29wtGLMuOxM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-6DkwPVnqU

As always Sorenson have been took high road while Z went down and dirty bashing Sorenson. Now I see them changing their marketing approach and attacking Z.. Kudos to them !! Go S !!!!!! It’s time for Sorenson to stand on the ground and show Z..

oh did you know Dr Z was based on the commission for porting ? FCC busted them and had to change to Salary as the word was flying in the deaf community ?

Z contracted bunch of interpreter and set up in their home ? what ????? Sorenson VRS have center ! thank god and bless them for my privacy ! whew bec Z interpreter booth is at the interpreter home they set up the wall and internet for them until FCC busted and Z had to let go 150 interpreter as one of my friend was let go bec of home interpreter ???

Geez.. oh Amy did you bashing Zvrs on your facebook for holding more than 10 minutes ?? Keep calling Z.. make them waitinig bec for every 2 minutes passing they R getting a huge FINE by FCC.

as for Amy, how did Sorenson went so low and down ? I think its YOU .. as always bashing Sorenson.. maybe.. go shoo shoo shoo Amy go find something better to do.. protest the Walmart or occupy something ! shees

Cheers…

Amy was NOT bashing Z about the 10 min wait for an interpreter. She was letting the company know what was going on. The wait is a result of the new FCC mandate requiring interpreters to work in call centers and not from home. The purpose of that mandate is to verify call minutes. ALL VRS COMPANIES are going thru this, including Sorenson. As for the Dr Z-where’s the evidence? I’m tired of people bashing other companies without evidence.

Even though I work for Z, I strongly support the POWER OF CHOICE. I don’t see people bashing others for choosing to stick with T-Mobile or switching to Sprint. The way I see this whole debate is EDUCATION! Educating the public with choices. Not brainwashing. I’ve seen Sorenson try to brainwash customers who choose to port to another provider to the point where they (the customers) are ready to file harrassment charges. I have a customer who recently had 2 Sorenson reps from out of state stop by their home–and even offerred to take out the family of 5 out to dinner in an effort to persuade them to switch back to Sorenson. That’s BRIBERY! and desperation! Wow….

Windycity, Oops and whatever other names you are using here,

The first link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29wtGLMuOxM is not a Z video. You can tell just by the fact that it has no introductory Z logo on it. Head over to the ZVRSchannel and view the videos you will see what I mean. Every Z Video has a swirling Z or ZVRS that comes up before the video start. This video was created by one of our customers.

Second video is an educational video explaining how your 10 digit number is yours. It is also a comparison video showing the differences between Z products and Sorenson products. Nothing negative about that unless the fact that your provider doesn’t have the features you want and you don’t like hearing that over and over. Then I might understand how you might think it is negative.

You slam ZVRS for using interpreters from home. I believe Sorenson also hired independent contractors. The reason for the change in FCC rules was due to privacy as you pointed out. However Z Products do not have that issue since you can input the credit card number on your Z product instead of giving it to the interpreter. You can’t do that with the VP-200 to my knowledge.

Want to know what is Negative? A Sorenson installer showing up at the home of a customer who ported to another provider and intimidating them into porting back. The ridiculous claim that the other provider “STOLE” the “Sorenson” number is often used. The customer is then intimidated into signing a piece of paper (the LOA or Release Agreement) and then the installer confiscates ALL VP’s on sight while leaving just one… the NVP. A few friends of mine have mentioned this happening lately.

basically funny thing you kept your eyes closed on the Z.. but surely put negative toward to Sorenson..

Z isnt perfect as well. they been doing this dirty tatics as well. funny I asked Z that
I ” as a customer ” wanted to port purple number to z device, since the MVP is no longer existed. I have the LN which are as VALID as sorenson, I decided to ported purple number to Z 20, know what they say ? it will COST you 499.99 ?? WTH ?? I believe porting any LN should be free, Z reps said ” Z20 is FREE ONLY if YOU port Sorenson ? my question WHY WHY WHY target them ???? why not puprle ? sprints ? huh ?
thats why i decided forget it. I stick to them Go Sorenson !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

so Z .. they are desperate ! porting so many customer, if they provide their OWN number it would be different concept, since Sorenson offered the package and its free I show my respect and loyal, when Z start to act up and be a package like Sorenson then its something to compare..

other than that.. sorry Z you dont have the load package..

Chuckles. As the Deaf world turns. This is really bush league stuff. Nitpick all you can.

Thomas (windcity, Oops and whoever else you pretend to be),

Each company can choose to setup their offers however they want. The Z20 is a business grade phone that costs $1,000 or more. ZVRS has every right to setup their advertising marketing however they want. Nothing dirty or wrong about that.

It is becoming very obvious that you are on a one man crusade against your former employer. Sad really.

Windycity (Thomas?)

If you are a savvy consumer, you might consider porting your number to Sorenson first, and then to ZVRS.

There is no way ZVRS can tell that your number was a Purple number, after you’ve ported it to Sorenson.

Consider it a silly loophole, but it’s a perfectly valid way to avoid paying for a Z20.

The phone number is yours, after all.

Just make sure you don’t sign anything with Sorenson that commits you to paying an early termination or other fee when you port away from them. I believe their current contract for the nTouch VP says you can either pay the fee or ship the phone back to them.

If you play your cards right, you might even convince them to give you an iPad2 and $300 cash, as this savvy consumer has discovered:

http://www.alldeaf.com/relay-services/96766-sorenson-vs-zvrs-2.html#post1985957

There is just something very untoward about that approach.

I have not liked Sorenson since day 1 when I have read many of the documents were listed in the FCC’s ECFS system. Amy, if you have the time I suggest you go through Sorenson’s documents in the ECFS system altho I do not know if the older documents would still be there. You can narrow down the search by using the sorenson keyword. This is the link:

http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/comment_search/input?z=2vzs

I believe the proceeding number is 03-123. I do not know if this has changed but this was what I used years ago.

If you have not seen this in the past, then I should warn you, you’d be looking at a lot of hours of reading their documents. I’ve gone through them years ago and have not really looked at it much over the past few years and I was just stunned by what I read and when I tried to explain that years ago to other deaf people, they just would not believe me and if I told them to try reading those documents, the response was usually, its too long for me to read. If you could take the time to read them all and explain certain areas in ASL then many more people would actually believe it. Simply because its there in black and white! But this was in the late 90s and early 00s so I am not sure if they are still there.

They were against interoperability, they were against other areas that would have benefited the deaf community and it took us longer to get the interoperability and other areas sorted out cuz of their tactics. Its my opinion that any deaf person that works for them has sold their deaf souls because they are willing to be paid by a company that puts their pockets way before the deaf community. I am glad to see people are starting to wake up and realize who they really are. We should be support companies such as ZVRS that has a list of high level deaf managers and supervisors such as vice presidents whereas Sorenson has only one. We should also be supporting Convo that is deaf owned and run. I have never had a Sorenson VP and i have never used their services and I never will, as I lost my respect for them years ago.

Hi Valhallian,

I did check the FCC’s document search and I learned that there were no documents available prior January 2003. I’ll keep on looking.

Thank you.
Amy

Sorenson’s video is not enough but I noticed those people won’t change or even try out with Z-products and mobile phone, too. I noticed people are elder and baby boomer generation.

Where is our Gen X and Gen Y or Z????? Everyone catch up technology and get rid of sorenson with tv. Also, Sorenson don’t have many features and support Mac book pro and any Mac O/S lions. IPhone or ipad can remote to z-20 or z-340 I’m apple user for iPad or iPhone and Mac book pro.

ZVRS stealing phone number? That’s joke. That is not document period. For example, if you are active mobile phone with T-mobile with ur own phone number for text message. Do u want iPhone or Samsung htc for Verizon or aT&T? You can porting ur own phone number from competition to Verizon or AT&T, either. You don’t need inform ur friends or family to have new phone number. Common sense?

Mobile can show name of person who trying call you with your Z-Alert by z-20 or Z-340 and etc z- products. Simple. N

Hi Amy and all –

Its very much appreciated that this blog has served as a way for relay customers to educate each other about their relay services. We at ZVRS want to first and foremost empower deaf people with real choices about how they access their civil right to telecommunications through VRS in the manner that they themselves decide.

Recently I met with the FCC to discuss our petition for a waiver to allow the limited use of remote video call centers which are fully compliant with FCC rules and are automatically monitored for fraud. At the meeting, the FCC invited further discussion on the interoperability of Sorenson’s videophones and mobile programs and porting phone numbers. People may be interested in reviewing the filed ex parte summarizing the meeting, along with the documents shared at the meeting:

http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7021749298
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7021749299
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7021749300
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7021749305
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7021749306
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7021749307

If the above links do not work for any reason, my apologies, you can also access this information by searching the FCC’s Electronic Comments Filing System (ECFS) and typing 10-51 in the proceeding number box. Our documents are dated 12/5.

As an attorney who has been involved in relay issues long before I became employed in VRS, my interest is to support our ability to learn about what impacts our relay services. The only reason why VRS providers exist today is because of your ADA right to equal telecommunications access. VRS providers serve the deaf/hard of hearing community, relay consumers do not serve VRS providers.

Last, I’m all for competition, it has led to many wonderful innovations and more service and product choices for consumers, but it has to be fair and lawful competition, otherwise the long term health of VRS is diminished by any abuse. One thing I’m absolutely determined to do is to work with others to help leave VRS in a better and more functionally equal state for future generations of deaf folks.

T’care and feel free to contact me at jrosen@zvrs.com if I can be of any help.

Jeff Rosen
General Counsel
ZVRS

Hi Jeff,

Thank you so much for visiting my blog and your comment is very valuable! I really appreciate your time to write this for me and the audience.

Please come back anytime.

Amy

Think about this, ZVRS has their General Counsel on this website defending ZVRS and complaining about another provider. He even responding to some of customers remarks.

This tells me ZVRS is desperate, this is a sign they not doing good and any time you see a company shooting off their general counsel spending time on these ‘petty’ things from the website when almost half of the information not correct. Why spend time responding to these website? Oh I know it because they losing business and they are HURTING! This is a sign to switch to a different VRS provider!

Recently am starting to see ZVRS lower themselves to Sorenson game such as lying to customers about porting and giving out false information regards to having to choose one provider. ZVRS are now coping Sorenson dirty business for past 3 months. Also it was a shocking to find out that ZVRS had some their interpreters taking our calls from their homes and that gave me the GOOSE BUMPS!!!!! That not professional and some one should file complaint against that!!!!! I do not give damn what was done, THIS should not be allowed and this is BAD business!!!!

As for Sorenson’s business tactic, PLEASE tell me something new?!!!!! This is old news, and we all know they are dirty business. Because of their dirty business I switched to ZVRS 80 percent of the time. Sorenson is a BAD company and they should be split up or broken up.

Because of this, am going to Purple now and am not turning back! Shame on ZVRS and Sorenson!!

ZVRS Hurting? That just made me chuckle. We just had a record day of minutes yesterday (meaning: our biggest day of VRS minutes ever). Rest assured, ZVRS is _not_ hurting for VRS business, as we continue to take new VRS traffic above the growth rate of new customers (which means we continue to gain market share from our competitors).

I’ll repeat this again, as it appears to need repeating: ZVRS does NOT have any interpreters working from home today.

Once upon a time, we did, but the FCC ordered that to stop. We honor the FCC’s desision, but we have requested that the FCC reconsider. We still believe that having interpreters work from home is in the best interest of our customers, but it is also apparent that there is much FUD and concern about this practice. If we police a home interpreter with another camera to make sure they are keeping up to the standards we would require in a call center environment, the community would gain the ability to handle emergency overflow from natural disasters, bad weather (think snowstorms), and pandemic (think avian flu) conditions.

Again: ZVRS only has 100% nationally certified interpreters, and all VRS interpreters currently work in secure call centers. No VRS interpreter works from home.

It’s not like we have interpreters taking VRS calls outside of the United States: Sorenson does, with the FCC’s waiver to do so.

This is the wonderful thing about having competition: you have a choice to switch providers to whomever provides you the best service.

These are the facts.

I respect at SORENSON because they give everyone free and best techonlily. I dont want to hear anyone who support ZVRS or any VRS company. SUPPORT SORENSON!!!!!!!!!! Thanks, Ivan

Wow!! you gain share base on lies and dishonest with your customers and having 2% to 4%, getting increase of 2% does not mean you doing good. Just mean your short plan is working, once people find out truth then it will go back down.

Wow ZVRS 4% wow!!……….. What a joke.. When you get to 35 to 40 percent come talk to me. Right now you like a pocket change compare to other VRS provider.

FWIW…

I returned my VP-200 unit back to Sorenson VRS. No complaints or issues in processing my return. Nothing against Sorenson VRS; just that my VP-200 unit was mothballed in storage.

VRS Engineer- Thank you for the Form 2000C link. I just used to to file a ‘complaint’ against ZVRS. Hopefully ZVRS can resolve it, with a minimum (or none) of FCC intervention. I do want to remain as a ZVRS consumer, and I’m hoping my complaint will be resolved to my satisfaction.

Jeff Rosen-
I do support the concept of a ‘SVCC’, but I’d rather wait until the VRS industry shakes out a year from now. Several providers have already exited the VRS business. Hopefully, the departures will leave a healthier and improved competitive climate for existing VRS providers. If that is the case, then virtual CA’s may not be needed.

I do find it somewhat troubling that ZVRS continues to insist on SVCC’s, even in limited circumstances, when the FCC has expressively made specific prohibitions against subcontracting in its recent ruling. (11-155) I hope ZVRS’ advocacy for the SVCC issue will not affect its pending TRS re-certification.

I read your company’s filings in Docket #10-51 that was posted on Dec. 6th, 2011. Your description of nTouch Mobile, PC, and VP’s lack of interoperability warrants cause for concern and serious scrutiny. Perhaps I should follow up on this thread with a formal comment. My main concern is that your company made several assertions, however, they are not ‘perfected’; i.e., as an formal affidavit or filed under penalites of perjury. (To ZVRS’ credit, some corroborating evidence was provided.)

I also have some concerns about the continued ‘poaching’ practices of VRS providers in obtaining VRS consumers, and ZVRS’ Dec. 6th, 2011 filing was not very helpful. I’m not sure about how to go at this in a formal comment, so I may leave this one out. I did like Sean Belanger’s response in a DeafNation video where ZVRS reached out to businesses and agencies, and installed ZVRS VP’s and/or services for Deaf/HH employees. That is the kind of marketing and outreach I love seeing from VRS providers.

I also have one other comment I’m thinking about filing in the Dockets. However, they’re just thoughts percolating in my mind…

Amy-
Thank you for letting me ‘borrow’ your soapbox with a lengthy reply. I hope it will stimulate further discussion.

Amy,

This definitely gets into my attention— check at this press release link; http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/12/prweb9016909.htm

Purple is hiring more than 100 positions, expanding more call centers. I love the statement by Mark Bella,

““We have always invested in the customer experience, and are humbled at how many Deaf and hard-of-hearing people choose Purple products and services,” said Mark Bella, vice president of sales. “We are proud to offer the best in VRS and video remote interpreting (VRI)* to our loyal customers. We place high priority on ensuring our consumers receive only the best products and services – it’s in our DNA.”

Wow–AllState, they are going to hire more deaf/hoh people now. Read this, “Allstate Senior Vice President of Direct Sales and Service Mark Pitchford was able to expand his applicant pool by integrating Purple products and services while increasing diversity in the workplace. “By using Purple products, Allstate was able to enhance its dynamic and diverse workplace by hiring more deaf and hard-of-hearing employees,” he explained. “This type of initiative has also improved our reputation with our stakeholders while continuing our excellence in service.”

I googled up on ZVRS to find any press release like Purple, I do not see any. Are you able to find any and post on here? I’m curious..

Jake Murray-

That was a great find- Purple press release about its technologies finding its way into businesses and the enterprise, and in serving Deaf/HH employees in the workforce. The VRS industry needs more news like this one. Thank you for sharing.

I just wanted to say that I fully support interpreters working from the home, providing that this condition is met.

100% privacy is ensured. There is a way to do this, but it would require a specially designed booth to be brought into the interpreter’s home and the vp would not work until the interpreter is inside the booth and locks the door. They could put this in their basement or in their home office. If the door opens, the vp is automatically turned off. I do realize that this may not be a cheap solution but if this can be done in bulk where all the VRS providers get involved with this, then it would be a cheaper cost per unit. Everything else that requires FCC compliance can also be done with this booth.

We have the technology where this can easily be monitored. As an example, a camera on the interpreter that the supervisor can watch from a computer screen in another remote location. We have the existing technology in the marketplace to design this and it may require custom programming in order to be able to transfer calls, keep track of the minutes, for each booth etc.

The primary reason I support this is because it would help with the shortage of community interpreting in major cities where there is a severe shortage of community interpreters due to the fact that they work at a call center.

Cousin Vinn (Todd?),

It is unfortunate that you had to resort to filing a form 2000C. By filing form 2000C with the FCC, you have involved the FCC, the real question is whether our response to their follow-up inquiry is adequate. I would love to address your issue here, but that would require your permission first for public disclosure of your customer information. I’m sure you’ll hear from Jeff Rosen shortly in response to your filing.

So that everyone is aware, SVCC means “Secure Virtual Call Center”, which is where an interpreter can work from home like any other teleworker with adequate monitoring (second camera, etc) and safeguards to ensure that a calls remain confidential and up to the standards set forth by the FCC for all VRS calls.

As ZVRS does not use interpreters at home today, as per the FCC rulings, this should not impact ZVRS. We still believe that there is a real industry need for this, but this is something we need to convince the FCC of. Until then, ZVRS continues to obey all FCC rules, so there should be no issue.

It is a shame that interoperability issues with Sorenson videophones might require a ‘formal affidavit” or be “filed under penalties of perjury” in public FCC filings. If we’re to that point, I have no problems properly documenting the engineering detail of the interoperability issues in a form that would appease such a requirement. That’s the wonderful thing about engineering: we deal in a world of technical details and facts, not opinion.

As for “poaching” practices: when the market leader has 80% of the market, my personal opinion is that’s a few too many eggs to have in one basket, don’t you?

There is no reason for ZVRS to attacking Sorenson, We do not need any negative.

From what Sorenson doing is way very negative – THey have been using low function customers to make the stories and all of the stories are fixed because Sorenson instructed them to follow the scripts. It’s ACT not real stories.

I wonder why Sorenson not targeting middle and smart customers ?

Sorenson’s scared and start to losing % of the marketing. This is business.

Plus Sorenson is bribing customers with big screen tvs and ipad2 , which is violated by FCC.

FCC rules says NO BRIBES. Sorenson is violating the rules and will face consqeuences with FCC.

SORENSON is really IDIOT sorry to say that but it’s true.

Sorenson is the most dangerous and untrust VRS provider. Please port away from them to another VRS providers who will understand what you need.

VRSEngineer-

Thank you for your feedback. I will be addressing the interoperability issue in a formal comment in Docket #10-51. I hope other VRS consumers do the same, as this is a serious issue impacting consumer choice. For now, I’m satisfied with the corroborating evidence. However, FCC’s evidentiary standards and the burden of production may differ than my interpretation.

As for consumer poaching, I just find the practice unseemly. I would rather that the VRS industry seek to expand the VRS market w/ new consumers, products, and/or service offerings. However, I will refrain from addressing this issue any further.

I am very intrigued to the comment that you made about “value poaching” and I checked online with these terms.  I am unable to find it.   I am seeking for a business definition of a company who offers ‘gifts’ to entice customers back to their services.   I can imagine that AT&T have done that to Comcast subscribers by offering $300 dollar gift card if they switch their cable or telephone services to AT&T.

I am bit concerned that if Sorenson did this to the customers without any terms of agreement that if they do receive 15-inch HDTV, iPad2, and etc in order to port their numbers back to Sorenson.  These equipment is on ‘loan’ only, or was it for ‘keeps’?

If there is no legal documentation,  is that called customer poaching or value poaching?  Or is it bait and switch?   Or is any specific business term that describes it?

I would love to raise that issue because I have been receiving reports from individuals that it is happening right now.

Cousin Vinny replied to my question and I think it is fascinating! Please feel free to chime in….

” As for the specific term you’re looking for, it’s called a ‘winback’. If a monopoly company does it, it could fall in lines along of anti-competitive business practices. One thing is clear to the FCC and the VRS industry though; Sorenson is a dominant company. However, simply being dominant doesn’t mean that they’re also a monopoly. So, I don’t know if Sorenson’s ‘winbacks’ are anti-competitive or not.

As for consumer poaching, I refer to the availability mandate of Title IV of the ADA. (47 USC 225(b)(1)) (http://transition.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/title4.html) I am not the first one to advance this concern. Sorenson originally brought up the issue for consideration in their August 18th, 2010 NOI Comment. (Pages 9-10, and see footnote 17.) For some reason, the FCC declined to act on these concerns. (My guess is that the FCC wanted a competitive climate in supporting the availability mandate, and consumer poaching is a competitive practice.)

Basically, VRS Providers are targeting the dominant provider’s consumers and capturing its business. Understandably, Sorenson objects to this practice. Even though consumer poaching does not fall under predatory business practices, these providers are targeting the ‘predator’ business and not their competition.

All of a sudden, we see a push towards contracts between VRS Providers and their consumers, with ETF fee(s). This is to discourage poaching, and possibly restricts consumer choice. Not to mention, if contracts are involved, and VRS providers are targeting the dominant provider, they could be held liable for tortuous interference with contracts. (The ETF fee(s) may be an inadequate remedy for the breach of contracts.)

VRS Consumers, to a large degree, have never ‘owned’ their CPE units. (videophones) Sure, they may buy them at subsidized rates or obtain them at no cost, but the VRS Provider is technically loaning them equipment. Upon demand, VRS consumers may be required to return their CPE units. To avoid this, VRS Providers are now resorting to ETF fee(s) to remedy CPE return and/or loss issues.

Basically, competitive poaching/winback practices within the VRS industry may be undermining the availability mandate of TRS under the ADA, and I’m not sure how a suitable regulatory approach can address this. I also viewed this as an unseemly practice, as the availability mandate is being perverted in the name of competition. These are some of the reasons why I declined to address this issue any further in Docket #10-51.

You raise an important concern about winbacks on the part of Sorenson in forms of incentives, i.e., HDTV, iPad 2, cash, whatever, in retaining and/or winning back VRS consumers. The TRS regulations (http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=3acd7359837d4dd4c5cd0e84300fa474&rgn=div6&view=text&node=47:3.0.1.1.11.6&idno=47) are actually silent on this issue. So for the time being, the incentives you outlined may be permissible, as long as they are a part of a consumer retention/winback program and not tied to any individual VRS call volume. Not to mention, it’s all anecdotal evidence. I would have preferred affidavits to prove that such incentives are actually occurring.

Even Sorenson met with the FCC on July 18th, 2011, and discussed whether winbacks and incentives are permissible. (http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7021693644 – Page 2) The FCC has yet to respond affirmatively on this issue. I am of the opinion that winbacks are permissible for Sorenson (or any VRS provider, for that matter), but financial and/or equipment incentives (i.e., HDTV, iPad 2, netbook) are not permissible. I do support the CPE incentive as long as it is a dedicated videophone unit and is not a computer with a software-based endpoint VP/VRS solution. Reluctantly, I also agree that VRS companies may require contracts with ETF fee(s) for the CPE incentive. (I still feel this restricts consumer choice, so I’m ambivalent on this contract thing.)

I would appreciate it very much if you could collect more information about winbacks, and the nature of incentives being used. Then raise the issue in FCC’s Docket #10-51. Sorenson already discussed this issue on July 18th, and the FCC has yet to act on this issue. Perhaps a push from a VRS consumer or two will help prod the FCC into action. Affidavits and/or corroborating evidence would be very helpful.”

Thank you, Cousin Vinny!!

Hello everyone,

I did little digging about “win-back” practices and I came across with the PDF file here that is also an interesting read…

http://www.econ-pol.unisi.it/quaderni/565.pdf

Only if someone is able to produce evidence, with photos and written document talking about how Sorenson targets specific customers to “win-back” their business by providing fancy stuff to make their video phone experience more enjoyable. A 19-inch or 15-inch HDTV, top of line wireless router, VoIP phone, Apple’s iPad2, one year subscription to VoIP, MagicJack, $300 dollars, dinner out, etc… please send to FCC or make a complaint.

That is considered a strategic target-based marketing to prevent massive loss of revenue from customers who port their numbers to a different VRS provider. Sorenson would do anything to “win-back” their former customers while their current customers are competing each other to get the priority installation of new nTouchVP (Sorenson set up an online ‘vote’ on Facebook for current customers to compete for the priority installation of new nTouchVP). That leaves a lot of current customers with old VP100/VP200 waiting for their turn to get a brand-new nTouch VP. That sounds too selective and I am not too sure that the FCC would be thrilled to hear about it.

These products used were “rumored” to win-back their former customers to use their nTouch VP with fancy stuff is approximately $1,500 to $2,000 dollar investment PER PERSON to their company. So far, I have ‘heard’ four people been approached with ‘win-back’ opportunity. How did I know? It was mentioned on Facebook and AllDeaf.com.

Interestingly, three years ago, Sorenson was concerned about reduction of TRS rates, and sending out alert messages that they would bankrupt. Now, they are spending a lot of money to chase after customers who left Sorenson with lavish stuff?

That does not sound kosher to me.

Amy Cohen Efron.

Amy,

What I find most interesting about the recent Sorenson videos about porting is how some of the people in the video claim their number was “stolen” or that they didn’t realize they were porting or would give up their VP-200.

When a person is interested in a Z product, they are asked many times during the process if they understand that the Release Agreement means they will be giving up the VP-200. The final time they are asked this is when they setup an appointment to have an installer visit the person’s home.

If you read Jeff Rosen’s PDF, some of the people were never ZVRS customer’s and some were pretty much lying that they did not know. You can see their signature’s on the LOA agreement. In the third video, I LOL’d at the last guy because I know who he is. He used to work for Z as an installer and was terminated. It is obvious he’s doing this to get back at a former employer.

Anyways, some of the things I’ve been hearing from friends who are or were Sorenson customers is that an installer shows up unannounced at their home to entice them back to Sorenson. Offers of an Ipad2, netbook, HDTV are pitched as you have already stated. The $300 cash incentive is a new one to me.

In one situation I know of, a gal got a visit from a sorenson installer and made claims that the number was “stolen” by ZVRS. She didn’t know better and was easily fooled into agreeing to sign a paper (what I assume is LOA or Release Agreement). That installer then took her MVP, Snapvrs Ojo and all her Z-phones, she was left with just the Ntouch VP. Compare the situation to ZVRS, they only take the VP-200 and ship it back as part of the Free Z20 deal they have going right now.

Some other rumors floating around are that Sorenson claims ZVRS phones can’t call 911. This rumor is completely false. All VRS phones must be part of the e911 system. This is mandated by the FCC and law.

Another rumor involves the Z20 directly. Since Z20’s currently only show a customer’s phone number and IP#, Sorenson was pushing a rumor that this would allow a hacker to get into your phone or computer? I’m not sure exactly what the rumor was stating but this is also a false rumor. The Z20 is the same device as an E20 by Tandenburg and it is a business class phone worth $1,000. They sell these phones on the enterprise level for businesses and corporations. Enterprise level devices are usually pretty loaded with security features since many companies worry about corporate espionage.

What impressed me most about this rivalry is the amount of effort both companies are exerting to win over each others’ consumers. Expensive efforts including gifts, videos, cash, dinners, personnel sent out to homes. This hints to me that the VRS business is so obscenely profitable that unethical methods are used to keep clients.

Does this occur in other businesses? Not to this extent, I imagine. Advertising is expensive and that’s about it. Competition is still healthy and products are improved constantly to keep consumers interested. Manufacturers search for ways to expand and diversify.

This can happen in the VRS industry if the profits were reasonable and generated mostly by attracting consumers through advertising and improvements.

Only once before have I heard of this kind of poaching going on. A nursing home administrator noticed a former resident shuffling around outside a competing nursing home and simply kidnapped the confused oldster. It was several days before he was located and by that time his Medicaid and Medicare payments had been successfully transferred.

This is no different than Sorenson attempting to win back former consumers. Dollar signs are jumping around everywhere and this isn’t necessarily beneficial for us.

Amy, I wanted to clarify on the winback and the example you used with AT&T and Comcast. That AT&T and Comcast example, in my opinion, should not really be used as a comparative example and allow me to explain why. AT&T and Comcast services are paid for by the consumers and these companies do not get reimbursed by the FCC for their services whereas VRS providers do. Companies where consumers pay for their products/services are not subject to the regulations imposed by the FCC on VRS companies. If we all were paying for our own VRS services and nothing was reimbursed to the VRS providers by the FCC then what Sorenson does should be fine, but we all know that is not the case here.

SorensonVRS’ tactic is usually not to respond, so it’s telling that they’re feeling threatened. Congratulations, ZVRS!

So far. based on my observation.

Soernson VRS is only one that rants on other VRS companies while other VRS company i.e. ZVRS, Purple, Convo etc. never had posted a public video or comment to rant against SorensonVRS.

I think Sorenson is a huge crybaby

go figure.

I have to agree with Jeff, any time a VRS company send their ‘attorney’ to defend their company in website sends a message. ZVRS is hurting, clearly by next year in Feb, you will see big changes with ZVRS. Many just do not know it yet and when it does all this will go away like a puff.

I talked to few employees of ZVRS, they are telling me the CEO and upper management are ‘running’ around like head cut off from a chicken. It was explain at first they were making progress with customer wanting their service, but in past two weeks they seeing it fall backward and their losing those customer they thought they getting. They worried because they have all these products, it showing that the demand is not there for these product and they losing money if customer are not using their service through their product.

1-lying to customer about ‘porting’
( I seen few of ZVRS staff, not giving full information about porting)

2-Not being upfront with total cost and what will be charge when returning product
(to many times I see different approach by diferent employes of ZVRS giving different information)

3-ZVRS AD are quite alarming, to me it consider misleading and more & more people are now talking about how ZVRS is so full of it with their ADs most of the time

4-By far worst VRS when it comes to customer service or follow through. Example at
my work which I work for the state, ZVRS brag about their product and we went with them. Result of that, many of Deaf employee almost lost our job due to us not be productive.

5-ZVRS allowed interpreters to work from home. I still can not get over this and do not know why company like ZVRS will allow this type of practice. Because of this I strongly feel violated by ZVRS when i used their service. If I have known this in the first place, I would have put ZVRS on black list.

So we switched to Purple, and since then i have been in heaven. There is no porting issue, there strong follow through on customer service and best part is this VRS fit the community best compare to other VRS company.( their diversity through staff and upper management show this!!!)

If you want peace, good customer services and a VRS that is diversity in Deaf employees through out to the upper management. Then you need go Join Purple VRS!

One more thing Sorenson is consider DEAD to me five years ago because ruled by group of white hearing men!

Mike,

You are very misinformed about the health of ZVRS. I can assure you, ZVRS is doing very well. Jeff Rosen, like me, is concerned only with correcting misinformation being spread by those, like you, who appear quite misinformed.

When senior ZVRS folks, like Jeff Rosen, or myself, post publicly like this, we are trying to educate consumers and dispel Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD).

ZVRS has a very healthy “war chest” that can float the company for quite a bit longer than you are suggesting if RLSA were to suddenly stop compensating our VRS minutes (which has no more chance of happening to ZVRS than it does to any other certified VRS provider who is properly providing and accounting for VRS service). Again, there is no chance of ZVRS going away “like a puff”. It’s just not going to happen.

Unlike Purple or Sorenson who are public companies that have taken out large public debts to fund their growth, ZVRS is privately funded, extremely healthy, and growing quickly without having to resort to raising large debts to do so.

I strongly doubt that you talked to an educated employee of ZVRS that understands the business health of ZVRS, if you truly talked to any employees at all.

1. Any employee caught lying to a customer about ANYTHING will be summarily dealt with (very likely let go on the spot, if it’s not a minor misunderstanding that is a correctable trainable opportunity). ZVRS has a _very_ strong code of ethics. If you actually have any proof of said lies, try reporting it to ZVRS customer service and escalate to management, or if you still aren’t appeased: please supply it via a FCC ADA form 2000C filing, or stop spreading your FUD.

2. Again, ZVRS is very up-front with customers. If you have any actual proof otherwise, please supply it. If you don’t report it, nothing gets fixed. Again, file an FCC ADA form 2000C if you feel misled. Once we have an actual report, I guarantee you that the offender will be dealt with per our strong code of ethics. If, on the other hand, you’re just here spreading FUD.

I’m here to dispel people of the notion that they are powerless. File a form 2000C, the FCC _will_ make the VRS provider respond within 30 days. If nothing else, the FCC will see an ongoing pattern if there are recurrences. THIS GOES FOR ANY VRS PROVIDER.

If you do not report it, you are doing the community a disservice by not doing so.

Spreading FUD in the comments of a blog post does nothing to correct underlying problems, if they in fact exist.

3. I’m not sure which AD (advertisements) you are referring to. Can you provide an example, here, of a ZVRS advertisement that contains factual errors or misleading facts? Or, again, are you simply spreading more FUD?

4. Without knowing your particular state employer, I can’t speak to your assertions. I can tell you that the ZVRS Business Video Solutions group has far more large enterprise and government customers than any other VRS provider in the market today. I have extensive personal experience with this. We work with large companies and most government organizations to integrate their internal video dial-plans with ZVRS, including private network connections where necessary to do so. Quite simply, I don’t agree with your assertion that ZVRS has a problem working with business or governmental agencies to offer their employees VRS access. I consider your statement as FUD without supporting information to the contrary.

5. Yes. ZVRS allowed interpreters to work from home. In the past. Until the FCC said to stop doing that. Secure Virtual Call Centers (SVCCs) continue to be something that we believe the industry needs, and we continue to try and convince the FCC that they should reconsider their stance on this apparently controversial issue.

It is your choice to use any VRS provider you wish. You are welcome to your opinions about anything you wish, as we do live in a free society. But, please, in the future, please try and refrain from letting your opinions cloud your statements so that you spread misinformation and incorrects facts, as they only serve to confuse others in the community.

VRSEngineer,

Thank you SO much for your time and efforts to answer so many questions and offering facts and clarification against misunderstandings and assumptions! I am more convinced than ever about ZVRS and their code of ethics. Kudos!

Mike, Your first comment tells me you don’t actually know anyone that works at ZVRS. Either that or you are talking to a disgruntled former employee who has way too much time on their hands. The employees I know that work there are far too busy filling orders for customers to be worried about such things. Most VRS at this time are more worried about fixing the Interpreter shortage issue due to the White Label FCC ruling. Could this be what you are misinformed about?

If you were worried about ZVRS using remote interpreters, then should be even more alarmed by Sorenson still using remote interpreters (with FCC Waivers) and some of those interpreters live OUTSIDE of the country. Which means if they did break the law, it would be harder to prosecute them.

To: VRSEngineer Says:

I would like to support Mike, he is correct and I would like to correct you which you are wrong. Purple no longer a public company. Be careful spreading out misinformation and as for Mike again he is correct.

Am one of the state employees that took charge in switching service from ZVRS at our state agency. Yes!! we have reported over 11 different complaints to FCC regards to these issues. Result we got feed up and switch services and since then THINGS have been GREAT!!!

If you want more proof, I be more than happy to put togeher all of our employees and we can make statement on VLOG regards to this if you would like? I would be more than happy too. We be more than happy to explain how your company over stated itself and did a very POOR job delivering it.

I just wanted to be sure before you go point fingers about people not having their information correct, it’s important you check your facts too. So again Purple is not a public company anymore and like they used too.

So people remember this!!!!, VRSENGINEER and Jeff get paid to do this and they will do say things to make ZVRS to look good. From my personal experience with some of the ZVRS employees, they really good at where they can take a ‘Rotten egg and make it look pretty with all their fancy words and ADS.

I love being proven wrong. You’re quite right, Purple de-listed themselves from the NASDAQ stock exchange:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/purple-communications-announces-voluntary-delisting-from-nasdaq-69328007.html

Purple was eligible to file Form 15 because its common stock was held of record by less than 300 persons:

http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-12528795/Purple-Communications-Inc-to-Reduce.html
http://www.secinfo.com/d14D5a.r27fz.htm#1stPage

Purple did file a 10K in 2010 for 2009:

http://www.faqs.org/sec-filings/100624/Purple-Communications-Inc_10-K/

I can’t find anything later than that, so you are most definitely correct: Purple Communications is no longer traded publicly.

As for “getting paid”: I “get paid” to be a solutions architect, which means working as a video telephony engineer, a developer, and a systems administrator where required to deliver new services to my employer’s VRS platform. I am a VRS Engineer, that is what I do.

I do NOT get paid to spend my weekend replying to these comments: I do that for the betterment of the community. If I were to stop replying to these comments, I think you would find many folks who would actively miss what I have to say.

If you wouldn’t mind, I would very much like to address your 11 complaints, publicly if you wish. A VLOG post is personal testimony. That would be wonderful.

As of right now, Robert (it’s Robert Thompson, right?) I have no idea who you are, as I’ve never personally dealt with you. As such, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I need context. I need ticket numbers, or copies of complaints, or heck: the name of the state agency you work for would be a great start.

So, please, if you will, post publicly about the details of your issue. I will respond publicly in kind, with as much technical detail as as I can either supporting your position or opposing it.

This makes me think twice about ZVRS. If this person can be prove wrong which he was wrong about Purple. I wonder what else this person is not right about and am taking my bet this person WRONG about ZVRS. This person shooting off misinformation about another provider, if you not able to find information now if Purple is public company and yet you say they have debt. How do you know now, you could be wrong about that one too. Because if they no longer a public company, this tell me they paid off their debt and being private company now means they in goods hands. (information you posted are old) So stop digging up the past because trust me I could go back and dig up all those years when Zvrs was part of CSD.

Lets talk about future and now. Clearly your information is old and outdated. If I was you I would be focusing on ZVRS only.

I love the way it was stated. about ZVRS because this couldn’t be more true. They can take a ‘Rotten egg and make it look pretty with all their fancy words and ADS. Am beginning to suspect VRSengineer is doing this right now. Dancing around with his words and acting like he knows it all.

Because of (VRSEngineer Says), I wanted to say thanks for mention Purple and I was able to check their website. Went ahead and down load their service and WOW I couldn’t be please!

So again thanks, am now switching to Purple!! I never paid attention until now about Purple and because of you am going to help spread words to get people go to Purple.

Tonya,
New York is the best!

Very Very True!!!! Never really paid attention to Purple until I saw this. After checking out website, I have to agree with one person who said earlier Purple is a diversity company. After talking with few employees at Purple, checking out website and it clearly by far one of the most diversity VRS company when it comes to hiring board range of ethic background of people.

‘They can take a ‘Rotten egg and make it look pretty with all their fancy words and ADS. ‘

This is what I learned, your products means nothing, your logo means nothing and your ADS means nothing. What important is customer service and strong follow through. I question ZVRS in these area base on my personal experience and they really are POOR with this.

Robert, Robbie and Tonya,

Please stop impersonating yourself with these aliases. You three share same IP addresses and that is dishonest.

Thank you.
Amy

Robbie (Robert?) and Tonya use the same writing style, and were posted 20 minutes apart. Amy, can you check the IP addresses of both posts and let me know if they were both posted from the same network?

I don’t mind honest comments.

Dishonest comments, on the other hand, I frown upon.

Windycity,

I have decided to delete your comment. I wanted this blog to be critical to the company, and not getting too personal to an individual.

Thank you so much for your understanding.

Amy Cohen Efron

Everyone,

Please refrain yourselves from discussing about an individual. Please focus on the topic.

Much appreciated,

Amy

Amy,

May i suggest that you have the blog post either the external IP or perhaps the last two octet’s of the external IP address of each post? That would very quickly identify people whom, are perhaps ganging up to post.

IMHO it would also enlighten a significant number of people who think popular view is one way, when it is one or two people masquerading as many.

I don’t like the tactics Sorenson is using. They have sent their employees (2of them) from 2 different states to my friend’s house, with NO appoinment. These employees offered my friends free dinner for them and the family to discuss things. The friends politely declined. Now, they are getting calls from Sorenson with offers of free IPAD2 and free tv if they port back to Sorenson. They even got a call today asking why my friends are not calling back. Geez. Leave them alone. They are happy with their choice. It is turning into harrassment when the calls do not stop. I have not heard anything yet about the $300 cash. Why isn’t Sorenson using this money wisely? They are spending it on these things when they could put their money to better use.

Here is my satire – shoot, the talk show cannot make these jokes because these VRS companies sponsor it –

A. I am wishing all employees at Purple, Sorenson, and ZVRS are hearing. Then I don’t have to listen to all of this day in and day out until the big Giant FCC wakes up and penalizes all VRS companies.

B. I am bored with my life – thus this war is exciting for me! Heck I might put on a uniform and a helmet from a surplus store.

C. I can’t wait for the day the FCC issues ultimatums to all VRS companies especially ZVRS so they all will wish they never started the war in the first place.

D. ZVRS interpreters work from home? Thus a perfect opportunity to stash away SSN # numbers, passwords, personal information, maybe invite friends to watch the sick people talk about the most incorrigible things on VRS.

E. Since the war is all-out and full-scale, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the interpreters disguise themselves with wigs, fake mustaches and beards, stage make-up, maybe different signing styles.

F. I am checking Facebook like an addict waiting for a VRS representative to share a dirty video poking fun at the rival VRS company

G. Outcome of war – Convo Relay surges ahead in the polls

H. Maybe the war is about who is smoother, and slicker.

I. Or the war is about who is the better Santa Claus – whom gives the best incentives or gifts to disillusioned customers to port to them

J. One becomes a movie star, one becomes a writer, and one becomes a movie critic, and one becomes an UFC wrestler (who gets paid to get his butt kicked by the Hammer)

K. Porn is on the rise.Seriously.

L. One emerges from the VRS companies’ war to become a state governor

M. ZVRS wins but customers have to accept a poorer video picture quality

N. More different religions surface because of the all-out VRS war – think about it, India has over 2 million gods they worship

O. FCC gets drowned out by the war and decide to let the winner take all

P. More blogs on the rise – Bloggers become stars and world famous, and finally get paid for their blogs

Q. President Obama pays a visit to one of the bloggers whose topics are about the wars, have a beer sitting in a patio. Vice President Biden joins.

R. Legendary golfer Tiger Woods joins forces with ZVRS because of their culture

S. The war makes it to the front page of the Wall Street Journal

T. Hearing people crying foul asking why they don’t have VP too

U. The deaf restaurant Mozzeria offers a free meal for the VRS company who promise to take home food orders for the interpreters that work from home. Eating allowed on the job.

V. Why why not offer Z20s in addition to the clearest picture in return for porting to ZVRS?

X. DeafNation videotapes a debate between ZVRS, Purple, Sorenson, and FCC

Y. A panel votes on which company and representative shares the most raucous videos on their Facebook

Z. A tell all book written by a defector of ZVRS reaches the New York Times bestseller list as #1

I can easily see why the person in ZVRS defriended you from Facebook. You have made your hatred of ZVRS very clear.

If you used ZVRS products you would know that video quality is not poor. Unless of course you are using an ISP with an upload speed of .35mbps.

Anyways have a Merry Christmas!

wri7913,

What John C wrote is satire. He even said so in the very first sentence — “Here is my satire”. I thought it was hilarious because he was poking fun at the silliness of the other posters. He’s not even angry or anything. If anything, I think he was being a jolly guy about this all. Ho-ho-ho!

For your holidays reading pleasure, here’s the definition of satire.

sat·ire/ˈsaˌtī(ə)r/
Noun:

The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of…
A play, novel, film, or other work that uses satire.

Synonyms:
lampoon – squib

Todd – the video that John C is so upset about that he had to post all over this board also had a warning or disclaimer that if you are easily offended, don’t watch it. It says so right up in the front of the video. John C got upset anyways and berates ZVRS employee for linking the video which 1) which not his creation, 2) warns you of offensive material.

The “Satire” listed also puts down ZVRS every chance it gets so… to each his own I guess.

wri7913 –

Number one, some people might be naive and think nothing of the ZVRS employee posting the video. But it COMES (shared) by a ZVRS high profile employee. Number two, that video was directed at SORENSON which includes their customers.

Suppose I wear Calvin Klein (CK) underwear, and a rival company posts an offensive video on CK, what would a girlfriend do but poke fun at me? It reaches out to everyone, that is my point regardless of the warning not to watch it. I mean, we are adults not G-rated children. We are going to notice those things. Plus, when I viewed the video, I initially thought it was just another “war-on-Sorenson” video, but I didn’t realize it would contain a dirty sign. Then that became the final straw for me.

Number three, I am glad I didn’t become world famous as a writer, because the Jay Leno show would have done a satire on me, like I am doing on ZVRS. Same thing. What is in television, is in Facebook. and are in blogs like “Deaf World as Eye See It.” I have a comedian personality (just so you would get to know me better). I won’t hesitate to poke fun at it if there is some weird all-scale war between VRS providers.

I am going to jump in, helmet and uniform, lol. Maybe one day you will realize how silly everything is, and just be thankful that we grew from one company (Sorenson) to many other VRS providers with equal opportunity.

But I guess they chose to engage into a war of signs, a war of videos, and mine is- a war of satire! Hello!

And the guy is loving it posting that video against Sorenson, and I am loving it posting a satire. Evens the playing field. And oh, I’d suggest for people to keep in mind that as it continues, just be ready for some more satire. What, we are exempt from the Jay Leno Show?

P.S. I like Todd’s comment. He is right.

John C

You do realize this video was done before the current Sorenson vs ZVRS war?

It was created during the Sorenson Scare mongering of the reduced tier rates when they were creating videos about how the VRS business was going to buckle under if they reduced the rates? You do realize this don’t you?

I’m guessing the point of posting the videos is to show that Sorenson hasn’t changed a whole lot with their scaremongering. That high profile ZVRS employee does have a point.

You can post as much satire against ZVRS as you want, I really don’t care.

What I do think is funny is how righteous you’ve been about this and then turn around and do the same damn thing. It smacks of hypocrisy and that’s my point.

Happy Holidays to you and everyone else ><

Wri9713 – It is so funny how ZVRS and their supporters try to deflect criticism by saying things like “do you realize the video was made before the Sorenson vs ZVRS war.” That was literally sidestepping the fact a high profile ZVRS representative shared an obscene-signed video. That can’t get past me or anybody reading this, or anybody who saw the video and especially saw who shared the video.

I am not better than you or holier than you, if that’s what you are trying to say about hypocrisy. Only the blood of Jesus can save us.

But I do like to engage into a satire when there is a war. It is because I am not as naive as some people are and as basis of that, I want to use words to make people realize that they can take ownership in this war – such as realizing Sorenson all this time offers the best VP picture, the clearest. People get enticed by offers of things such as Z20 to downgrade the picture quality, which is why I am sounding the horn. Or better said, turning on the flash light.

wri9713 – to tell you the truth I don’t enjoy bashing ZVRS or calling out the high profile ZVRS for sharing the video. I noticed that it is not God’s way. My dad was a former 14th congressional seat candidate. Politics and activism is in my blood. To reach the full fruit, I have to change. I just felt compelled to turn the focus back to the quality of Sorenson’s VP picture which is superior to all other VRS providers’ in my opinion. I just sensed ZVRS and other companies were engaged in a war that reached to the customers, manipulating them offending even with X-rated or more accurately mildly to say, R-rated videos shared. I couldn’t resist. And to counter the hysterics of it, satire was the thing for me to do in poking fun at it. I am not some angry patron offended by being in the crossfire of the war ZVRS vs Sorenson. But I realize I have to learn by leaving everything in God’s hands. My mouth if funny to me can be offensive to God. Amy sorry about this religious rhetoric in your blog. Its the reality of America and freedom of speech. Anyhow, I will only continue to point out Sorenson’s impeccable clearest VP picture but discussion about that guy sharing the video is over and my choice of language will be more guarded. Satire, maybe. If I wanted to preach to him and see him get saved, I lose in this battle because I called him out. If there is any error I have done in my entire dialogue in this blog it was to get personal with him. That probably hardened his and others’ hearts towards God. That’s what I am sorry for. Does it edify you or nuture you towards what I believe in an existence of a God? No.

Amy, thanks for gracefully posting my comments. Sorry for bringing religion into something that has nothing to do with your topics. I just wanted to repent for saying too much that is even offensive to my maker. I am not repenting to ZVRS though from their company viewpoint. They will always be secondhand to Sorenson, in my mind.

Have a merry Christmas and Shalom.

wri7913- I want to refer to your statement “if you have used ZVRS you would know that the video quality is not poor.”

Number one, ZVRS videophone is not designed for deaf people as Sorenson is. ZVRS just took technology for hearing people and modified it for deaf users as best they could. Sorenson’s VP200 and NVP is designed exclusively for deaf people. It is designed for signers. Clear?

2nd, I have made calls to ZVRS users. Their picture sucks, from my experience. I have the highest speed DSL there is from comcast. I have visited homes where ZVRS is used. It is not to my satisfaction. It always has been obvious to me that ZVRS’ picture isn’t clearest like Sorenson is.

My whole point is, Sorenson shows a more superior vp picture than ZVRS. wri7913, if you can’t prove to me that ZVRS can make a better picture than Sorenson, don’t bother leaving a follow up comment to me. You’re wasting your breath.

If I am engaged in this war this will be my bullet point. Clearest picture. Period.

Hey sorenson customers. do you know why sorenson self picked named “N VP Sorenson” is very true to called “Nosy VP Sorenson” at headquarter sorenson has alots of monitoring video what you all are doing. so please avoid sorenson and go ahead port to other VRS then you will realized that sorenson is not the honest company! Soon 2012 and it is time to change and new vp to other vrs!

BlueIce- it is fastidious that Sorenson would monitor videos. For ALL VPs I keep a cover over the VP camera when it is not in use. Even if it is in use, I am not going to worry about that because every man has a conscience. Even if they won’t admit it, behind their minds they know it is wrong. It is whoever company’s conscience if they do that, they have to live with that. I am not going to embark on a fear trip just because BlueIce claims Sorenson monitors VP calls to see what people are doing or saying. If someone defected from Sorenson and wrote a tell-all book about it, that would be to their downfall. I think these folks are smarter than that.

Nice try BlueIce. It is a story only kids tell. It is ridiculous. But for every VP users protection I do encourage them to put a cover over camera when not in use. Not in paranoia, but just to empower ourselves with privacy covers including turning on the privacy controls. Hey, BlueIce, are you on Facebook and if you are, the odds you have been hacked at some point and your inbox looked at, your friends list looked at, etc. Nothing is really secure unless we take extra measures.

I ported my number to ZVRS from Sorenson bec of better intperneter.. I kept get phone for long time, but i never answer it bec i dont know who it was. in serval months later, my kid happen to answer the phone. It was Sorenson person on the phone and want me to go back to them. She even ask me what’s postive thing about Sorenson’s vp i told her phone is just a phone.. only thing i want a better inpternper bec im tired of Sorenson interpenter messed it up for me or give me an attidude!! so im all saftited with Z intpenters so far!!

John C – Obviously you’ve never used the Z20

In my experience with Sorenson products, the VP-200 pixelates a lot, and I do mean A LOT. I’ve seen the NVP product and I haven’t been impressed. The concept of using a TV for a videophone is something Sorenson has not yet gotten away from and it is pretty silly they hang onto that notion. I would rather it be a choice as to whether or not I want to use it that way. I prefer using my television for it’s intended function.

I have Z340, Z20 and Z4 PC/Mobile and all are crystal clear. The only time my Z340 gets pixelated is when I use it WIFI and when its not optimal light. Even then it still beats my old VP-200 and I can walk from room to room with it. Something you still can’t do with VP-200 or NVP.

I will add one more thing, You should switch to Cable or FiOS instead of DSL. DSL just plain sucks for video phone and the upload speed is usually pretty low (256kb to 384kb tops). I pity anyone who does use it as they are never going to get great picture from it.

wri7913- you made these points because obviously you dislike Sorenson and won’t go to bat for Sorenson. If you feel ZVRS is more clear for you, then I am happy for you. I love the notion of using my spare TV for VP. I don’t have a problem with using a TV for VP. People can try to convince others saying, “you don’t have to use your TV anymore for videophone.” For me I just like using a TV for videophone. If I ported to ZVRS they wouldn’t be able to take away my TV, lol. My upload speed is good enough for me. I have said too much against ZVRS there’s no way I can port to ZVRS. I will stay with Sorenson and still look forward to getting NVP. I will see for myself how it is.

Ash, I understood you ported to a different VRS provider just on basis of better interpreter service. If the picture isn’t as good as Sorenson which you had before, if you accept that, then that is great! For me, I can always switch to a different interpreter if one seems not skilled enough. Even with ZVRS we will run into our share of bad interpreters. Why? Because every interpreter has a different skill-set despite their certification or not. It depends on their reception skills and your signing skills, shape of hands, and fingerspelling fluidity. When I fingerspell on VRS I lower the fingerspelling speed automatically because I want all information translated correctly, anyway.

As for me Ash, I chose picture quality over interpreter quality. Why? Visual aids are so important to me. Having the best picture is so important to me. Second, I can adapt to people of different signing styles and skill. If its a problem for you, then maybe you needed to switch to another interpreter or use a different service. For deaf people it is more of a political thing and a pride thing- they want a certified interpreter, period. I don’t want an interpreter that sucks, too. I simply switch. When I do, that interpreter realizes in order to be more skilled, that terp needs more training. I like to keep those interpreters on their toes.

John C,

I have used D-Link, Sorenson VP-100/200 and Z products (Z150 and Z4). I can tell you that pixellation will be a problem on ALL video phones under certain conditions. If you do have pixellation problems, the first thing you need to look to is whether you do have sufficient high speed to support video conferencing, which is bandwidth intensive.

During several time periods, I experienced pixellating screens on each phone that I had at that time. It was due to either a bad cable/dsl modem or someone else in the house doing a bandwidth intensive activity (this was way back before we had higher speeds that we have today — I now have more than plenty for at least three video phones — but we have just one which is enough in my book. 🙂 ).

Today, I use Z products because of the reasons mentioned by WRI including the impeccable picture quality. I do not like having a phone hooked up to my TV. You have a spare tv — all the power to you. I think it’s ridiculous to have a spare tv dedicated to a video phone.

Not only that, Sorenson did something to me that I consider to be NOT forgivable — they took away my ability to have a choice, and were actively trying to retain the “status quo” with FCC, but lost.

You see, back when I had their VP-100, I was not using their SVRS, and bypassed it to use other providers (CSDVRS, SprintVRS, HOVRS — they were around when we had VP-100s. 🙂 ). Sorenson figured out that I wasn’t even using their SVRS and actually had the audacity in blocking point to point phone calls on my VP-100 (if you remember, this was how you bypassed SVRS and called other VRS providers). This action by Sorenson left only the SVRS button available for me to use. I changed over to D-link once I discovered this.

When FCC told Sorenson to stop blocking users from using other VRS providers, I re-hooked up my mothballed VP-100 and sure enough, the point to point button was still disabled. The VP-100 had a firmware/software update, and I let it update the VP. Guess what happened? The point to point button was enabled once again.

They took liberties with my CHOICE and for that, they will NEVER have my business. A company should not have to dictate what you can or cannot do, like Sorenson has and/or had been actively trying to take away from us. As long as there exists another VRS provider, I will use that one over Sorenson.

Fox – the one thing I was impressed by your message, you took ownership and took back your liberty to have your own choice. That, I applaud. For me, I never had a problem with this since I had Sorenson as my provider from the very first day I got my first VP (Sorenson’s VP100). I sticked with Sorenson since. That’s why I have no complaint with the same issues you had with Sorenson. If picture quality wasn’t impeccably clear with Sorenson, I would have ported a long time ago. Since the picture is still clear and even more clear with VP200 and promising to be more superiorly clear with NVP, I have no reason to port from VRS. I have a 13 inch TV where I inserted between two walls of cabinets on my desktop which fits perfectly. In the future I will keep Sorenson as my provider as I plan to use a 27 inch TV or larger for VP. I don’t really want a Z20 which isn’t that big, or bigger than a 13 inch TV, anyway.

Some people call too much, which is why I don’t need an assortment of Z20s Z340s, etc…one 13 inch TV on my desktop inside my office is good enough. I know we don’t want to miss very important calls but that’s why I watch TV or use my surrounding laptop to wait for that call in the office.

Otherwise using Z’s equipment (vps) would alert me to every telemarketing call, and debt collection calls. I would get interrupted too much, which I don’t like and don’t have time for. People know my VP is in my office so they’re forced to leave missed calls or forced to text me to alert me of incoming calls. Once on VP I am on DST (Deaf Standard Time). Sorenson is perfect.

I wouldn’t mind appearing on a video testing all VP equipment using a good dsl/cable modem and give a honest verdict, and for that video to go public. Consumers deserve a public trial test to give each product a rating instead of through the Sorenson vs ZVRS war. If ZVRS was better, I would be honest and give a verdict based on what I see from my correctly prescribed eyeglasses.

*have no reason to port from Sorenson VRS (forgot to add Sorenson in previous comment)

I have a question, fox or wri9713. Can any of ZVRS’ products be used with a television?

John C – Yes, Z340 can be hooked up to a tv or any device that has standard video/audio hookups.

What I notice wri7913 & fox, is that you mentioned that you didn’t want to be stuck with just using a TV for videophone, which is why you preferred ZVRS services (in part), yet the Z340 has capabilities to have a standard video hook-up. I just felt the point you brought up about the TV was kind of moot, although ZVRS has different devices to choose from. I have not really heard a strong argument for ZVRS yet. But one thing I commend you for, you sticked to your “guns” and kept the debate alive with pointing out various things supporting the idea why ZVRS can offer some choices, but then there is this attitude over Sorenson even supporting the view of that video which gleefully made this obscene sign shared by a ZVRS rep…when I choose a company, one important factor I choose on is company integrity. When there is company integrity, the odds are that while a customer I would be served in all honesty, with discreet, without being monitored or invading my privacy. I felt comfortable with Sorenson in that respect. When I called out that ZVRS high profile rep on the shared video, I immediately knew he shared the story about my Facebook confrontation to his ZVRS colleagues subjecting me to ridicule. With that said, I don’t believe ZVRS as a company has the integrity to serve me. Those ZVRS reps upon reading this know it. It is their war vs Sorenson, it is all about that war, not about the integrity of the customers and worse yet, it is not about the integrity of ZVRS. It is about airing dirty laundry
so they can convince a few heads to turn to ZVRS. That FB conversation with that ZVRS rep showing no remorse over offending me with that shared video proved to me as a customer not to mess with a company that lacked moral values, because you won’t be served with moral value. I felt compelled to challenge ZVRS before this FB fiasco but after that, I became convinced that ZVRS isn’t to be trusted if I ported to them.

As for Sorenson’s tactics with winbacks, I am not naive to think ZVRS won’t resort to similar tactics in winning back those who ported to Sorenson or ported back to them. Not with the less than ideal integrity that ZVRS rep showed me in front of everyone in FB. Would a manager of ZVRS talk back to me on FB (with myself as a customer of VRS services)? Yet that high-profile rep who gets his pictures displayed at the expos, on the ZVRS website, on videos, felt he had the immunity to share videos and retort back at a consumer (one who is a customer and user of VP services).

Whether ZVRS grows or not, this incident will always be etched in my mind, I will always subscribe to their rivals’ services instead of theirs, unless they produce the ultimate golden egg, then as a customer I can only take advantage of that. I forgive the rep for going over his head in misrepresenting ZVRS but it is not just him, it is the whole company. If I worked for Sorenson I wouldn’t even debate on anyone’s blog. I would be totally out of it (the war) and just demonstrate their videophone and travel doing so. I would be totally professional and just leave it up to the customers to choose which VRS provider they want to use. Using Sorenson’s VP200 or NVP I still have my choice of interpreters since I can always resort to calling Purple Communications for a VRS call. I can choose Sorenson, Purple, or any other VRS services using the best Sorenson NVP anyway. I already have the Purple number I call when I am in the mood to, but I use Sorenson’s interpreters most of the time.

So, the argument about Sorenson’s quality of interpreters is also moot- as you can always use Purple Communications while using VP200 or NVP. That arguement is kind of deceptive, just read some of the comments in this blog, you see people complaining about poor interpreter quality at Sorenson. Yet they could call the Purple number using Sorenson VP200-NVP. ZVRS supporters is just trying to throw a smokescreen complaining about terp quality at Sorenson, which even myself don’t think is that bad. Using ANY VRS provider if on a very important call, for instance, with a lawyer, I would jump from interpreter to interpreter screening them until I find the best fit for the call- I am strong enough to ask for a different interpreter or just simply hang up and redial until I like the way the interpreter looks and signs. I would do this even if I was a ZVRS customer.

Plain and simple, without missing out on the best, clearest picture which I believe to be Sorenson.

John C said “Plain and simple, without missing out on the best, clearest picture which I believe to be Sorenson.”
———
And that is your opinion which is totally fine.

You lay out your argument about not liking ZVRS due to one person in the company and their behavior. I find that kind of silly in my opinion. That would be like me blaming my bad view of Sorenson on the five videos that Sorenson produced to bad mouth ZVRS by name.

My view isn’t just based on these videos though. I know personally how they (Sorenson) badgered me after I got my VP-200 every three months to make sure I didn’t sell it. I also remember how at times they would show up unannounced at my home to check up on me. Their interpreting services are not bad but I’ve found ZVRS to be the best. The way the interpreters represent me in my calls, my friends say its just like speaking to me in person. I’ve never had that kind of compliment on interpreting services when using Sorenson.

I personally prefer having my videophone as a separate device. When I got my VP-200 I had to fork over $80 for a small tv just to use it. I have not had to purchase anything to get my videophone working from ZVRS. Big difference for me. Perhaps if I was near blind, then having my videophone on my 50 inch TV screen would make sense.

One thing I absolutely love about ZVRS is the contact lists. I can enter all my contacts and edit them through their website. Once they are entered into the website, all Z products can access them. On the Sorenson VP-200 I had to enter it through the remote which made for frustrating experience for me.

One other thing, I also know several individuals who work for ZVRS, I hear about the intimidation tactics that Sorenson is using to port back customers. Based on that alone I would never port back to them.

I did get a nice going away present from them in my mail today, A nice shiny calendar.

wri7913- It was not just one person in the company, he was probably one of the highest profile ZVRS reps. That’s the point. As much I love him as a friend, he has to learn to represent the company in a more proper way. I rather for a low profile ZVRS installer to share such a video rather than one who is nearly right at the top.

I have let it go – I forgive him. I know he thinks I was preaching to him, and I guess I was- if he thinks I am a total jerk, I just couldn’t help confronting him about it. If I had to do it again, I wouldn’t even confront him about it. I would have just let others see for themselves, but I got removed from his friends list, so I don’t know whether he was upset with my pestering him over this shared video, or whether he realized I was right and removed me along with removing video. I will never know because I have no need to investigate it. After our conversation, it was over. I have never seen a single video that any Sorenson rep shared which contacted an obscene sign. It is just a matter of ethics with me, not silly at all. Some people may have more ethics than I have, or I may try to have all the proper ethics instilled in me. What I want instilled in me, I want the same for my children.

It’s cool about the fact you can add contacts edited through their website which as you say automatically uploads to the ZVRS products’ contact list. Sorenson and ZVRS both feature different things so it makes us easier to be more compatible with our choices by design. I have no qualms with that. Thanks for pointing it out.

I will leave it to Sorenson’s videos to point out their features as opposed to ZVRS’. That is what the Sorenson videos are usually about, they will compare what their VPs can do as opposed to what ZVRS’ VPs can do.

As for forking over $80 for a small TV to use VP-200, are you aware you could watch Cable TV with it? Not that I have to give you lessons on using a TV, but I could also point out that I forked over only $20 through Craigslist for a 13″ inch TV. It was only up to you to spend more for one.

I am not into the intimidation you are focused on Sorenson’s part, if I was political, I am not that political. If people wants to be whistle-blowers, that is not really any of my concern. Why, I have been a long-time Sorenson customer and I am not somebody who tried to port from Sorenson at any time. If it makes you feel better to sound the horn on it and get political about it, you have every liberty and right to do so. Nobody is stopping you, right? I have debated with you on Amy’s blog yes, but I concede you have every right to make points about it. That will not be enough to make me port to ZVRS. I probably would port to Convo Relay because the father of videophone is at the helm there, if I got offended by Sorenson for some reason – I mean, while would I get personal with a VRS company? ZVRS is good at provoking people to react against Sorenson. Top bloggers are blogging/vlogging about it. I understand how people get so easily riled up. It is like instigating a flash mob dance, if I may put it in that way. Job description at ZVRS: play the pied piper.

John C said “ZVRS is good at provoking people to react against Sorenson. Top bloggers are blogging/vlogging about it. I understand how people get so easily riled up. It is like instigating a flash mob dance, if I may put it in that way. Job description at ZVRS: play the pied piper.”
———–
A more apt comparison would be that ZVRS customers are much like the old Apple Fanboys that loved Apple products and sang praise of how easy those products made their lives.

When a rival company makes videos based on fraudulent claims by people who were never customers or disgruntled former employees of the company, its hard not to take it a bit personal. Even more so when they named ZVRS in those videos. In my opinion, ZVRS must be doing something right to have itself in the crosshairs of another company.

on way free ipad-2 this high cost but Sorenson get free on way !!!

What is so interesting about this whole debacle on ZVRS vs Sorenson is, unlike TMobile versus Sprint or other rival companies, even the deaf customers get into the debate. It is because deaf people know each other, and it has seeped even into Facebook with one employee sharing an offensive video.

With TMobile and Sprint, we would only see advertising blitzes, as the competition heats up, the ads fire up. More posters are made with slogans. More TV commercials appear.

But with ZVRS vs Sorenson, ZVRS staff and supporters retorted back at some Sorenson. supporters with them firing back. We have to defend our public opinion wide open in front view of everyone. John C isn’t much of a nickname isn’t it? Too honest with a first name and a last name first letter. Exposing myself just for the sake of argument.

My opinion is the VRS company reps and supporters forgetting that the deaf world is a very small world, the bloggers too. If it was TMobile vs Sprint, the hearing customers would not know who the other commentors probably are. But there aren’t many John C’s in the deaf world. Suppose I wanted to work in a deaf school or work for one of the VRS companies in the future, there I go, I am John C. Will I get a job?

Obviously not. That said, how are these blogs and the arguments productive to all of us that may need jobs in the future?

Plus, how can we just sit quiet when we are not sure if ZVRS are giving honest reports aboit Sorenson? How could I sit quiet when a high profile ZVRS representative shared on offensive video on my FB and I had to respond to him in full view of everyone on FB?

We get pulled into a controversy sometimes and there may be consequences.

That’s why I don’t appreciate the ZVRS vs Sorenson war. It hurts ordinary folks like me because if we comment we might support the rival company. If I need a job, chances are lower. I am just thankful I have SSI to fall back on.

John C,

Can you put up the link to the ZVRS Offensive Video? You have mentioned that this high profile Z employee utilizing a very offensive sign, and I’d like to see for myself this video.

Thanks

Fox, it was a shared video. Clear? I can’t verify whether it was made by a ZVRS employee, or an ex-ZVRS or ex-Sorenson employee, or it was made by a ZVRS supporter. The high profile ZVRS employee unfriended me on FB and blocked me so I am unable to retrieve the video to privide the link for you.

I also rather not publicly say who that high profile employee was due to the fact I don’t know who you are or who I am really talking to, and out of respect for that guy since I knew him when he was a young kid. I did call him out in public when he posted the offensive video on facebook.

I can look for the video and provide it. VRSEngineer does know which video it is, VRSEngineer can provide it if you ask for it.

Fox, I checked YouTube and I found it there under the title “Sorenson’s Scare Tactic.” It was offensive using the sign for Sorenson mimicking the sign for blow job. That video was shared by the high profile ZVRS employee. It upset me. It just showed me the unprofessionalism by a top ZVRS employee. I realized right then that I couldn’t trust the ethics of ZVRS and if I ported to them they could access my contacts information. It just isn’t ethical for me to even port to them at this point. Before the war ZVRS vs Sorenson and the offensive shared video, I actually had been warming up to ZVRS, I had installed Z4 on my laptop and smartphone. After all was shared, said, and done, I quickly uninstalled Z4 from both devices. Now I am a Sorenson customer for life and won’t port.

The video in question was a video made in response to the scare mongering done by Sorenson. They (Sorenson) created scare tactic videos because of the impending changes to tier rates. Sorenson did not want to lose profit since they were deep in debt. They called out the deaf community and scared them into action by saying if they don’t go against the FCC changes, the VRS industry will die and we will lose our VRS services.

I do not believe the video was done by anyone associated with ZVRS or Sorenson. It was done by someone who was sick of Sorenson’s manipulative attitude towards deaf people.

If you do watch the video, the guy warns you of offensive material contained in and do not be offended. Apparently someone ignored the warnings and got offended anyways ><

wri7913- Oh great! I am liking ZVRS more now. I look forward to watching the video that the high profile ZVRS representative shared, I like ZVRS’ tactics – they don’t have to do the video but they can share the video on Facebook. I look forward to showing people what ZVRS wants us to see. They don’t have to do the video but they can share videos with warning labels on them informing viewers it contains offensive material on Facebook, That’s why people love Facebook.

I like ZVRS’s products. Not because of the whole “sorenson stinging z” ordeal. Simply because I like their products and service. I also like that Z is mostly run by Deaf individuals who can understand the needs on the Deaf community better than the Hearing community.

Well, things have certainly changed. ZVRS got themselves a spiffy new CEO who has no knowledge whatsoever of the Deaf community or of Terps. Her name is Sherri Turpin. She was hired away from Earthlink, and she seems to consider VRS to be some form of tech support. Same same, right?

Z’s only selling point is their crack squad of highly certified Interpreters, and now most of those Terps are currently looking for new jobs. Z may have a warchest (as one previous commenter put it), but do they have any experienced, super-certified Terps in there?

Ms. Turpin isn’t good for the Deaf community, she’s not good for the employees, and she’s not good for ZVRS’ bottom line.

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