Fongo Community Forums

Hi,

Perhaps I am not finding the option and it's there, but I am no longer able to turn voicemail off for my freephoneline account from the preferences. Can you please tell me - was the option dropped? If so, is the procedure now to request via PM that my voicemail be turned off?

Thanks!
Iordan

We actually never had this feature at all - there's a few reasons why.
We are considering this ability for the future, but will not know for certain if it will ever be an option or not.

Set your voicemail welcome message to "Don't leave a message!!!"

I think you can set the voicemail delay to 30 seconds, which discourages most people... after 4 or 5 rings, people don't wait much longer.

I guess (only personal guess), having the voicemail answer incoming call provide you convenience not missing message from important callers on one hand but it ensures all incoming calls will be "successful call" to FPL even you are not on-line or accept the call.

With this, FPL will be sure that they will have positive credit on the balance on calls between other carriers. More they get on positive, they will get paid by the carriers for net incoming calls.

If the calls are not terminated on voicemail and your callers hang up, they are not count to the "successful and complete calls" and FPL not likely to get these credits on record.

This is a win win situation, you won't miss important callers' messages and they collect credits from their competiting carriers.

sl9280 is correct; these 'successful and completed calls' generate what are called termination fees and usually apply to cross-network communication between carriers. In laymans terms, all carriers pay a sort of dues to terminate or cross over on another carriers network - This is an integral part of all telecom providers revenue but of course in our case integral in keeping the ongoing service free!

Is it possible to increase the maximum delay until voicemail from 30 seconds to 45 seconds ? even if still keep your "by default" value to be 30 seconds ...

Thank you.

admin wrote:sl9280 is correct; these 'successful and completed calls' generate what are called termination fees and usually apply to cross-network communication between carriers. In laymans terms, all carriers pay a sort of dues to terminate or cross over on another carriers network - This is an integral part of all telecom providers revenue but of course in our case integral in keeping the ongoing service free!

I actually have a better solution to help keep this service free. As most may know, I run my own softswitch at home (which is FreeSwitch, by the way). As soon as the softswitch sees somebody calling my FPL number, it will automatically answer the call regardless if my Bria/X-Lite softphone is running on my computer. As soon as it answers, it should generate at least 30 seconds of revenue to this great FPL service. Also, I have other reasons to get my softswitch to automatically answer on ring...

Hint Hint, anybody wants mod_spandsp?

I guess it would be the same thing if people use voicemail functionality in their phone/cell phone - also generate answered call from the caller's point of view.

Is there any way to let the built-in voicemail in the phone to show there is message from FPL? I prefer this way or even better the phone's own voicemail system answers the call before FPL voicemail answers (even disabled). I guess 30 sec is not long enough for the phone to pick up any calls before FPL does.

I bought the configuration file and use ATA. Any input is appreciated.

bfly wrote:Is there any way to let the built-in voicemail in the phone to show there is message from FPL?

Yep - this usually happens actually. We're just waiting on a bug to get fixed in the new system and this feature will be back in action!

Steve, did you mean it is for actual phone, not softphone? That would be cool. Thanks.

bfly wrote:Steve, did you mean it is for actual phone, not softphone? That would be cool. Thanks.

Yep - if you're using an ATA with an actual phone it will normally display an indicator the same as if you get a new voicemail on a landline. Assuming both your device and phone support MWI (message waiting indicator).

Cool, will see how it works.

Steve, still a question here:

With an actual phone voicemail, if you get a call but don't know who is the caller, you may let it go to the voicemail, then listen who is at the other end, and if you want to talk to him/her, you can pick up the phone and start to talk. is it possible for FPL that way?

If not, still prefer to make FPL voicemail an option, so people can decide whether they want to use that or disable it and use their own actual phone voicemail. An actual phone voicemail is still advantageous, and hence FPL will be a real home phone service.

Thanks.

bfly wrote:With an actual phone voicemail, if you get a call but don't know who is the caller, you may let it go to the voicemail, then listen who is at the other end, and if you want to talk to him/her, you can pick up the phone and start to talk. is it possible for FPL that way?

At present time, no, we aren't able to do anything like that. Once the call goes to voicemail it's in a different system on our end and communication with your ATA/softphone has then stopped.

Hello FPL,

Please give us the option to

1. Turn off the VOICEMAIL on the ATA/Softphone. All cordless phones come with a VoiceMail answering system. I am having problems with catching half my messages on the delayed Blinking ATA and the other on my cordless home phone.

or

2. Give us the option to set the Ringer Count to more than 5 on the softphone settings to bypass the voicemail ourselves.

Thanks - Happy FPL Customer!