Judge Tells Vonage - Don’t Sign Up Any More New Clients

Updated 4/7 - Last night a federal appeals court granted a temporary order allowing Vonage to continue signing up new customers until the case could be heard or otherwise resolved. 

Friday April 6th 11:17 AM ET Yahoo News reports that a Judge has barred Vonage from signing up any more new customers as punishment for patent infringement.

A judge issued an injunction Friday that effectively bars Internet phone carrier Vonage from signing up new customers as punishment for infringing on patents held by Verizon. Vonage planned an immediate appeal.

Vonage’s lawyers said the compromise injunction posted by U.S District Judge Hilton is almost as devastating as an injunction that would have affected Vonage’s 2.2 million existing customers.

“It’s the difference of cutting off oxygen as opposed to the bullet in the head,” Vonage lawyer Roger Warin said.

Consumers seeking alternatives to Vonage will now be considering alternatives like Packet8 , though a number of other VOIP Providers can easily serve most customers though they lack Vonage’s brand identification.