Is it possible to provide your own ATA for Fongo Home Phone?

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Is it possible to provide your own ATA for Fongo Home Phone?

Postby chrisnicholas » 11/27/2017

Hi folks,

Did a quick search and didn't find anything in the forum or Fongo Support regarding this subject so forgive me if it's been covered...

I am not trying to circumvent the system in place in order to obtain free or unauthorized service, I'll happily pay any reasonable fees as I describe in this post.

I have:

- Grandstream HT502 ATA
- Rogers Cable Internet Connection rated at 75M with a Hitron CDA3-35 Modem
- ASUS NRT12 Wifi Router
- Landline telephone equipment (of course)
- Android smartphone
- Win10 PC

While I'm not an "expert", my knowledge & abilities with the above equipment is definitely "advanced".

I would like to:

- Sign up as a new user for Fongo Home Phone service and use my existing hardware & equipment, which I am able to configure if I am provided the correct settings or "configuration file". (totally avoiding paying for new hardware, I will gladly pay the monthly fee)

or

- Use my existing Fongo Mobile account with the hardware & equipment (by using the same account & settings used by the Android App but instead on the physical ATA hardware, if possible, also... simultaneous ATA & Android usage isn't necessary)

I DO NOT want to:

- Goto FPL and pay the VOIP Unlock Key Fee (I do not wish to pay $70+ only to find out there's a problem with the service under my typical usage, $4.95 a month with Fongo Home Phone minus the hardware cost is much more reasonable to me)

Is any combination of these possible? Thanks.

Regards,

Chris
chrisnicholas
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Computer OS: Windows 10 Pro
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Re: Is it possible to provide your own ATA for Fongo Home Ph

Postby Liptonbrisk » 11/27/2017

chrisnicholas wrote:
- Sign up as a new user for Fongo Home Phone service and use my existing hardware & equipment, which I am able to configure if I am provided the correct settings or "configuration file". (totally avoiding paying for new hardware, I will gladly pay the monthly fee)


You would need to use Freephoneline, which is a one time fee of 79.95+tax, if you want to use your existing devices.
Fongo Home Phone is not a BYOD (bring your own device) service.
Freephoneline is a BYOD service.
So, the answer to the question in your subject heading is no.

They are, mostly, the same service, except you do not get free technical support for device configuration issues nor free 911 calling.
FPL costs $35 for each 911 call.


Use my existing Fongo Mobile account with the hardware & equipment


You can't. Fongo Mobile, FPL, and Fongo Home phone are all separate services with separate accounts.
You can pay to port your Fongo Mobile number to Freephoneline (or Fongo Home Phone) for $5+tax, but then your Fongo Mobile account will be closed after the port has been completed: https://support.fongo.com/hc/en-us/arti ... ngo-Mobile.


(by using the same account & settings used by the Android App but instead on the physical ATA hardware, if possible, also... simultaneous ATA & Android usage isn't necessary)


That's not possible. Also, only one registration per account is allowed at any time regardless of the service being used. Registration isn't required to place outgoing calls (only the correct SIP username and password are required), but registration is required to receive incoming calls.



Goto FPL and pay the VOIP Unlock Key Fee (I do not wish to pay $70+ only to find out there's a problem with the service under my typical usage



You can try the FPL desktop app for free on a computer first. If everything works fine, then FPL should also work fine on your existing devices (provided they're unlocked).
Visit https://forums.redflagdeals.com/newegg- ... #p28415214 for desktop app instructions.

Device configuration guides for FPL can found at
viewforum.php?f=15.
Please do not send me emails; I do not work for nor represent Freephoneline or Fongo. Post questions on the forums so that others may learn from responses or assist you. Thank you. If you have an issue with your account or have a billing issue, submit a ticket here: https://support.fongo.com/hc/en-us/requests/new. Visit http://status.fongo.com/ to check FPL/Fongo service status. Freephoneline setup guides can be found at viewforum.php?f=15.
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Liptonbrisk
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Re: Is it possible to provide your own ATA for Fongo Home Ph

Postby chrisnicholas » 11/28/2017

Thanks for the detailed reply. I figured as much, as I was absolutely positive my settings/configuration were proper, with backend account privelages lacking from the provider, preventing successful registration.
chrisnicholas
Just Passing Thru
 
Posts: 2
Joined: 11/27/2017
SIP Device Name: Fongo Android App
Firmware Version: 7.1.1 Nougat
ISP Name: CANNET (Rogers Reseller)
Computer OS: Windows 10 Pro
Router: ASUS NRT12

Re: Is it possible to provide your own ATA for Fongo Home Ph

Postby Jake » 11/28/2017

Just to echo what Liptonbrisk said really, the business model for Fongo is mainly evolved from providing a customer support based model of FPL (although FPL did at one time provide excellent support by phone). Part of that of course includes you using their equipment so they know what the settings are and how it should respond. There are so many SIP devices out there providing support for them all would be a huge drain on resources, so they insist you use their devices - which is fair I guess.

If it helps any, I have had several FPL lines running for many many years now. Although there has been a few bumps in the road I would say now is the most stable and reliable it has ever been, to the point that I can't remember the last time the phone didn't work. I do understand your hesitation though. It's a jump, and not just for pocket change either, I switched from Bell so the numbers looked far too good to pass up. The money I have saved has more than made up for the few calls I have had to make on my cell because the line was down. Now they have Fongo as well it's even easier to be able to make a call.

The other thing to remember is you are basically running through the same networks, so if things work with Home Phone, then it will work through Fongo. I believe because you have the Hitron modem you will have to use a special server they set up, but you have decent equipment so I don't see why there should be a problem.

I think all your questions were answered by Liptonbrisk, so my post is nothing more than a stamp of approval for the company really :) There are some very knowledgable people here that will be able to get you going if things don't work at first. I can't think of one time where non of us could help the person having trouble no matter how long it took.

You seem to know more than what Home Phone is aimed at, so if it is was me I would jump in the FPL pool, as I have done several times :)
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Jake
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