Historical discussions of the ACN opportunity from Scam.com
Below you will find a fair use condensation of material from the scam.com forum. The views expressed are those of the original posters and not the editors or publishers of this site.
More detailed info can be found at ACN MLM networking business.
ACN Australian Communication Network versus Peter Bowditch.
ACN Scam.com discussions 2007-a
ACN Scam.com discussions 2007-b
ACN Scam.com discussions 2008-b
ACN Scam.com discussions 2009-b
ACN Scam.com discussions 2009-c
01/09 - I have to disagree with this. I've seen and used the video phone from ACN and have used skype. The quality of skype is just as good if not better and it's free. As far as convenience, they are about the same.
Most people don't have ethernet connections throughout their house with a central switch and router, thus they plug their video phone in next to their computer. The only thing skype requires is a decent webcam which you can get with logitech for $45.00 at Best Buy.
This beats $30.00/month for a 2 year contract just to get the video phone for "free". 24 months x $30.00 = $720.00. I have the same technology with SKYPE and the cost is only the price of the webcam $45.00.
Actually, with video links, all you have to do is plug them in and you can have your video phone anywhere there is a plug in. Also, the quality of Skype is NOT as good, unless you have a very high quality webcam and fast computers on both ends.
Because it is a peer-to-peer system, it depends on your computer, not just the internet connection. There will always be cheap or free alternatives, but some people want quality and convenience. Since a video phone is plug and play, it is super easy to use. Wait until you see the new video phone ACN will come out with this year. After the deal with Worldgate, the quality will be second to none.
Most people are still paying a phone bill, and there is value from have a phone SYSTEM that is unlimited calling. It's cheaper than a landline.
I don't have a problem with Skype, but you can't really say it's the same thing as a video phone because it's not. And it never will be.
01/09 - Jeff Weber has found a champion about every 3 years and it results him in 6 figures monthly just off of those two SVP legs.
You are somewhat misrepresenting his income. Are you forgetting the breakaway that you encounter when you break an svp in a leg. He's about to have multiple svps in one leg which cut him off and thus reduce his residual. He's forced to continually build wide.
That's the problem with acn comp plan is the break away. Look at Brian Sax. He's working just as hard today as we was 6 years ago. The reason, Jeff Weber broke SVP, Mike Bisutti broke SVP, Owen Hunn broke SVP and soon to be Deebles and ****s.
That means he's cutoff from income below his 1st SVP's 7th level. Result, keep building just like you did when you started. Sorry to burst your bubble, I guess that's why no one has never retired from ACN. Heck, Debbie Davis is still RVP and she's been their 16 years.
Worldgate makes the Ojo. I've used their equipment, and ACN's touted Iris 3000. The quality is not better. I'm using a $45.00 webcam from logitech and with a 5 year old pc and it makes no difference. I actually prefer skype to a videophone, most of my friends too.
The computer is already there, why not use it? Why buy another piece of equipment. As far as ease of use, I'll I did was go to skype.com and download the software. I'd rather pay free than $30.00/month for two years.
Most people are doing away with landlines and just using cell phones. I hope for your sake, that everybody wants one. Problem is interoperability between carriers.
It's more a bailout than anything. ACN is paying off worldgate's debentures (5mil) and buying 50 mil in videophones in exchange for a portion of the company. It will be a good move if the demand for video phones is there.
Until know, the market has been very slow to get behind the technology. Lots of issues (cost, interoperability and the question of whether people want to see the person they're talking to). ATT did a study back in the 70's to look at customer demand.
They found their was a social behavior that was hard to overcome when it came to speaking on a telephone. Most people didn't want to see the person. I guess that's why the major carriers haven't jumped on the video phone bandwagon. The question isnt can we do this, but should we do this.
Time will tell. I know ACN is banking it's future on this technology because long distance has really flattened out. This was their only real proprietary product in the market place. Everything else is a resale of someone elses product.
ACN is looking hard to celebrity apprentice to create the demand and give exposure to the technology. Will people go for it? ACN hopes so.
01/09 - At this point they could lower their rates to $.01 per minute and it STILL wouldn't be worth it. It's too late for them to break the VoIP market because there is no way for them to MAKE MONEY in it anymore!
This company doesn't make money because it sells a valuble product or service. It makes money off of the fools who are still willing to invest their hard-earned $499 with promises of huge returns on their investment.
The only way they will ever see a dime of that money back is not by selling the 'services' that ACN offers, but by tricking other fools into investing their money with the SAME false promises.
02/09 - I am a computer professional and have been for over 25 years total and can assure you a child can setup a webcam. In fact most laptops now come with them preconfigured, even the cheap ones.
As far as your video phone the problem is self explanatory, the phone is proprietary on a proprietary network. So if both parties do not subscribe..it is just a really expensive phone with a blank screen.
I have been in the technical fields for years and can assure the road to today is littered with dead proprietary systems. If ACN can find a system that works on any VoIP or telephony system they may have a chance.
A child maybe able to setup the webcam. HOWEVER, there may be hardware conflicts, operating system issues. Mac vs PC, ETC ETC ETC. Many kids can setup your remote, but ask 78 year old grandma to do it and you now have yourself a problem.
One thing I have noticed is its very easy for ACN to take your hard earned money but if you have problems like many are it is near impossable to get your money back that is if you can find someone to talk to.
I have been using skype which is free to sign up and free with video from skype to skype and works very well anywhere you can get wifi, for very little fee you can also call regular phones, I have used skype to call business partners and family in Europe, USA, Mexico, Asia, Australia etc.
I have also called home using skype from Mexico , Europe, and the USA, and find it works very well. I can talk to and see my kids on a bigger screen.
02/09 - I am a ACN Rep. I have been a Rep for a couple of months now. When I originally joined, I was really excited about the opportunity. However, now I realize that this business is not as easy as I was told it would be when I joined.
Most of the people that I have come in contact with are turned off by the $499 membership fee and the yearly renewal fee so they are not willing to become reps and I am finding that the services that ACN offers nobody wants or they are not any cheaper than what you pay if you went directly through the carrier. Most people either already have FIOS or Comcast so they don't want DirectTV (The Dish).
They don't want to purchase the video phone because they have already purchased a web camera and are using Skype free and even if Skype is choppy they would much rather not have the 2 year contract agreement and the $30 dollar monthly bill that you get when you purchase the ACN video phone.
If they are not a new cell phone customer or going to a new carrier, they are not able to get the cell phones through ACN for a discount. I was told that purchasing cellphones through ACN would be cheaper than going through the carrier; it is not.
I have had three potential customers try to upgrade their cellphones; however, when we attempted to go through ACN the cellphone that the customers wanted was way to expensive, so they ended up going through their carrier and was able to get the cellphone that they wanted way cheaper than what ACN was offering, what gives.
As far as the home phone, most people are doing away with landlines so they don't care about the home phone service that ACN offers.
For those of you who are sales people, this could very well be a great opportunity for you; however, if you are anything like me I recommend you spend you money elsewhere because this is not the opportunity for you.
You will end up spending way more than the $499 membership fee because you have to get 5 points to qualify so that you can move up to the next level. For me because I already had FIOS, I had just recently upgraded my cellphone and I already have home security, so I figured I could get qualified by getting web assist, purchasing the video phone and purchasing a broadband card, thinking that once I started making money this stuff would pay for itself; wrong.
I have paid the $499 for the membership, I pay $29.99 a month for web assist, $29.99 for the video phone and I pay $59.99 for a broadband card. If you total all of that up for me, so far I have paid over $900.00 and have not made a dime.
So again to those of you who are salespeople, I wish you much success. But for those of you who are not good in sales, I strongly recommend that you read this board carefully and make a wise decision before joining ACN.
03/09 - Well said, only thing is in Canada you have less options to get your 5 points, most people I talked to were using skype and are very happy with it and why would they start paying $32.99 per month to go with the ACN video phone.
We are having the same problem also with the cell service here in Canada but we are limited to 1 service provider Telus, We have also been finding problems with specials others are offering but we cannot.
I find it very hard to qualify for the 5 points as most all products I already have so I would be spending extra money just to qualify to get the 5 points which is about a extra $90 per month. This is the same with most people I have talked to.
The other problem I have found is what they charge for sales tools, I run my own distribution company and cannot belive how expensive the sales tools are to promote ACN.
https://www.pyramidschemealert.org/PSAMain/resources/MLMasConsumerFraud.html
Try finding us a news website that someone reads. get back to me when cnn or abc or cbs or nbc or msnbc or fox or 60 minutes or 20/20 or dateline does a respectable story on acn. and you know what?
If any of these respectable high rated stations or shows does a story on acn and trump, what are they going to ask? it will always be " acn - respectable home business company or pyramid scam? just like fox news asked in LA.
I want all ACN members to tell me how much they make per month please.
I would love to post that information Brian. There is only one problem, that is called enticement by the AG's of the USA.
You see, though my income is staggering, I cannot guarantee that you'll do the things I did and work as hard as I work so my income is not a reflection of what your income would be.
Geez, if they allowed us to show our incomes, everyone would join.
We are allowed to present actual earnings in private sessions as long as we present documentation to support the income. I am always happy to do this and you can contact me privately and I'll make such arrangements.
Fox News did a story on it, and the clincher is when the "ACN legal representative" a Mr. Bob Stephans admits "most of the people who sign up are not going to make a profit".
http://www.myfoxla.com/dpp/news/investigative/ACN_Good_Opportunity_or_Pyramid_Scheme_20091129
03/09 - I was in ACN for 2 years and left because my residuals were absolutely horrible. I had 1,300 reps and 6,000 customers in my organization and my highest residual check was $450 or so.
First of all, it is the slimmest chance that anyone will ever get that many people in their group and that many customers. Secondly, 95% of the people in MLM will quit and not make any money, just like ACN legal representative" a Mr. Bob Stephans admits "most of the people who sign up are not going to make a profit".
WOW! Therefore when 95% do quit, they are usually all in your 7 levels, which is where you make your residuals according to box 6 of the presentation overview. All my production was outside of my 7 level, which I never got paid on EVER until you hit RVP (but only a 1% increase).
Do the math, if I did hit RVP (which I could of in 2 weeks), my residual would only increase $750 per month because my billing volume had to be $75,000 per month to hit RVP (1% of $75,000 is $750). so my total residual as I am being carried to the stage as RVP at the nex convention would only be $1,200 per month. THAT IS IT.
It is right there in the comp plan and no one ever really understand that. That is why so many RVP's leave ACN when they hit. The other issue is when someone in your team hits RVP, then you no longer get paid residuals past their 7th level, they take it instead.
Did I make money in ACN, absolutely! I made so great money (ALL bonus), but I could not longer have people invest $500 knowing that 95% would never make it. Ethically, that is not right. People do network marketing for RESIDUALS, otherwide why even do it!
Just because ACN was on Celebrity Apprentice for 15 min doesnt mean anything. You are not going to wake up the next morning and all of a sudden you have 50 people join your team. You still have to do the home meetings, the trainings, the building, the 3 way calls, to make it happen. It is ONLY an event and ACN has events all the time, so what is the difference?
Our VoIP, whether its video or not, integrates the premium voicemail into our package. You can view the voicemail from any computer, and can even have it forwarded to your Iphone, blackberry or windows mobile device email. Caller ID will come across your TV, as long as your provider has that (ie, DishNetwork etc, just like AT&T).
Right now, I think Cysco and Verizon are the closest to having a desktop Video System like ACN's. Verizon just unleashed its HUB™, which allows video messaging I believe, but its only one way. Our product has video voice mail, and is two way communication.
You can power all the phones in your house, just like you can with AT&T. So, the phone isn't limited to just that device. What is really cool, is if your on an extension, and Grandma calls and you pick the phone up in say the Master Bedroom. You can hop down to the kitchen, and hit *1 and transfer it to the desktop unit and start having a video conversation.
Right now, interoperability is limited on any video to video communication system. Those days are limited, as more demand will request interoperability. Honestly, competition will force the market to move faster, which will make it EASIER to get people in the market for what we have. I believe, that getting a customer on what they currently are using, is so easy. Getting business partners on the vision, is what the video phone does.
You do have to buy the phone.
Its less than 200 investment(includes first months service), and that cost has come down by 1/2 since the inception of this technology.
There is a contract, that is a pro-rated buy out. Helps cover the cost of the equipment.
Every customer I have ever gotten, has had their phone replaced no questions asked upon failure.
We have family plans available, for people who wish to put a video device in the hands of a family member who wishes not to purchase the service.
Just Voice Over IP or VoIP is 24.99 a month for unlimited calling to US, Canada, and Puerto Rico (Europe package coming soon, right now low cost)
Video Phone with VoIP is 29.99. Includes every feature you want, and don't need.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Videophone
The point is that videophones are nothing new. If these things were so popular everyone would have one now but no one doesnt. Just look at the " lack of public acceptance" paragraph.
If these things were so popular dont you think a company would of mass marketed these things 10 or 20 years ago?? and yes it might have been expensive but by now they would have been cheap. Also, look at the cell phone technology with video now being sold in other places other than north america.
Once they come here, its bye bye for acn prospects.
I don't think ACN is a scam, but I do have some questions about their viability.
If anyone with a laptop and internet connection can get about the same service for free, why are people signing up with ACN if for ACN you can only talk to other subscribers.
03/09 - If you produced the same number of recruits and new customers for a traditional company instead of ACN, you would easily earn double the commission you currently do. They pay you on residual so they can keep the upfront money they get for selling your accounts to another company.
Then they turn around and invest that money, and pay you pennies compared to what your sales and efforts are actually worth.
For example if you sell someone the ADT alarm system and they keep it for the industry average of 7 years, your total commission is about a third of what I pay my reps for selling an alarm system. And I pay up front.
A guy I know recruited a team for a traditional company, had 30 guys and sold about 3,500 alarm accounts (which is a lot), and he earned $700,000+ for it. His team members averaged about $60,000.
And as far as the $499 for taking care of the customer service that ACN charges reps, thats a con. For 4 of the industries that I'm familiar with, there is no customer service for ACN to deal with. They sell the accounts to the companies like ADT or Dish Network, and have no further responsiblities.
Where are they going to move it forward to? Hundreds of millions of people already use SKYPE for free. Pretty much every new laptop will come with a camera, and be able to set up free video confrencing in about 20 minutes. Where is voip going when its already free?
You can use your laptop anywhere in the house with a wireless connection. You can call any of the 400 million skype users... Anyone can join for free. You don't have to make a two year comittment to make a few video calls...
I just don't see any competitive advantage to justify the price....
Most people never reach financial independence in their lifetime.
Most people do not work hard or consistently enough to deserve it.
Most people do not believe in themselves to reach success.
Most people resign themselves to their sad financial life long before the game is over.
Most people are influenced by negative expectations rather than positive aspiration.
Most people would rather be led than lead.
Most people are controlled the illusion of promised job security.
Most people are passive participants with their earning potential rather than active explorers of ways to create wealth with those very same skills and potentials.
Most people overestimate what they will earn in a network marketing company in the first 4 years and totally underestimate how they would be earning after 5 years.
Most people do not set specific and attainable financial and personal goals and therefore live their lives at the total effect of the forces outside themselves.
Most people live their life as a wandering generality and work a job for a financial survival, not financial prosperity.
Most people view personal growth and change to be far more difficult and painful that it would prove to be only if they tried.
Most people need and want an increase in income, HOWEVER
Most people come with doubt, skepticism and resistance upon an opportunity that is offered to them to help their financial future.
And that's the main problem with any MLM, it's not for everyone. The business model only makes real money if a majority of the people fail. Think about it.
Paying out all that money to all the downline people is only feasible with many failures. If everyone succeeded fabulously well, the companies wouldn't be able to pay out all the money they owed.
The CEOs won't tell you that, but it's common sense. These companies claim they are in business to help people "be their own boss," and "establish financial freedom", but in reality that is only true for a few "elite" performers.
Why would you want to be involved with a company that's very business model depends on the majority of it's people failing? Instead create your own business based on something you're passionate about.
I finally checked out the prices for service on the ACN website. They're kidding, right? I can talk on a conventional phone with a prepaid long distance card from Costco, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, or just about anyone for less money. WAY less money.
Or I can sign up for a cheap long distance company and direct dial for less than 3 cents per minutes. No bargain there with ACN.
03/09 - Millions of people have given up their home phone to have just a cell phone.
Look at ACN's rates:
Advantage Plus Value Long Distance:
Monthly Charge $28.99 month
Monthly Long Distance Charge $4.99/Month
IntraLata (about 15 miles plus) .05/minute
Intra State LD .05/minute
State to state .049/minute
Voice Mail $8.49 a month.
Without even making a single phone call at .05 a minute your already spending about $42.50
OUCH.... U-Verse is $30 for 1,000 minutes and $40 for unlimited everything voice.
You can go to www.myacn.com for more info. Of course, $29.99 include unlimited local+long distance in the US, Canada, Puerto Rico etc. and soon will include global ACN-to-ACN free calling on the digital network.
These video phones are being launched in 29 other countries (many more to come!) and the calls will be free on the ACN network. We have family in Europe who already have these video phones (they also replaced their home lines) and we talk unlimited for free. When will U-Verse have that? Not to mention the video part.
Everyone seem to get stuck on this U-Verse thing. I have customers who had that before. Now they have an IRIS 3000, DirecTV and standalone DSL and saving $40-$50/month. Of course, some will, some won't and that is OK.
What I found with the 2-year contract is that people do not care about that since they're replacing their existing home service and they will pay for a home phone anyway.
This phone would cost a lot more than $99 without a contract. It is similar to a cell phone deal where you a get a $450 smart phone for $99 with a contract.
Trump is an endorser of ACN. He doesn't own any portion of ACN.
He is all over our website http://www.acninc.com/acn/us/
Has tons of testimonials http://www.acninc.com/acn/us/trump.html
Here is our product page http://www.acninc.com/acn/us/acn-products.html
Why were the people at Fox News treated so rudely and not invited into the meeting? If I had a great opportunity going, I would be very pleased to get an interview with Fox News. Then I would tell my prospects to go to the ACN site or FOX site and see for themselves what FOX said. FOX is respected.
Trump says ACN is a respected company. Can we possibly get a reference from some of these people. Hopefully they would be people we respect as well.
There is a running list of full names of all the RVP's & SVP's that HAVE QUIT (not thrown out) of ACN, and it is over 225 ppl when you include USA, Canada, & Europa.
They got tired of Robert's purging machine, meaning he sells off customer bases and makes tens of millions from it and then slowly purges out the customers and ppls residuals dwindle down and RVP's & SVP's fall out of qualification and/or are playing defense trying to not fall out and after awhile ppl get worn out and tired of his games and leave.
That is the infamous Robert Purge Machine....The real show that goes on behind the curtains.
Many things have Changed in ACN like in many other companies, many people still talk about things like the " purge " of YEARS ago, we now have customers that are all on 2 yr and 3 yr contracts, virtually no purge anymore. BUT people still talk about OLD stuff, because that is all they new at the time.
FACT, ACN is a new opportunity as of 18 months ago, we have customers that have contracts ( basically eliminates purge ), We have new technologies and products and we have Donald Trump. and we are having the highest incomes and production EVER.
If you call slanderous selling your gas & electric customers back to the local utilities and giving your REPS who got the customers ZERO DOLLARS, then so be it, would you like to have the Glenn Williams lawsuit from the court posted or maybe the local utilities from (CA & PA) that there are letters stating that yes ACN got paid for the customers
OR maybe you want to call ACN selling a portion of their ld & local biz to MCI is slanderous OR maybe the money ACN made when it sold all the Finnish cell phone customers after ACN totally messed up that whole deal and all these customers that REPS got ACN got paid and the REPS ZERO..
How about the European purge being higher than the customer production after year number 4 of ACN being in Europa and no one could give a true answer and ACN went through 3 European CEO's who couldnt live with themselves with all the deception that was going on....
Or how about ACN doesnt even have their own platform for their VOIP/Digital phone service, still using existing companies platforms but yet claim to be the grtest thing since slice bread in voip.....
How about you guys crying that ppl frauded your company and now you have to cut back on bonuses and team cabs starting April 1st to make up for the lost money, thats it take more money out of your reps pockets..
OR How about Art Napolitano telling his top European leaders so many times "I cant help you because Robert doesnt listen" and now 50 plus of them have left...Sounds like alot of facts here !!!
Yes ACN got out of energy, because it the whole market was a disaster ( or since your from Europe you have no idea what was going on in this country ), and yes we got some money for some of the customers and no money for most ( including the biggest base we gave back in Calif for no money, WE LOST money in the energy business.
Whats the difference between some of the things you post and 5 linx working for years with Trinsic ( ztel ) and stopping all payment to resp, years of work, FOR NOTHING, did 5 linx, PAY THE REPS ?????
Again you are talking rumors and making things up, YES we do have a VOIP netowrk, it sits on a Broadsoft Platform ( If you even know that that is ), BUT again your making things up. Or someone is lying to you.
Can you post many many leaders ( true leaders ) of ACN have left in the last 2 years ?????????? or do you want to live in the past ???????
And you think you can compete with us in Europe, DONT MAKE ME Laugh. You have been telling people AND TAKING THEIR MONEY FOR OVER 1 year promising to open all these countries, only 1 open, still taking money. THATS REAL INTEGRITY, Our European business is having a GREAT 2009. YOUR COMPANY wont be in business by the end of the year.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump
... by 1991 increasing debt brought Trump to business bankruptcy[4] and the brink of personal bankruptcy. Banks and bond holders had lost hundreds of millions of dollars, but opted to restructure his debt to avoid the risk of losing more money in court.
If anyone watched the Apprentice last night, they recapped the show on ACN. Not one mention of ACN or the phone. Nothing.
It is just MLM in general that I am done with. I can no longer do meetings for 50 people in a room knowing that most, if not all, will quit anyways and waste their money just so I can better my life with more bonus money.
It's like any vehicle, it's the driver that makes it go.
Best of luck to you in the future.
03/09 - I see nothing wrong with ACN hiring the Donald to promote the phone or the phone being part of the show - its a good marketting tactic.
BUT with that said - when people start running around making all sorts of conclusions of how great ACN must be because the Donald is so great. well then I think its time to bring a little reality.
As for ACN's sales doubling weeks before the show, it shows me that people are making emotional decisions to join, not business ones.
If people who would normally not join are swayed soley by the idea that the Donald was going to give a promotion - weeks before it actually happened.... Well it makes it look more like one of those cult MLMs where you try to get people to say yes 6 times before you give them the hard sell to buy hoping they will say yes a 7th time.
04/09 - POTS (plain old telephone service- non voip phones) are on the way out. I can't speak for qwest, but Verizon has comitted to FIOS and AT&T have comitted to U-Verse service.
AT&T already has well over million households on U-Verse. The days of a per minute fee are gone.
(for those not in the know - FIOS and U-Verse are both completely IP based)
The future will be everything bundled into one line - voice, video, data, and a combined bill with your cell phone. You will be able to effortless tie into your home media directly from your cell phone - not from some clunky internet browser - but an actual menu system that be based on your home services. Forget to set up the DVR - just go onyour cell phone, or internet.
Want to listen to your home voicemail - cell phone or intenet. Have a voice mail at home - your cell phone will alert you.
In the more distant future - have your cell calls automatically transfer to your voip landline when your in your house, and then jump back to the cell phone when your not there.
Its called Convergence. There will be one bill for all of your needs and they will all be seemlessly integrated.
The days of competitors coming in and cobbling together individual services are numbered.
Lets see we will get VOIP from company A, Dish from company B, cell phone from company C- DSL from Maybe A or B whichever is cheaper. We will try to combine bills...
Its just not going to work - Move into a new house - make one call and all of your service are up in one truck roll- which also makes it cheaper.
On the other side - on the pure telecom - Skype with 400 million subscribers - gives customer to customer calls for free - including video.
There are going to be three players in the next five years,
Your cable company that bundles voice, video, data, and cell into one package
Your phone cmpany (Verizon, Qwest, or AT&T) that bundles voice, video, data, and cell into one package.
Your Skype that offers FREE Voice and FREE (with comercials) video (Hulu/other networks)
Where exactly is ACN going to fit into this?
However you make your own luck. ACN only works for the people who work really hard, so work your butt off and don't look back.
04/09 - Does the fact that ACN reps hang around this scam website trying to defend what they do strike you as odd? Is this what you'll be doing if you become ETT or RVP or whatever ridiculous acronym you will choose to identify yourself as?
I'd wish you luck, but if you're lucky other people will have to lose their $500, as you have. That's not what I want. I hope you get out before you lose what's left of your self-esteem.
No ACN rep owns their business. They have not filed for a business license, formed an LLP or LLC, developed an operating budget, paid corporate taxes, hired employees or anything that would constitute forming or owning a business.
04/09 - Good luck competing with this ACN. Your iris 3000 is already obsolete.
how are you going to compete with the verizon hub smartphone or the at&t homemanager
Who cares if it doesnt have real time video. No one wants it on their phone. This is the future of home phones. And you know where i saw this advertised? On television. And will see it again and again in the months to come.
Not for just one night on a low rated tv program. And not by some idiot who tried to peddle some crap to me on the street. Because thats how the real world works. Successful companies dont have fools (who have no advertising experience) pay to join them to spread the word.
U-Verse/FIOS are full packages
They provide
Voice (VOIP)
Video (TV)
Data (Internet)
Wireless (Cellphone)
All in one convenient package with one bill with the services integrated.
As for video confrencing - Skype offers it for free - you just need your own camera - which most computers come with these days.
There is no money in stand alone voip customers, and ACN can't compete by cobbling together Dish, with some wireless provider and DSL. Which btw, DSL is no where near as fast as FIOS or U-Verse.
So what is their competitive advantage?
This is such an unmanly way to try to make a living... "can you do me a big favor?"
If videophones were a desired item, big companies would be marketing them.
Why doesn't ACN run an occassional TV add? Don't tell me it's because they don't want to take money away from the reps or some other similar bullcrap. All successful consumer product companies advertise.
If direct selling is so great many other companies would be following the model.
Name one MLM company that is truely successful in this arena that has not gone through many other peoples money by promising them a better life and turning them into "winners."
Skype costs $3 a month unlimited 24/7 in North America. 80% of the time the other party I talk to has a cam. I've never had my service interrupted.....EVER.
So I hear ACN is cheaper? Cheaper than $3?...Sure I don't have call forwarding, but I do have the ability to leave messages, send text messages, video files and so on. I don't get it.
And how big is your screen? Lets see skype goes on any monitor or tv set with the addition of a $10 cable.... You guys have a 3"5"?
Skype has over 400 million users - anyone with a computer can sign up for free.
With ACN you can only have video confrences with people who have signed up with ACN service.
With Skype you can video talk to anyone who has a computer and a camera (which come on almost any new laptop.)
Who is going to sign up for a two year subscription with a fee to only be able to talk to those who are ACN subscribers when you can get an equivalent service for free. Sure you might have a little better picture now, but they can put it on a larger screen.
Not only that, but dells now come with technology that the picture can follow your face - so you can move and the camera will still follow you - and with that - they have all sorts of fun effects where you can get a digital costume, or fun ears, or make a snowfall, or be flying on a carpet - etc etc etc - all for free -which are great for talking to the 4 year old niece or any other kids.
You are basically selling something everyone else is getting for free. But your system is closed and only works with other subscribers
First of all, our screen is 7", and is a digital photo frame when not in use. The phone has other functionality like the Verizon HUB that will be unleashed down the road. As for broadcasting on a larger TV, I can go as big as you want as long as it has composite connections.
You really should do more research on our product. https://www.myacn.com/digital/support.html <--- that link might help you get informed.
While increasing frame rate is a positive thing, it does not make a screen HD. Besides, I don't think that HD capability is going to make a big difference for a small screen.
If for arguments sake we assume it would help, my understanding of HD is that it's a matter of resolution as well. If the current screen or camera can't broadcast or record at HD resolution, there's no software technology to "import" that would make it capable of that.
That's a hardware issue that would require a upgrade of the phone itself. That ups the price for a product that is already at a pricing disadvantage.
From what I can tell, folks seem to be quite happy with the standard definition picture offered by Skype. The price is right, and it can be used wherever someone can get on the internet.
From a timing perspective, videophones are not new. They didn't catch on years ago in a time where there was no competitive technology.
If they did not catch on years ago, what's the business case for them catching on in the current environment when there are proven alternatives?
In canada, we bundle the voip with broadband, its coming in the us. Since were already a vendor for both dish companies, don't you think it makes sense that they may help us help them?
I still don't think you get the fact that I can beat the price on almost any bundle, hands down. Its not even close.
I entered in 19 phone numbers for ACN customers of mine, and I got exactly one number out of 19 Local/LD/Voip customers that could actually get Uverse.
So, why would I be worried about comparing my ACN product to them?
Still discussing U-verse and it's price? I thought I took care of that way, way back pages ago. You're going to continue to argue and you're right, it doesn't do any good. U-verse is a better product...hands down.
No, it's not available everywhere, but will be sooner than later. And then where will companies like ACN be? Right....trying to unload the Chinese made video phones at Big Lots.
The video phone was really cool for a couple of weeks. But after awhile, it seems like no one wants to use it (including myself). Talking on the phone all of a sudden became very time consuming, as you have to sit in front of the phone and stare at the other person.
Instead, people like to walk around the house when they talk... water the plants, use the bathroom, do some cooking. Also, unfortunately, the reality is that not everyone you talk to on the phone is interesting enough to deserve your undivided attention.
And before someone labels me as a jerk, think very hard about this... does your cousin who gossips about her neighbors and coworkers not make you start just going "uh huh... uh huh..." while you go check your email or cook dinner?
The fact is that it's easy to think I'm a jerk for saying this, but people don't realize this basic truth until they replace their phone conversations with a video conversation.
So after a fun couple of weeks of getting excited about the technology (and actually believing it was a life-changing thing), it turns out that it's not really that cool.
Also, does any ex-ACN'ers have any tips on a situation? A friend of mine who was in ACN finally left the business after realizing the residual income wasn't going to amount to much. He's been extremely depressed lately though... he has ostracized himself from his friends during his ACN-gung-ho period, and he's pretty embarassed and ashamed.
I do admit he went a bit overboard soliciting everyone's time and talking about it nonstop. I suggested that he just get back in touch with everyone and admit he was caught up in a craze and try to laugh about it.
I bet you anything if he calls up his old friends, without mentioning anything about the past, they will be happy to hang out with him again. After awhile, he'll get over the embarrassment, and laugh about it.
Whenever my friends bring up my MLM/network marketing past, I laugh about it. It was painful at first, but sometimes you just have to get over yourself, swallow your pride, and admit you were wrong.
Someone posed the question about the video phone: "why would anyone want this technology? it's never proved itself to be popular".
Here's reason for you...seniors and baby boomers are the richest group of consumers. Many of these folks don't have and don't want a computer or email address.
The video phone allows them to interface with their kids and grandkids on a daily or even weekly basis; something that they could not do before. Relationships are being strengthened between generations simply because they are able to see each other and talk about homework, soccer games, family events, etc.
I just signed up to be an ANC rep and this is one of the primary reasons that I joined. It doesn't matter to me if "most" people don't see the value in the video phone...if I see the value and promote it as a service that will make my customers' lives richer and more enjoyable, I'm sure that I will find there are plenty of people who share my enthusiasm.
I find this the most hilarious reason that MLMer's use to try to justify themselves. You want to make your customer's lives better? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight.
If you were really interested in improving people's lives, there's more efficient ways of doing so, like I dunno, becoming a teacher, a doctor, or even volunteering to help those who are less fortunate.
But choosing to be a scummy salesman who pushes products that people don't need?
Give me a break.
Most days I don't even bother doing my hair or anything, so I would NOT want someone to see what I look like when I'm talking to them.. haha, and for those few times when talking with a video would be cool, I would use skype.
I don't really care about video quality as much as I would rather have it be free, being I wouldn't use it very much. I CAN see the advantage to those who live very far away from their loved ones, though.
But apart from just mlm downline pep talks you have to ask whether they will provide you with network marketing training or online business ideas to back up the residual income business opportunity they promote?
