FreePhoneLine on iPhone ?

[rlesperance]

Hello,

I have a FreePhoneLine number that I usually use to transfer a phone message by email. I now want to use it to make phone calls on my iPhone.

How do I do that ?

Thanks in advance.

[Liptonbrisk]

I've edited out your FPL account for privacy reasons (also, posting your phone number online is a great way to have your phone number added to spam lists).


Note that only one registration per FPL account is allowed at any time. When there are multiple devices/softphones using the same account, only the most recent registration is valid. The previous device will lose registration. This is especially important to consider if someone else is using your SIP credentials (username and password) that are found after logging in at https://www.freephoneline.ca/showSipSettings (or if you're trying to register your FPL account with a smartphone SIP app or with another device). Registration is required for incoming calls. It is not required for outgoing calls. If you simply want to make outgoing calls using your FPL number, configure, but don't register the account, on the SIP app being used, with Acrobits Groundwire, for example, on a smartphone (there is no way to do this with the Freephoneline desktop application; the Freephoneline desktop application doesn't offer to option to not register).


1. You need to have purchased a VoIP unlock key for your FPL account (currently $99.95+tax): login at https://secure.freephoneline.ca/purchase_popup.pl.
If you've already purchased a VoIP unlock key, login at https://www.freephoneline.ca/showSipSettings to see your SIP settings.

2. You also need to download or buy a SIP app on your iPhone (from the App Store) and configure your FPL sip settings in the app. I use Acrobits Groundwire. I don't care which app you use. I may be able to help with questions involving Groundwire, but I probably won't be willing to assist with answering questions about other apps (since I'd have to spend my own time downloading and learning the other app). Acrobits Groundwire currently costs $13.99+tax (when it's not on sale). Again, there are other SIP apps you can use that are cheaper. Some are free. Out of the SIP apps I've tried, I prefer Groundwire, especially because I don't need to pay ongoing subscription fees to use a Push server.

However, there's a drawback with push notifications in that your (Freephoneline) SIP credentials are essentially being given to Acrobits, in this example, in order for them to register your SIP username and password on their proxy server so that you can receive push notifications from them. While Acrobits is reputable, giving another service your SIP username and password is a potential security issue. That said, they've never had a security breach. Unlike other SIP app devs, Acrobits, Groundwire’s developer, can give you the software to admin your own SIPIS server, where you live, if you're willing to put in the work and keep a server running 24/7: https://doc.acrobits.net/sipis/installation.html (I'm not going to assist with that). And, in that case, using Groundwire's Push server is not all that secretive and spooky. To use Push with Bria (or Zoiper), you'd be paying ongoing subscription fees (and the same concern applies, insofar as you're giving your FPL credentials to a third party; that's true whenever you use Push, regardless of the SIP app being used).

Groundwire also supports handoffs during calls between cellular data and Wi-Fi without call drops, unlike some other SIP apps.

I'm NOT advocating that you purchase Groundwire. You can choose to use whatever you want.

If you want a free or cheaper, less complicated, solution, you can use Fongo Mobile: https://www.fongo.com/fongo-mobile/. However, you'll have to use a different phone number since FPL accounts and Fongo Mobile accounts are separate, unless you port your FPL number to Fongo Mobile: https://support.fongo.com/hc/en-us/arti ... Home-Phone. If you port your number away from Freephoneline, you'll lose your FPL account automatically once porting is completed. I'm not sure what the fee for porting from FPL to Fongo Mobile is currently, but it used to be $5+tax. The fee now appears to be $25+tax (or at least, I can no longer find evidence of the fee being $5 when porting away from FPL to Fongo Mobile). For more information about porting, submit a ticket: https://support.fongo.com/hc/en-us/requests/new.

Freephoneline does not support SMS (texting). Fongo Mobile does. Receiving incoming texts to Fongo Mobile is free with some exceptions: https://support.fongo.com/hc/en-us/arti ... ifications. Sending SMS texts to non-Fongo Mobile users requires an in-app purchase.

[rlesperance]

Thanks for the reply.

I am a longtime FPL user and never paid the 99$ you are talking about. Could that FPL service have been free a long time ago ?

My problem with FPL is that once in a while I am told that my line is inactive and that, even if I have an amount in my account, they will suspend my line. I mostly use FPL to forward voice message to email so, it's true that I don't use it very often.

So, in order to prevent the suspension of my line, I use the FPL app on my desktop computer to make a call once in a while. Since a recent upgrade to a new OS, the FPL app does not work anymore, so I was thinking of using a Fongo instead.

So my questions are:

(1) Can I forward any incoming voice message to email with Fongo ?
(2) It seems that Fongo is better than FPL, so I wonder why I am not using Fongo instead ?
(3) What are the main differences between the 2 services ?

Can you help me with those questions ?

Regards.

[Liptonbrisk]

I am a longtime FPL user and never paid the 99$ you are talking about. Could that FPL service have been free a long time ago ?

The Freephoneline desktop application has always been free to use. That's how Freephonline got its name.
Freephoneline's VoIP Unlock key has never been free, and it's required to use Freephonline on any device other than a PC or Mac. That is, if you don't want to be stuck using Freephoneline only with its desktop application,
you must pay for the VoIP unlock key.

My problem with FPL is that once in a while I am told that my line is inactive and that, even if I have an amount in my account, they will suspend my line.

That only applies to free accounts: https://support.freephoneline.ca/hc/en- ... t-deleted-.
Account deletion due to inactivity does not apply to Freephoneline accounts with purchased VoIP unlock keys.
Also visit https://support.fongo.com/hc/en-us/arti ... ion-Policy for Fongo Mobile.

(1) Can I forward any incoming voice message to email with Fongo ?

Yes, it's the same as Freephoneline. After creating a Fongo Mobile account, login at https://account.fongo.com/admin/settings/voicemail/ to change voicemail settings.

It seems that Fongo is better than FPL

The actual VoIP portion of the services are the same. With the exception of SMS (texting), I can do more with Freephoneline and an Obihai ATA, for example, such as routing unwanted calls elsewhere and faxing, than I can do with Fongo Mobile.
If you're interested in some of the things I can do, I suggest reading through the first two pages of this thread: https://forums.redflagdeals.com/newegg- ... #p28405592. Some information is 3 years out of date and no longer applies (especially pricing), but you can get a general idea.

What are the main differences between the 2 services ?

Fongo Mobile can only be used on Android and iOS devices.

Freephoneline, with a VoIP unlock key ($99.95+tax), can be used on any device or app that supports SIP configurations. So, instead of a traditional home phone service, I can (provided my telephone company's line, Bell for example, is disconnected at the demarc to my house), configure Freephoneline on an ATA (which you must buy yourself) and use it on any phone jack in my house with a regular telephone. Or I could simply attach a regular telephone to the back of my ATA. Some people attach a cordless phone base to the back of their ATAs and then distribute wireless phones throughout their home; some people use a phone set such as this one, for example: https://www.costco.ca/panasonic%c2%ae-k ... 95249.html (just an example).

Some people use Freephoneline with IP phones.

I am also able to fax using Freephoneline, although that's not an officially supported or advertised feature.

Fongo Mobile supports SMS (texting). Freephoneline does not.

Freephoneline does not offer free technical support, so the service is not suited towards those that require a lot of hand-holding. Fongo Mobile does offer free technical support.

911 calls with Freephoneline cost $35 per call. Fongo Mobile (unless something has changed without my knowledge) does not charge for 911 calls. Fongo Home Phone's monthly fee includes free 911 calls and technical support.

If you want a home phone service with technical support, Fongo Home Phone (Fongo Home Phone forces you to buy Fongo's Grandstream ATA from Fongo) is better suited for you than Freephoneline. Fongo Mobile is for smartphones. Fongo Home Phone is for home phone service. Freephoneline, with the exception of SMS, offers more flexibility in terms of the devices it can potentially be used with. Freephoneline, Fongo Mobile, and Fongo Home Phone are treated as separate services. The parent company of all three services is Fibernetics.

[rlesperance]

Merci beaucoup !

Comme je vous le disais, même si j'ai un solde à mon compte, FPL me demande de faire un appel avec mon téléphone afin d'éviter la désactivation. Étant maintenant sur OS X Catalina, je ne peux plus utiliser l'application FPL de mon ordinateur. Comment puis-je faireun appel afin d'éviter une désactivation de ma ligne ?

[Liptonbrisk]

https://support.fongo.com/hc/en-us/arti ... ld-Credits.

"Expiry Of World Credits

Fongo Mobile World Credits will never expire as long as you use the Fongo App to place a successful outbound Call at least once every Ninety (90) days. Unlike the threshold for auto deletion accounts that have purchased world credits are not subject to auto deletion. We do consider accounts with World Credits to be dormant if they have not been used in One Hundred Twenty (120) days.

Any account that has a credit balance and is considered dormant will have their world credit balance expire at a rate of $1.00 in world credits every Thirty (30) days.

To prevent world credits from expiring on your account keep the account active by logging into the app and placing a successful call at least once every Ninety (90) days. This call must be answered by the other party to count. Forwarded calls through your number do not count as a call. If your account becomes dormant can reactivate it by logging into the app and placing a call."


The above quotation also applies to Freephoneline.

If you are unable to make an outbound call at all, your World Credits will eventually be depleted, and then your FPL account will, in turn, be at risk for deletion, unfortunately.

I do not own a Mac, so I am unable to test. Does Gatekeeper help? https://osxdaily.com/2016/09/27/allow-a ... atekeeper/

You can try to submit a ticket to see if anyone will respond about your situation: https://support.fongo.com/hc/en-us/requests/new.

Unfortunately, I have no further suggestions.

[rlesperance]

Thank you. I just realized than my post was in French. Sorry for that. Your reply is clear. Maybe I could transfer my line to Fongo. This way, it will be easier to make an outbound call and avoid having my line deactivated.

[Liptonbrisk]

There is no need to apologize. I wish I could write French well. Sadly, I can't.

I also wish I knew how to make the Mac desktop application work for you. Perhaps using Gatekeeper might help: https://osxdaily.com/2016/09/27/allow-a ... atekeeper/.

If no one at Fongo support is willing to help you, then unfortunately, the cheapest alternative I see is to port to Fongo Mobile. Before porting to Fongo Mobile, please ensure that the Fongo Mobile app works well for you.

[rlesperance]

So after verifying, the Java version required by FPL is not compatible at all with the Catalina OS.

I will have to migrate my FPL to Fongo. What do I do to transfer the number and the account balance ?

P.S. JFYI, I recently posted in French, because the Google automatic page translator was active. That's what misled me.

[Liptonbrisk]

What do I do to transfer the number

1) Download the Fongo Mobile app, and create an account.
https://www.fongo.com/fongo-mobile/

2) Visit https://support.fongo.com/hc/en-us/arti ... Home-Phone

Login with your Fongo Mobile account credentials at https://secure.fongo.com/purchase_popup.pl, and select "transfer my number"

and the account balance ?

I have no idea. You would have to submit a ticket and ask: https://support.fongo.com/hc/en-us/requests/new.
I would select either "World Credits Inquiry" or "Port-out Inquiry" for the final issue type.
I would expect to have to wait at least 48 business hours (possibly longer) for a response.
I would wait for a response before trying to port out to Fongo Mobile, unless you don't mind losing your World Credits.

[rlesperance]

Thanks again.


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