Verizon Call Assistant (VCA) dropping access by phone

[Jim-M]

Verizon is dropping access to Call Assitant via telephone.  I received the following email this evening............

Dear customer,

Thank you for using Verizon Call Assistant to access your voice mail, call logs, and address book on
the web. We have important news about a change to the way you access this information. 

On or about July 19, 2010, you will no longer be able to access your information by phone. (866 544-5426
will no longer be available after this date.)  You will still be able to access your account:

• Online at www.verizon.com/callassistant.
• Online at www.verizon.com/myaccount, My Services, Home Phone after signing in.
• From your desktop (desktop software is available at www.verizon.com/callassistant).

You can also access your Voice Mail using either of the following options:

• Call the local access number provided at the time of your original order.
• Call your home phone, press the * key and follow the prompts.           

If you have any questions please visit www.verizon.com/callassistant or call 888 483-5156.

Thank you for your business.  We value you as a customer and look forward to continuing to serve you.

Sincerely,

Verizon

So, not only do we have the some of the buggiest software ever released by a major company, we now have been cut off from the only reliable access point when away from a web browser.  I don't know about how everyone else uses VCA, but I found it useful to have voice controlled access to my calls and voicemail when driving.

Verizon appears to be trying to force us away from this free product.  Fine... But give me a viable alternative and I will pay for it.  Nope...Nada...Nothing!  I was a paying IOBI customer until they dropped all support for that product and pointed me toward this "Great-Wonderful-Free"  VCA.  A complete disappointment.

Verizon's management of VCA has been uncomprehensible.  Does anyone have any idea what could possibly be going on in Verizon's thinking ????

[FairfaxKid1]

Like you, I would gladly pay for a viable working alternative. I wish Verizon employees would read all the posts about he problems with VCA.

[SunShineCroce]

I am so disappointed as I use this program daily. Does anyone know of an alternative?