iTalkBB Reviews

iTalkBB

119

User Reviews

2.1/5

Average Rating

16%

Recommended

Total:

119

5-Star:

10

4-Star:

9

3-Star:

12

2-Star:

32

1-Star:

56

iTalkBB Review by WhichVoIP

iTalkBB is a predominantly Chinese-American focused VoIP and television service provider based out of China with multiple retails stores across North America. Despite the current criticism against iTalkBB's service, iTalk Global Communications, the parent company of iTalkBB, currently holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

The Good

Cheap international rates make the service a good replacement for complicated phone cards, especially for students studying abroad or who frequently travel to and from China.

Each plan includes standard features such as caller ID, call forwarding, three- way calling, E911 support and voicemail.

Additional local numbers can be purchased for Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Korea.

Mobile support is also available and minutes can be shared between multiple phones.

The website has different sections for English, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese. English and Chinese customer support is available via phone 24/7 and toll free.

The Bad

Many users have complained of difficulty receiving refunds despite the fact that users who cancel the service within the trial period or within 30 days after purchasing the service are entitled to a refund of unused services according to iTalkBB's Terms and Conditions. Users who terminate service within the month are liable to pay for the remainder of that month regardless of use of service.

iTalkBB states that monthly usage above 30% of the residential average use is considered abuse of the service and will lead to the termination of service. However, it is not clearly stated what reasonable use is.

User can incur large costs to discontinue service, particularly when compared to other providers.

Customer support has been noted as generally unreliable across user reviews.

Call quality has been reported to be below average.

The mobile app for iOS and Android has received mixed reviews, with many users complaining of non-functionality on specific mobile devices, including some popular models.

The English website is littered with misspellings and typos. Be aware of the possibility of miscommunication between user and provider. iTalkBB's main website hasn't been updated in a few years. Some links are not active, and some pages are not translated into English, which is obviously a significant problem for users who aren't fluent in Chinese.

The Bottom Line

iTalkBB offers two plans that each include their standard set of features.

  • Global Unlimited Plan: ($24.99 per month) New accounts with 2 year contracts receive the first 6 months for an introductory rate of $9.99 per month. A free 'China Local Number' can also be applied to an account for 12 months, which will not incur any international calling charges.
  • Residential Economic Plan: ($4.99 per month) Requires a one-year contract. A free China Local Number can be applied to accounts for 6 months, and enables users to call to the U.S.A. without international charges.
  • Global Unlimited Annual Plan: ($299.00 per year) Essentially the same plan as the Global Unlimited Plan, with the addition of 500 minutes to share across 2 mobile phones supported through the iTalk Freedom service. There is no contract required with this plan, so any unused monthly charges will be refunded if a user decides to cancel within the year of full service.

Additional Fees:

  • Activation fee: ($29.99)
  • Hardware Shipping Fee: ($9.99)
  • Plan Change Fee: ($29.99) Charged when a user changes from their current plan to a plan that costs at least $10.00 per month.
  • Deactivation Fee: ($59.99)
  • Early Termination Fee: ($69.99) charged when cancelling an account within an active contract.
  • iTalkBB can be purchased at a reduced price if purchased in a bundle with iTalk's Chinese television service.

Overall Thoughts

Currently, iTalkBB holds a very low recommendation rate on WhichVoIP.com. With a good amount of competing VoIP services available, it may be beneficial to browse other services to compare rates and features. Read through the user reviews to get a better grasp on the general consensus of those who have spent time and money on the service before committing to a lengthy contract. Though it is a very reasonably priced service, the frequency of complaints and the larger than average amount of fees may be more of a hassle than the service is worth.

Being a service that caters to those with family and friends in East Asia and North America, iTalkBB is obviously best suited for those expecting to make regular calls between the two regions. The ability to bundle with iTalk's Chinese language TV service may also appeal to this demographic. However, it should be noted that there are multiple other VoIP services that feature reduced international call rates and include East Asia in their service area.

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