ACN Review: Is it An MLM Scam or a Real Business Opportunity?

I'm sad to admit it, but I think I'd be lost without my internet or wireless subscription. I watch a gang of Netflix and I can't spend too long without going through my smartphone. I know it's sad, but that's the world most of us live in. And apparently it's profitable, according to all the ACN Reviews you may have read. But is it all good? Find out by reading my review about ACN down below. If you want to know some of the bad points, then this is for you.

What Is ACN?

ACN, which stands for American Communications Network is a North American-based telecommunications company. It was founded by four entrepreneurs; Greg Provenzano, Robert Stevanovski, Tony Cupisz and Mike Cupisz in 1993 and has over 1,500 employees worldwide. You can find more information on their website at Acninc.com.

What Products Do They Offer?

ACN basically offers residential and business services. The services are as follows:

Residential Services:

• Home phone services:
  • Make calls using your high-speed Internet connection and existing home phone. This service includes unlimited calling to more than 80 landline and mobile destinations. This service is priced at $24.99 per month.
• High-speed Internet:
  • Nationwide high-speed Internet in AT&T, Centurylink, Frontier and Verizon territories. Pricing for this service ranges from $19.99 to $100 per month depending on which service provider you choose.
• Wireless service (Flash Wireless):
  • This wireless service is essentially a phone plan and that can include a contract or no contract. There is also an option to have a family plan. There are three different pricing plans: purple, green and yellow. The purple pricing plan ranges from $$23-$64 per month depending on the features you choose. The green pricing plan ranges from $23-$79 per month and the yellow pricing plan ranges from $23-$69 per month.
• XOOM energy:
  • This is ACN's natural gas service. They provide two different plans: surelock (fixed) and simpleflex (variable). With the surelock plan; your price is guaranteed for the term of your service. If you choose the simpleflex plan; your monthly rate will fluctuate up and down, but you can stop or switch your service at any time.
• Television:
  • ACN offers dish and directv with packages starting at $39.99.
• Home security and automation:
  • Vivint home security and automation offers smart home control where you can receive notifications and control your smart home from anywhere, wireless security and surveillance with 24/7 continuous video recording. This service can be purchased for $50 down for the equipment with no activation fees.

Business Services:

These services include all of the prior mentioned as well as:

• Anovia payment and processing:
  • This is a credit card payment processing service designed to process all payment types: credit, debit, gift card, e-checks and e-commerce. You have the option of choosing a free mobile card reader with no upfront cost at $25 per month. There is also a no contract plan at a rate of $20 per month and a low-cost meet or beat guarantee plan where you pay $15 per month with low transaction rates, but you must purchase the swipe simple payment terminal for $120.

ACN Compensation Plan.

There are essentially three ways to earn income with ACN.

Personal Residuals:

Personal residual compensation includes the percentage of income you receive based on your personal customers, you acquire, through their service plans with ACN. ACN pays you anywhere between 2%-8% of your customer's total monthly bills.

For example, if your personal customers are using $1,000 a month in ACN services; you'll get paid 2% of that $1,000. That would be a residual income of $20 per month through that one customer.

Team Residuals:

The ACN team residual compensation includes the percentage of income you receive based on your recruits recruiting their own recruits.

This is a 7-level uni plan, meaning that typically your recruits stay on your 1st level, their recruits go on your 2nd level, and so on all the way down to 7 levels. You earn 0.25% on levels 2-5, 1% on level 6 and 6% on level 7. If you don't like the idea of recruiting other people, then you might want to check out my Top Free Work At Home Recommendation.

Customer Acquisition Bonuses:

Customer acquisition bonuses are one-time, up-front bonus monies paid to you for recruiting new customers to ACN. When you help a personal sponsor become a team trainer; you will receive a bonus of $90-$275 depending on your leadership rank. In order for you to become a team trainer, your sponsor must enroll for $499 and then recruit their first 6-8 customers within an allotted time frame.

If you would like to read more in-depth about ACN's compensation plan you can find information here.

How To Become An ACN Independent Business Owner?

In order to become an independent business owner ( IBO ) with ACN, one must first fill out the ACN individual business owner agreement form. There is an “application fee” of $499 and cannot be submitted without first paying that fee. This seems to be a startup fee to become part of the business. Once you become an IBO you will have access to your own website where you can sell their services to potential customers. It is important to note that you are not an employee of ACN, but rather an independent business owner (contractor). You are able to make your own hours and select your own means of operation. So you're not paying to be an employee which is often confused when investing in a business.

What We Like About ACN.

• This company has been around since 1993 and has over 1,500 employees worldwide. They are the largest digital sales telecommunications company in the world and they do business in 20 countries across the globe.
• ACN is based on services and products that people are already currently using: Internet, television and phone services to mention a few.
• ACN has a positive BBB rating at the time of this review. Some people rely on a BBB rating to confirm legitimacy. I don't but I know it's something people would appreciate.

ACN Business Opportunity Complaints.

Ridiculously high start-up costs

Some people will balk at the $499 application or start up for this business. There is this misconception that you're paying for a job when in reality you're starting a business. When you consider most offline businesses require start up costs that are in the thousands, the ACN application fee isn't crazy. But it may be too rich for your blood, which is why you may want to consider my Top Free Work At Home Recommendation.

It Feels Like Pyramid Scheme

Some people view this business model as a pyramid scheme because there is a component of the business that allows you to make money by referring other people. But the reality is this business makes money from actually selling real services that people want and buy. A true pyramid scheme only makes money by recruiting other people.

You better be a good salesperson.

Let's face it, this business is built on your ability to convince people to use these services instead of well known companies. So you better be a great salesperson to achieve this. But that can be said for any business. Although with ACN you'll have to actively chase people down to make this work. That may not fit your personality and if that's true, you may want to check out my Top Free Work At Home Recommendation where prospects come to you from Google.

ACN Product Complaints.

Cancelling or transferring service is like pulling teeth

People have complained about long wait times while trying to transfer services such as Internet. After waiting, many have found that the service is actually slower at the new residence and try to cancel. Good luck trying to avoid paying the cancellation fee, since slim to none have pulled it off. It seems that other fees have slipped into play also such as cancellation fees for your phone service, if you cancel your Internet.

Service speeds are slower than average

Some customers have stated how the customer service is absolutely terrible and the services such as Internet are slow and non-existent. For any service, there is a fee to cancel and most reviewers have said that, here is no way you can get ACN to not charge you the cancellation fee. Accounts have been known to be sent to collections because ACN would not cancel the service when requested.

Is The ACN Opportunity Legit Or A Scam?

ACN appears to be a legitimate company that has been around for nearly 24 years. Unlike most MLMs or direct sales companies, this one actually has legitimate services and products that people do buy. But like any company they have their share of complaints.

From what I can tell, most complaints have come from the customer service side of things. These customer service agents, otherwise known by ACN as “individual business owners” are trying to handle problems that arise with current customers, while recruiting new ones at the same time.

Creating and establishing any business does require an investment of time and money, but you do not have to spend hundreds of dollars doing so. Each person will have to weigh the pros and cons for themselves.

What's An Alternative to ACN Business Opportunity?

Ultimately, you make money working for ACN. But that's assuming you're comfortable being a salesperson and can convince people to buy into the plans ACN offers. You also have to be able to recruit people under you so you can earn residual income which is probably where most of the real money will come.

So, given that, this may not be right for everyone. There are other options out there for you. You might want to check out my Top Work At Home Recommendations. Either way, you have options if ACN doesn't appeal to you.

If you enjoyed this article and would like to see more like it you can read more work at home reviews here.

Well, that's all from me. I'd love to hear your thoughts about ACN, so leave your comments below.

Thanks,

Eddy with a y