Vonage Becomes a 'Cause'

Fresh from a small victory in court Tuesday, Vonage is trying to make some public relations hay from its potentially life-threatening patent infringement tussle with Verizon.

The VoIP company Wednesday announced a new Web site called FreeToCompete.com, where it invites consumers to rally behind it in its fight against Verizon.

Vonage says consumers will pay higher prices if Verizon is allowed to sue Vonage out of existence. Studies are cited. Loving Vonage customers are quoted.

The new site comes complete with raised fists holding telephones, a petition and email links to Big Bad Verizon. Visitors to the site are greeted with this line: "Al Gore invented the Internet; Now Verizon is trying to patent it."

But Vonage as a grass roots social "cause"? Will this new tactic win Vonage new customers where its bulging ad budget could not? Does Vonage vs. Verizon have real David vs. Goliath appeal?

Or has Vonage finally jumped the shark?

Comments

All substantive Vonage commentary aside, if I never hear that 5, 6, 7, 8s song again, it will be too soon.

edahl

April 25, 2007

4:17 PM PT

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