Is it really free?

[myrnaosborne]

Hi, I've just started looking into freephoneline. It says it's free but I'm getting the idea that it's not really free. I have no experience with VOIP so it's all a mystery to me. What can I expect this to cost? I live in a small town that's not listed on the 'free cities' list but everyone that I want to contact with the phone number does live in a large city listed in the 'free cities' list. A review I saw online mentioned a monthly fee and a setup fee and 'other charges'. How much do you pay for this service and did you pay any setup fees? What is an 'unlock key'? Thank you!!

[Liptonbrisk]

Hi, I've just started looking into freephoneline. It says it's free but I'm getting the idea that it's not really free.

It's really free if you use the Freephoneline desktop app, which is where Freephoneline gets its name from.
The desktop app is located at https://www.fongo.com/app/desktop/. Although the website says "Fongo", it's really Freephoneline.

If you don't pay anything, FPL accounts are subject to deletion after 90 days of no outbound calls: http://support.freephoneline.ca/hc/en-u ... t-deleted-

What can I expect this to cost?

The desktop app is $0.

If you want to use Freephoneline on your own ATA (the most powerful, for home use, are the Obihai OBi200 or OBi202 ATAs sold by Newegg.ca) or SIP device (or on a smartphone phone with a SIP app), then you will need to pay a one-time fee of $79.95 + tax. Each 911 call is $35. If you want to port your existing phone number into FPL, you will need to pay an additional $25 +tax. With Freephoneline, no official technical support exists for the desktop app or for problems related to configuring your own device. You would need to rely on the user to user support forums located here (or from other users on other forums).

People who pay $79.95 + tax don't have to worry about their accounts being deleted due to inactivity after 90 days.

The purpose of an ATA (analogue telephone adapter) is so that you can use regular telephones with a VoIP SIP service. Freephoneline is primarily intended as a Bring Your Own Device home phone service.

Only phone numbers from these cities can be ported into FPL: https://support.fongo.com/hc/en-us/articles/212436086.

I live in a small town that's not listed on the 'free cities' list

Freephoneline can only provide phone numbers in these areas: https://support.fongo.com/hc/en-us/articles/212436806

but everyone that I want to contact with the phone number does live in a large city listed in the 'free cities' list. A review I saw online mentioned a monthly fee and a setup fee and 'other charges'.

There are no monthly fees at all with FPL. The review you read may have been referring to Fongo Home Phone, which, unlike FPL, is not a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) service. Fongo Home Phone costs $4.95+tax per month. 911 calls are included, and there is free technical support via online tickets. You must also buy Fongo Home Phone's ATA.

What is an 'unlock key'?

That's the SIP credentials for Freephoneline that allow you to use FPL's service on your own SIP device (ATA, IP phone, Smartphone SIP app, third party desktop SIP app, etc.). It costs a one time fee $79.95 + tax.

[beverly]

I've been with FPL for over 7 years and only had to pay for the ATA, config file once 100$ and provide internet.

I must confess I still get the beeping tone once awhile even tho the call is forwarded to my cell with out the ATA intervention.