Comments on: Ribbit Mobile – First Impressions

By: Suzie

Suzie — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:30:37 +0000

DO NOT USE THIS APP! I’ve had this on my Verizon phone for about 6 months now. I am not one to look at the call history on my bill, I just pay it! So I was shocked to see over 40 minutes going to the Ribbit voicemail number in less than a week. I do not call the voicemail number, when I get the text and/or email for what the voicemail says, I just delete the text/vmail and move on. I MAYBE actually call the 206-453-1140 number once a month. And the times and minutes used are at random, they do not match up to when I’m making a call or receiving one. I emailed their support about it and this is their response “When you activate with Ribbit, your mobile phone is call forwarded from your carrier to Ribbit. When your calls are sent to Ribbit voicemail your carrier charges you air time minutes. Below is an explanation of how Ribbit call forwarding works.” and also this reply” Yes. In the scenario pictured below, the caller dials your mobile, is forwarded onto Ribbit, and you answer the call on one of your Ribbit connected phones and talk for 10 minutes. The mobile carrier is keeping the call established on their network, so this counts as 10 minutes against your mobile plan” Basically not helping at all. So comparing my call records online and my call history on my phone, Ribbit has been taking minutes from my plan even when I call someone in my Friends and Family, which is supposed to be unlimited to those 13 people (10 Friends and the 3 family lines I have). If you have this app, just look at the detailed call history on your bill. You will have random call times to the Ribbit vmail number that does not coincide with any calls that you made/received, and yet you’re being billed for them! I enjoyed the text/emails of what my vmail said but not at the expense of my already expensive minutes! Ribbit CANCELLED!

By: Stuart

Stuart — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:50:57 +0000

Kristie,

Thanks for your response. I effectively added a comparison today and update. Even someone like me that should know perhaps and understand can’t work out all the routing reasons instantly. It takes awhile.

You are also right numbers won’t go away immediately or anytime soon. What’s encouraging is that we are moving to a point where filtering for context before we accept that we should be talking will become common place.

I’m not going to shoot or kill my RibbitMobile account right now. I may leave it in mothballs… but I’m certainly interested in its evolution.

I’m glad there are companies out there that can move things forward.

By: Kristie Wells

Kristie Wells — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:46:39 +0000

Stuart,

Thank you ever so much for the deep dive into Ribbit Mobile, and for your open and honest review – especially as it stacks up against Google Voice and your company, Phweet.

We are constantly working on the product and will have much of the ‘quirkiness’ (including tweaks to the UI) taken care when we come out of beta.

I do believe the market is changing and enjoy seeing the innovation around HOW people make/answer calls, but I don’t believe the phone number should be shot and buried…just yet.

Also, to kill your Ribbit Mobile account (if/when you are ready), you need to shoot an email to support@ribbit.com and they will zap it for you. Will be embedded in the product down the road, for now we take care of it.

Thanks again. Your feedback is greatly appreciated!

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Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:45:54 +0000

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By: Ribbit Mobile Released! « By the Crick

Ribbit Mobile Released! « By the Crick — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:34:28 +0000

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