Holmdel, N.J. — Vonage has initiated with what it described as a “grassroots communications campaign” to educate and mobilize consumers about preserving the freedom to choose their phone service provider.
The “Free to Compete” campaign will include a Web site and a series of advertisements aimed at portraying the Verizon lawsuit as an effort by an entrenched corporation to stifle legitimate competition.
According to Vonage, “Verizon has pursued litigation against Vonage in an effort to achieve in court what it cannot achieve in the marketplace.”
“We think this issue warrants national attention because when competition is stifled, consumers literally pay the price,” said Jeffrey Citron, Vonage’s chairman and interim CEO, said in a statement.“Vonage is the target today, but what other innovative companies might be next?”
Vonage was granted a permanent stay by a Federal Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday, allowing the VoIP firm to continue signing up new customers. Vonage’s appeal was put on a fast-track schedule by the circuit court — which specializes in patent disputes. The case will begin June 25.
