Need HELP from any or all of my phone-techie Fongo friends!
I am trying to get rid of as much of my phone plan as possible...
Here's my situation: I live in Canada, but will now be travelling back and forth to Canada, Mexico, Middle East and Europe lots, and would like to keep my current Mobile number from Canada as my main number if possible (will do diff Mobile numbers by country if needed, but that's not optimal), but I DO NOT want to have a 2-3 year plan with Rogers/Bell. I will be able to use WIFI almost everywhere I travel most of the time, but I would like a small data plan for emergencies (like when I'm stranded in various deserts), and could do this with Rogers or other country providers, as I will still have Canada Internet and Cable plan with Rogers, or could buy data with an unlocked iphone.
Also need a cheap VOIP home phone for people who will be renting my place.
Would Fongo handle all of this affordably, etc. or do I use it in a combo with something else lie Spokn or Text+
Also, as I lost my iphone in Mexico and am about to replace it, should I get an unlocked one for all of the above, or does some all-in service make that redundant?
Need help deciding if Fongo is for me. I travel lots...
-
bridonca
- Technical Support
- Posts: 1225
- Joined: 11/16/2009
- SIP Device Name: Netgear WGR615V
- Firmware Version: latest
- ISP Name: Eastlink
- Computer OS: XP
Re: Need help deciding if Fongo is for me. I travel lots...
You should probably get 2 accounts. Get the Fongo app for your smart phone, and later on, get freephoneline for your house line.
The Fongo app is free, so you can play with it without investing much cash.
Freephoneline costs $50 for the SIP settings. You also need an ATA device, which usually costs less than $50. Obihai ATA devices seem to perform well.
As for a recommended phone, I offer 2 choices. The nexus 5 is a good choice. https://play.google.com/store/devices/d ... black_16gb It should work in any country in the world, and is factory unlocked. It is a bit pricey at $350, but it packs a lot for the price.
I also recommend the Huawei Ascend Y300 http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/bel ... d45fdeen02 It is prepaid, less than $80, sometimes as low as $50 depending on the sale, and does everything you need from a Android device competently. It is easy and cheap to unlock, and should also work in most countries once unlocked.
The Fongo app is free, so you can play with it without investing much cash.
Freephoneline costs $50 for the SIP settings. You also need an ATA device, which usually costs less than $50. Obihai ATA devices seem to perform well.
As for a recommended phone, I offer 2 choices. The nexus 5 is a good choice. https://play.google.com/store/devices/d ... black_16gb It should work in any country in the world, and is factory unlocked. It is a bit pricey at $350, but it packs a lot for the price.
I also recommend the Huawei Ascend Y300 http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/bel ... d45fdeen02 It is prepaid, less than $80, sometimes as low as $50 depending on the sale, and does everything you need from a Android device competently. It is easy and cheap to unlock, and should also work in most countries once unlocked.
Re: Need help deciding if Fongo is for me. I travel lots...
Thanks for this info Bridonica!
I have a few other questions...
1) So I can use my **current** CDN 416 number in ALL countries so long as I **port** it over and use the Fongo Mobile App? I.e. people can call me when I am in Mexico, EU and UAE on my **current** CDN 416 number and it will just ring there if I am on Wireless? And if I'm not on Wireless, if I buy a SIM card for the country that I am in, people would have to use that number?
2) The Fongo Mobile service could supply me with a bit of a DATA plan for emergencies in all countries? Or again, do I have to buy a SIM card and Data plan per country.
3) So what I'm really using the Fongo Mobile App for is for FREE CDN calling to major cities (these will work fine for me)? Are there any other start-up or monthly services associated with the Fong App over time? Any costs to port my current 416 number to Fongo?
4) Since the Home phone is only needed in order for me to be compliant with my rental company's requirement to provide 911 service for my renter, I don't need my current CDN 416 number to be applied to that. So I can just get a second CDN number for that service?
Thanks in advance for your or anyone else's help!
I have a few other questions...
1) So I can use my **current** CDN 416 number in ALL countries so long as I **port** it over and use the Fongo Mobile App? I.e. people can call me when I am in Mexico, EU and UAE on my **current** CDN 416 number and it will just ring there if I am on Wireless? And if I'm not on Wireless, if I buy a SIM card for the country that I am in, people would have to use that number?
2) The Fongo Mobile service could supply me with a bit of a DATA plan for emergencies in all countries? Or again, do I have to buy a SIM card and Data plan per country.
3) So what I'm really using the Fongo Mobile App for is for FREE CDN calling to major cities (these will work fine for me)? Are there any other start-up or monthly services associated with the Fong App over time? Any costs to port my current 416 number to Fongo?
4) Since the Home phone is only needed in order for me to be compliant with my rental company's requirement to provide 911 service for my renter, I don't need my current CDN 416 number to be applied to that. So I can just get a second CDN number for that service?
Thanks in advance for your or anyone else's help!
Re: Need help deciding if Fongo is for me. I travel lots...
I think you may have a few confusions which hopefully I can clear up.
Fongo is purely a voip solution, they do not offer any sort of data plan or mobile connection. You have to have some sort of internet connection to use any of the Fongo services be it wireless through your mobile or a wifi network. Be warned though that some providers will block voip connection, so although you have a wifi connection you may find that the system does not work. They might also have a rubbish router that needs to forward ports. If you can't change the router you might be out of luck also. All of this Fongo obviously has no control over.
So the basic understanding of the system Fongo provides is you get a Canadian phone number. This appears to be tied to a physical area (such as Toronto) but in fact it doesn't matter where you are in the world, it will still be a Toronto number. Whenever anyone calls that number, the same charges will apply to them if you are in Toronto or Japan. You will never be charged for a long distance incoming call.
As long as your existing phone number is in an area where Fongo will port from (http://support.fongo.com/entries/228992 ... o-network-) you can port it in for $25 and it will replace your Fongo number that you were given when you set up the account. When you are connected to the system (from anywhere in the world) anyone will be able to call that number and your app will ring. You WILL need either a wifi or wireless connection though which Fongo won't supply.
There are various flavours of the service that you can use. Fongo Mobile App is free and you install it on your phone. Fongo Home Phone is a service you pay a monthly fee for, but they supply you an ATA and support. Lastly there is FreePhoneLine which has a $50 set up fee but no monthly fee. You have to provide your own SIP device but it can be used on an ATA or SIP phone.
By the sounds of what you are looking for you will need something like this. As you are not buying into a contract, I would not get a phone from a TelCo unless it is much cheaper as it will probably be locked to them. If it is, there are lots of services that can unlock it fairly cheaply. I would also buy PAYG SIM cards from each country you go to for DATA when you don't have wifi. It will also give you a local number (to that country) for whoever to call you there.
One word with the 911 requirement. The 911 service VOIP provides is E911, so it isn't true 911 as it goes through different channels before it gets to the emergency service. If you don't have an internet service, you don't have a E911 service. One thing to remember is EVERY phone jack in Canada should be capable of dialling 911 regardless of if you have a line with Bell or not. It would be worth clarifying with them what they will and won't accept.
Fongo is purely a voip solution, they do not offer any sort of data plan or mobile connection. You have to have some sort of internet connection to use any of the Fongo services be it wireless through your mobile or a wifi network. Be warned though that some providers will block voip connection, so although you have a wifi connection you may find that the system does not work. They might also have a rubbish router that needs to forward ports. If you can't change the router you might be out of luck also. All of this Fongo obviously has no control over.
So the basic understanding of the system Fongo provides is you get a Canadian phone number. This appears to be tied to a physical area (such as Toronto) but in fact it doesn't matter where you are in the world, it will still be a Toronto number. Whenever anyone calls that number, the same charges will apply to them if you are in Toronto or Japan. You will never be charged for a long distance incoming call.
As long as your existing phone number is in an area where Fongo will port from (http://support.fongo.com/entries/228992 ... o-network-) you can port it in for $25 and it will replace your Fongo number that you were given when you set up the account. When you are connected to the system (from anywhere in the world) anyone will be able to call that number and your app will ring. You WILL need either a wifi or wireless connection though which Fongo won't supply.
There are various flavours of the service that you can use. Fongo Mobile App is free and you install it on your phone. Fongo Home Phone is a service you pay a monthly fee for, but they supply you an ATA and support. Lastly there is FreePhoneLine which has a $50 set up fee but no monthly fee. You have to provide your own SIP device but it can be used on an ATA or SIP phone.
By the sounds of what you are looking for you will need something like this. As you are not buying into a contract, I would not get a phone from a TelCo unless it is much cheaper as it will probably be locked to them. If it is, there are lots of services that can unlock it fairly cheaply. I would also buy PAYG SIM cards from each country you go to for DATA when you don't have wifi. It will also give you a local number (to that country) for whoever to call you there.
One word with the 911 requirement. The 911 service VOIP provides is E911, so it isn't true 911 as it goes through different channels before it gets to the emergency service. If you don't have an internet service, you don't have a E911 service. One thing to remember is EVERY phone jack in Canada should be capable of dialling 911 regardless of if you have a line with Bell or not. It would be worth clarifying with them what they will and won't accept.
Moving to US. Is Fongo Right for Me?
Hi everyone,
I am going to be moving to the US early next month and only recently have I flirted with the idea of porting my Canadian (416) number to a VoIP service as a method to keep in touch with my family and friends in Canada. I have tried my best to understand the lingo and the terminology with Fongo and still had a few outstanding questions on whether or not it is a good solution for me.
I am currently using a Nexus 5 with the latest Android 4.4.4 (KitKat).
My questions are:
1) If I ported my (416) number to Fongo but didn't have the Fongo app active (hibernated in background) on my phone would I still receive the call (assuming I have connection to Wi-Fi or cellular data) or would it go straight to voicemail?
2) Is there an extra charge for having Fongo forward my calls to my new US number? If so, is this charged like a regular long distance call?
TIA!
I am going to be moving to the US early next month and only recently have I flirted with the idea of porting my Canadian (416) number to a VoIP service as a method to keep in touch with my family and friends in Canada. I have tried my best to understand the lingo and the terminology with Fongo and still had a few outstanding questions on whether or not it is a good solution for me.
I am currently using a Nexus 5 with the latest Android 4.4.4 (KitKat).
My questions are:
1) If I ported my (416) number to Fongo but didn't have the Fongo app active (hibernated in background) on my phone would I still receive the call (assuming I have connection to Wi-Fi or cellular data) or would it go straight to voicemail?
2) Is there an extra charge for having Fongo forward my calls to my new US number? If so, is this charged like a regular long distance call?
TIA!
Re: Need help deciding if Fongo is for me. I travel lots...
1. Yes it should do. Try it, you can install the app for free and get a temporary Canadian number and test it out. You can always port your number in later.
2. I don't believe you can forward your number to a non Canadian number, but if they have changed it you would definitely be charged for the long distance call and you would have to load your account with world credits.
There will be no charge to receive calls on the Fongo App when you are in the US to calls made in the phone number you have from Fongo. There will also be no other extra charges for using the app to call Canadian numbers in the US to free calling areas. If the call is free when you are in Canada, it will be free in the US.
2. I don't believe you can forward your number to a non Canadian number, but if they have changed it you would definitely be charged for the long distance call and you would have to load your account with world credits.
There will be no charge to receive calls on the Fongo App when you are in the US to calls made in the phone number you have from Fongo. There will also be no other extra charges for using the app to call Canadian numbers in the US to free calling areas. If the call is free when you are in Canada, it will be free in the US.