Hi All!
I have updated phones from Samsung Galaxy S2 to Note2 and yesterday I reinstalled the Fongo App on my Note2. When I make outgoing calls on my Note2 the usual 'complete call using' dialogue box pops up and displays the regular phone dialer and the Talkatone (GV) app that I have installed for outgoing call options, but Fongo isn't listed as an option. I looked at the settings in the (outdated version 2.0.4.23) Fongo app that's installed on my old Galaxy S2 and under the 'Integration' banner there is an option 'Use For Outgoing Calls' with a checkbox...but this option doesn't appear in the Fongo App version 3.0.6.32 on my Note2. Was the option to use Fongo as the default direct dialer in Android taken out in a recent update? This is a major problem if I can no longer use Fongo for outgoing calls. I pray there is a happy solution - even if it involves making an .apk available for a previous version that supported using Fongo as a default option for outgoing calls. Please help! Gracias - Melinda
'Use For Outgoing Calls' option missing from app?
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puravidagirl
- Just Passing Thru
- Posts: 9
- Joined: 09/19/2012
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puravidagirl
- Just Passing Thru
- Posts: 9
- Joined: 09/19/2012
Re: 'Use For Outgoing Calls' option missing from app?
UPDATE: Unfortunately I can verify that the removal of the outgoing calls functionality was done (I hope not intentionally?) by the Fongo/DV team for the APP...and that the Android OS has nothing to do with this specific issue. My Galaxy S2 phone was on either Gingerbread or ICS stock Android OS and it had the older version 2.0.4.23 Fongo/DV App on it which did in fact have the 'use for outgoing calls' option available as I described above. But when I actually tried to open and use the old version Fongo/DV app on my S2, I was *forced* to update the app - there was no way to decline the update or open/use the older version of the app. And as, you might guess, once the app updated on my S2 phone the *new* Fongo app IS NOW THE ONLY CALLING APP THAT no longer appears as an option for outgoing calls when you click to call a contact from your contact list - though other apps such as Talkatone and Skype do still appear as options for placing outgoing calls. This is supposed to be a CALLING app after all, isn't it?! grrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!! wtf indeed. 
Please reply to let us know this was an accidental feature removal or an oversight or something that you will correct/restore/repair in a soon to be released update and that you appreciate your loyal users who have brought this functionality error to your attention...to continue to help make Fongo BETTER and better (not less functional) than it was before.
Fongo team please, if Skype and Talkatone and Text+/TextNow/Pinger and other call/text apps (including previous versions of FONGO) are programmed/designed to be used for outgoing calls in Android, IS THERE ANY RATIONAL JUSTIFICATION FOR TAKING THIS BASIC ESSENTIAL CALL FEATURE AWAY from FONGO users????? This is more than an inconvenience issue, it's a safety issue too! I use my phone on the road alot and use voice commands to make calls via bluetooth (which worked great with Fongo/DV BEFORE the recent 'updates' BTW). If you can't restore Fongo/DV to be used for outgoing calls when others like GoogleVoice/Talkatone/Skype/Text+Calls/Magicjack/Vonage/NetTALK etc CAN be used for outgoing calls then Fongo becomes a relatively unusable and far less valuable less competitive, not to mention unsafe for road warriors, calling application option for power/productivity users like myself. Please fix FONGO so it acts like a respectably functional CALLING app again.
This recent removal of CALLING functionality makes me so sad because I was just starting to looooove Fongo and think of it as a viable long-term solution - but NOT being able to use FONGO to CALL CONTACTS from the contacts list is a MAJOR issue. Will you please please restore the outgoing call functionality of Fongo in an urgent update ASAP - pretty pleeeeeeeeeeaaaasssssssseeeeee with sugar on top?!
Please reply to let us know this was an accidental feature removal or an oversight or something that you will correct/restore/repair in a soon to be released update and that you appreciate your loyal users who have brought this functionality error to your attention...to continue to help make Fongo BETTER and better (not less functional) than it was before.
Fongo team please, if Skype and Talkatone and Text+/TextNow/Pinger and other call/text apps (including previous versions of FONGO) are programmed/designed to be used for outgoing calls in Android, IS THERE ANY RATIONAL JUSTIFICATION FOR TAKING THIS BASIC ESSENTIAL CALL FEATURE AWAY from FONGO users????? This is more than an inconvenience issue, it's a safety issue too! I use my phone on the road alot and use voice commands to make calls via bluetooth (which worked great with Fongo/DV BEFORE the recent 'updates' BTW). If you can't restore Fongo/DV to be used for outgoing calls when others like GoogleVoice/Talkatone/Skype/Text+Calls/Magicjack/Vonage/NetTALK etc CAN be used for outgoing calls then Fongo becomes a relatively unusable and far less valuable less competitive, not to mention unsafe for road warriors, calling application option for power/productivity users like myself. Please fix FONGO so it acts like a respectably functional CALLING app again.
This recent removal of CALLING functionality makes me so sad because I was just starting to looooove Fongo and think of it as a viable long-term solution - but NOT being able to use FONGO to CALL CONTACTS from the contacts list is a MAJOR issue. Will you please please restore the outgoing call functionality of Fongo in an urgent update ASAP - pretty pleeeeeeeeeeaaaasssssssseeeeee with sugar on top?!
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Fongo Support
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 1689
- Joined: 01/01/2013
Re: 'Use For Outgoing Calls' option missing from app?
Hi there,puravidagirl wrote:UPDATE: Unfortunately I can verify that the removal of the outgoing calls functionality was done (I hope not intentionally?) by the Fongo/DV team for the APP...and that the Android OS has nothing to do with this specific issue. My Galaxy S2 phone was on either Gingerbread or ICS stock Android OS and it had the older version 2.0.4.23 Fongo/DV App on it which did in fact have the 'use for outgoing calls' option available as I described above. But when I actually tried to open and use the old version Fongo/DV app on my S2, I was *forced* to update the app - there was no way to decline the update or open/use the older version of the app. And as, you might guess, once the app updated on my S2 phone the *new* Fongo app IS NOW THE ONLY CALLING APP THAT no longer appears as an option for outgoing calls when you click to call a contact from your contact list - though other apps such as Talkatone and Skype do still appear as options for placing outgoing calls. This is supposed to be a CALLING app after all, isn't it?! grrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!! wtf indeed.
Please reply to let us know this was an accidental feature removal or an oversight or something that you will correct/restore/repair in a soon to be released update and that you appreciate your loyal users who have brought this functionality error to your attention...to continue to help make Fongo BETTER and better (not less functional) than it was before.
Fongo team please, if Skype and Talkatone and Text+/TextNow/Pinger and other call/text apps (including previous versions of FONGO) are programmed/designed to be used for outgoing calls in Android, IS THERE ANY RATIONAL JUSTIFICATION FOR TAKING THIS BASIC ESSENTIAL CALL FEATURE AWAY from FONGO users????? This is more than an inconvenience issue, it's a safety issue too! I use my phone on the road alot and use voice commands to make calls via bluetooth (which worked great with Fongo/DV BEFORE the recent 'updates' BTW). If you can't restore Fongo/DV to be used for outgoing calls when others like GoogleVoice/Talkatone/Skype/Text+Calls/Magicjack/Vonage/NetTALK etc CAN be used for outgoing calls then Fongo becomes a relatively unusable and far less valuable less competitive, not to mention unsafe for road warriors, calling application option for power/productivity users like myself. Please fix FONGO so it acts like a respectably functional CALLING app again.
This recent removal of CALLING functionality makes me so sad because I was just starting to looooove Fongo and think of it as a viable long-term solution - but NOT being able to use FONGO to CALL CONTACTS from the contacts list is a MAJOR issue. Will you please please restore the outgoing call functionality of Fongo in an urgent update ASAP - pretty pleeeeeeeeeeaaaasssssssseeeeee with sugar on top?!
Thank you very much for the feedback. We were forced to take this out due to a bug in Google code that will prevent our customers to dial 911.
Details below:
http://productforums.google.com/forum/# ... XqnbynsL8Y
http://blog.telus.com/you/telus-urges-c ... arty-apps/
Not sure who your real carrier is, but I am assuming they notified you by now as this is a big issue.
Once Google resolves this, we will add this back.
Thanks again for the feedback and all your patience in this matter,
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puravidagirl
- Just Passing Thru
- Posts: 9
- Joined: 09/19/2012
Re: 'Use For Outgoing Calls' option missing from app?
OK. Thanks mucho for the reply. From the Telus link that you provided: It’s important to know, however, that this (issue) only applies with calling 911 through one of these (voip) apps – regular dialing (through the cell service provider) to 911 on the devices works just fine.
This `bug` in the Google code that causes 911 calls to not work via any (non-cell-carrier) voip-type app does not justify FONGO's executive decision to completely disable the Fongo app so that NO outgoing calls can EVER be made from the contact list! All the other voip-type apps that I have downloaded on my phone still do have the outgoing call functionality via the contact list! So far FONGO is THE ONLY (non-cell-carrier voip-type) calling app that has been 'fixed' so that it can no longer make outgoing calls. The app or service used for outgoing calls (for each and-or every call) should rightfully be the USERS choice!!! But since this is the rationale you provided in response to my inquiry then I have no doubt here's the bottom line; this finger-pointing-game means it is highly unlikely that the Fongo app will ever be restored with the functionality to make any calls to a contact on your phone or google account by simply clicking the contact (you can only place outgoing calls by DIRECTLY opening the Fongo app which is EXTREMELY limiting to functionality, impractical non-intuitive use for a calling app, and a real PITA)...UNLESS Fongo either decides to restore the power of choice back to the user (THAT`s the respectable thing to do - we are adults and can make our own decisions for how we use Fongo) - or if a non-911 re-branded version of Fongo is released (PLEASE PLEASE!!!).
Most people are aware that Google and Android are essentially 'one' and this 'bug' in Google code is likely there by design to best serve/support the CDN cell carrier's financial interests...by making it extremely inconvenient for users to make outgoing calls with *unsafe* voip-type apps (made unsafe - ie not useable for 911 services - via a 'bug' in Google code) by positioning the cell service provider as the only (perceived to be safe) default dialer option for outgoing calls. Logically this is not a 'bug' in Google code and it will likely never be 'resolved'. So in regards to basic call functionality, the Achilles heel of Fongo is the built in 911 integration...because in all reality as long as 911 integration is built into Fongo then (a perceived to be valid excuse-reason exists to explain why) the default dialer/contact calling integration is gone for good.
Personally I use Fongo with wifi or data from a local cell carrier wherever I happen to be in the world as I travel most of the time and am rarely physically at my Canadian home. So the 911 feature is pretty much useless to me, while simply being able to call contacts from my phone's contact list using Fongo is absolutely a needed essential basic functionality. I know this new Google code 'bug' is beyond your control Fongo team, but I can't help but feel like I've been bait-&-switched by Fongo with the (Google/Android-esque) progressive removal of functionality/features/choice via 'updates' for the Fongo app. Remember - no other voip-type calling app has disabled their outgoing call functionality like Fongo has.
If the powers that be at Fongo simply refuse to restore the recently disabled outgoing call functionality to enable the USER to make this decision for themselves, then at the very least please consider creating a non-911-dependent version of the Fongo app, or rebrand/label the same app - with the 'use for outgoing calls' functionality built back in - as a non-911-integrated service for those of us who need/want a fully functional Fongo CALLING app and are aware that Google will prolly never resolve this 'bug' in their code. Please please please! Or if you have already created a (non-911-crippled) FULLY functional version/brand of this now call-crippled Fongo app please do tell me what it's called and where I can download it?!
There is a need/demand for a fully functional Fongo CALLING app - please FONGO team! I will be forever grateful! Gracias - m
This `bug` in the Google code that causes 911 calls to not work via any (non-cell-carrier) voip-type app does not justify FONGO's executive decision to completely disable the Fongo app so that NO outgoing calls can EVER be made from the contact list! All the other voip-type apps that I have downloaded on my phone still do have the outgoing call functionality via the contact list! So far FONGO is THE ONLY (non-cell-carrier voip-type) calling app that has been 'fixed' so that it can no longer make outgoing calls. The app or service used for outgoing calls (for each and-or every call) should rightfully be the USERS choice!!! But since this is the rationale you provided in response to my inquiry then I have no doubt here's the bottom line; this finger-pointing-game means it is highly unlikely that the Fongo app will ever be restored with the functionality to make any calls to a contact on your phone or google account by simply clicking the contact (you can only place outgoing calls by DIRECTLY opening the Fongo app which is EXTREMELY limiting to functionality, impractical non-intuitive use for a calling app, and a real PITA)...UNLESS Fongo either decides to restore the power of choice back to the user (THAT`s the respectable thing to do - we are adults and can make our own decisions for how we use Fongo) - or if a non-911 re-branded version of Fongo is released (PLEASE PLEASE!!!).
Most people are aware that Google and Android are essentially 'one' and this 'bug' in Google code is likely there by design to best serve/support the CDN cell carrier's financial interests...by making it extremely inconvenient for users to make outgoing calls with *unsafe* voip-type apps (made unsafe - ie not useable for 911 services - via a 'bug' in Google code) by positioning the cell service provider as the only (perceived to be safe) default dialer option for outgoing calls. Logically this is not a 'bug' in Google code and it will likely never be 'resolved'. So in regards to basic call functionality, the Achilles heel of Fongo is the built in 911 integration...because in all reality as long as 911 integration is built into Fongo then (a perceived to be valid excuse-reason exists to explain why) the default dialer/contact calling integration is gone for good.
Personally I use Fongo with wifi or data from a local cell carrier wherever I happen to be in the world as I travel most of the time and am rarely physically at my Canadian home. So the 911 feature is pretty much useless to me, while simply being able to call contacts from my phone's contact list using Fongo is absolutely a needed essential basic functionality. I know this new Google code 'bug' is beyond your control Fongo team, but I can't help but feel like I've been bait-&-switched by Fongo with the (Google/Android-esque) progressive removal of functionality/features/choice via 'updates' for the Fongo app. Remember - no other voip-type calling app has disabled their outgoing call functionality like Fongo has.
If the powers that be at Fongo simply refuse to restore the recently disabled outgoing call functionality to enable the USER to make this decision for themselves, then at the very least please consider creating a non-911-dependent version of the Fongo app, or rebrand/label the same app - with the 'use for outgoing calls' functionality built back in - as a non-911-integrated service for those of us who need/want a fully functional Fongo CALLING app and are aware that Google will prolly never resolve this 'bug' in their code. Please please please! Or if you have already created a (non-911-crippled) FULLY functional version/brand of this now call-crippled Fongo app please do tell me what it's called and where I can download it?!
There is a need/demand for a fully functional Fongo CALLING app - please FONGO team! I will be forever grateful! Gracias - m
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Jake
- Technical Support
- Posts: 2837
- Joined: 10/18/2009
Re: 'Use For Outgoing Calls' option missing from app?
I just wanted to comment to say I was surprised at how you use the app. I think I have always just opened the app and dialed a number. If I couldn't remember the number I would look it up in the contact list in the app and dial. I'm not saying that how I use the app is right or wrong, this is how I have always used my phones. When I read your first post I just never would have thought it was that much of a problem that the feature is not there. It obviously is from your stand point, so I fully understand your posts.
The other thing I believe I am right in saying is that being a phone company Fongo has to provide 911 (or E911) calls in a similar what that every Bell line has to be able to get through to 911 and every cell phone has to be able to call 911 even without any current plan or account activation, so I don't think that creating an app that is not capable of dialing 911 is ever going to happen. I expect a Fongo staff member will comment on this though.
The other thing I believe I am right in saying is that being a phone company Fongo has to provide 911 (or E911) calls in a similar what that every Bell line has to be able to get through to 911 and every cell phone has to be able to call 911 even without any current plan or account activation, so I don't think that creating an app that is not capable of dialing 911 is ever going to happen. I expect a Fongo staff member will comment on this though.
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FONGO_jeff
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 43
- Joined: 08/29/2013
Re: 'Use For Outgoing Calls' option missing from app?
Thanks for the feedback, the fact of the matter is that in May Google sent us an e-mail notifying us that we had 30 days to remove the functionality or our app would be removed from the Google Play Store. We will do some research into this issue to see if the rules have been relaxed or if there is some workaround that can be implemented.