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Happy customer with feedback

PostPosted: 12/06/2014
by nlemay
Hi,

I'm using FreePhoneLine for nearly 3 years now, and basically, I'm an happy customer! We had some problem with the service not always working in the first few month, but it will be nearly two years without any problem! Soud quality is great, you couldn't tell it's a VOIP or a normal land line.

But still, I can't recommend FreePhoneLine to the people around me, because if it wasn't of Fongo behind, FreePhoneLine always seems to go bankrupt. The Website seems really old and it is not updated : the website still advertise multi-line coming in 2013! And the design just seems really old.

Actually, since I subscribe to FreePhoneLine, I set up to others VOIP, but with another company. First time, it was because I just couldn't port my number to FreePhoneLine (http://forum.fongo.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=7544&p=41176&hilit=nlemay#p41176) and the second time, it was for a business, so with FPL still looking to close soon, loosing my number would have been a huge problem.

I just added credits to my account this morning, and the user panel also need an upgrade! Example : you can only add 5$ at a time, if you want to add more, you have to write an email... I wanted to add 10, but it was too complicated, so I just added 5$.

I guess that Fongo doesn't want to invest on FPL as it is not where they make the more money. But Fongo service, at 5$ per month, isn't the best deal on the market. They could do something really great with FPL if they invest a little bit.

Re: Happy customer with feedback

PostPosted: 12/06/2014
by Jake
Fongo was actually born out of FPL. I don't know the ins and outs of it, but both have Fibernetics behind them. FPL was the 'consumer' side of Fibernetics (which is mainly commercial) until they decided to take a different direction and so Fongo was created and promoted to flagship company. FPL won't be going down any time soon if at all :) Instead f changing the FPL business model that was doing fine for many years (with the exception of removing phone support) they created a new company with a new business model. This is actually very good for us as we now have more choices of how with use their systems.

From what I understand now, both FPL and Fongo accept businesses. With Fibernetics being a CLEC I would think you have some security with your number being here, but I guess anything is possible. You are right about the website, it could be updated a bit. It was overhauled a bit in the start of 2010. From what I remember the 5$ top restriction had to be put in place because of security and abuse, so you will have to blame a few for ruining it for the rest. They, or their processing company, may be a bit jumpy about allowing automatic sales again. It's been like that for a while, and like you I would have thought something would have been done by now.

As you noted, 50$ for a phone for life can't be a money spinner. After that 50$ you have to rely on termination charges and people buying long distance credits, which probably doesn't amount to as much as they would hope - and so I am going to surmise is why they went in the direction of Fongo and not concentrating on developing FPL and more. At the end of the day, FPL works, it isn't going anywhere but isn't probably where they want it to go. So they will maintain it, but not much else. We have had new servers over the last few years which has helped a lot with several problems. The thing to remember is without FPL there probably would be not be a Fongo today. Although everything is badged up as 'Powered by Fongo', it has it's roots firmly planted in FPL.

*As a disclaimer I must point out I have no inside knowledge of how the companies are actually run, but I have seen how things changed here over the years. The comments above are my own personal view and experience of what I believe or know has gone on.