I wanted to like this service. I even downloaded the iPhone “Line 2′ app for it in anticipation of loving this service. Now it appears I have wasted 99 cents. Such is life.

What is Toktumi?

It’s a Virtual PBX system that allows your small business to appear as if it is a large business. It allows you to “Go Mobile” by adding a 2nd number with voice mail to your cell phone – business and personal numbers on one phone.

The part that I loved was that by adding the iPhone app, I could make calls through my toll free business line and have the toll free number appear on the consumer’s caller id. Even better, using that app to make calls through their VoIP would mean I would save money by not using my cell phone minutes.

But here’s the thing:

I signed up for the service on March 25th. I immediately faxed over the required consent form allowing them to becoming the carrier for my existing toll free number. Anddddddd I waited the required two weeks before inquiring as to the status of my request. I even gave them an extra day.

I headed over to their site (that has no customer service phone number) and waited 32 minutes for a customer support chat person to assist me. The “live person” had no answer for me aside from telling me that my number was not finished being “ported”. In fact I was asked the same question three different ways which basically left me with the impression that they had no idea of what was going on. Complete waste of my time.

Two days later I received an email asking for the consent form to be faxed to them yet again.

I have not heard from them since.

I signed up for this service allowing a cushion of time so that I would be able to cancel my existing PBX service and not have to pay them for the following month. However…cha ching…I paid them again today for the next month.

While I typed this post, I thought I would give the customer support chat another try. See if they had any updates for me.

Time I logged onto their live support:

• 4:07 PM. After logging in with my account information and question, I was told my approximate wait time would be 23 minutes.
• 4:30 PM. Still waiting, though I really need the bathroom at this point, because the coffee I drank while waiting these 23 minutes has gone right through me. However I’m afraid that if I leave I will lose my shot at speaking to someone.
• 4:40 PM. Still waiting. With my legs crossed. I get my husband to take my place at screen staring for the next minute or two and head to the bathroom.
• 4:47 PM.  Forty minutes and finally…….”Leton: Hello, Princess. Please give me a moment to review your question/submission…”
• Here’s how it went:

4:52 PM:

Leton: i am not certain i understand your situation
Princess: I signed up for service on 3/25. I faxed my porting release TWICE so far. And I am still not switched over yet.
Leton: what is the number you are trying to port ?
Princess: I gave it to you already but it’s 888-xxx-xxxx
Leton: ok let me check your numbers status.
 

It’s now 4:57 PM. At this point, this has taken longer than Dell’s customer service ever has. At 5:02 PM he/she returns with this:

Leton: still checking..
 

5:09 PM. It’s now officially an hour  and two minutes that I have been sitting here.

Leton: Hello Princess your port request is still being processed. Please note it takes approximately 2-3 weeks for a port request to be completed
Princess: Uh, it’s now 4/14. I signed up and faxed my request on 3/25. Your service says two weeks, now it’s 3 weeks?
Leton: Ok Nancy your request has been submitted to our carrier and we are currently waiting for a response
Nancy: Wonderful. I’ve been sitting here for one hour and 6 minutes just to hear that.Thanks so much.

 

So now what ll happen? Who knows?

Toktumi? Thanks for holding me up for 3 weeks, over 2 hours of “live chat waiting/talk time and probably having to pay another month of service from my old provider in addition to your service.