Vonage Visual Voicemail Transcription Follies

I am a Vonage subscriber and despite their financial difficulties, I really like their service. Free unlimited long distance anywhere in North America and several other countries … what’s not to love? One of my favorite features I subscribe to is called visual voicemail. For a few cents per email, Vonage will transcribe my voicemails and send them along to me as a text email. Since I hate listening to voicemail, but always have my BlackBerry with me, this is a wonderful service. (I wish my T-Mobile BlackBerry phone had the same service.)

I’m not sure whether Vonage uses a technology like SpinVox or SimulScribe, whether they use an offshore transcription service, or some combination, but sometimes it just doesn’t work as advertised and the results are hillarious. Just yesterday, I received my all-time favorite transcription. Makes me laugh out loud just looking at it:

Date: Oct 08 2007 08:08:19 AM
From: xxxxxxxxxxx
To : Eric Shanfelt (xxxxxxxxxxx)

“Eric. To how you doing. I kinda move some things around. And i was wondering. If you were available. Maybe we can you go stare monica out. Each. I got bored meeting. She is. And. Is i said 9 i’d be interested tell what it’s already so. i think i’m gonna do is just get on my porch get out. Get down there. Or leave them are all. And then When you when i can sit out in cars. Golfing board meetings so i’m. So maybe baby. People 6 bucks true. You have to do some pre game on that maybe 829. Anyway. and let me know give a call when you know if that works for you. I i should i my i should be on the on the error up until about My talk talk like.”

I don’t know what it means to stare monica out, but it must have something to do with people being 6 bucks true. Technology isn’t perfect, but it sure can be entertaining sometimes. I’ll be finishing up my previous blog entry later today (I am SO delinquent), but until then, feel free to drop me a comment or contact me … ya know, my talk talk like.