email from Fongo to upgrade

[OverDrive]

I just got an email from Fongo ....

We are urging you to switch to Fongo Home Phone service since we will no longer be supporting Free Phone Line. Your service with Free Phone Line will not be interrupted, however if you require technical support, we will not be offering it, essentially leaving you on your own.

Make the switch to Fongo Home Phone

with a link that points to
https://www.fongo.com/switch-from-freep ... promotion/

This seems like a marketing ploy as from what I recall, there is currently no support for FPL anyways - it's all community based.

Comments anyone?

[f_laplante]

I have receive a email from Fongo saying to move on to Fongo 4,95$ per month service. They argued they will no more support this service (see image capture of this image attached to this message.

I’m quite sure I DON’T understand what will happens after April 19th? No where on free phone line.ca they explain anything about this announcement and they still sell sip ?!?

Anything to add?

[f_laplante]

Same interrogation here... and no announcement on web site. Seems like everything is as usual!!?!

[Liptonbrisk]

Seems like everything is as usual!!?!

Yes. There's just a deal available for anyone who wants to switch to Fongo Home Phone.

It seems reasonable to believe that a number of people, including myself, would never switch to a non- BYOD (bring your own device) VoIP service. If there were ever a threat to introduce fees to continue the service for paid VoIP unlock key users, I would expect a flood of CCTS complaints followed by mass exodus to a completely different service unrelated to Fibernetics. At this time, there is no threat: "[y]our service with Freephoneline will not be interrupted". The following comment is not directed specifically to you but rather to those who may be nervous: the sky is not falling.

For those that require technical support frequently, the deal you were offered doesn't seem unreasonable. With respect to problems that are on users' ends, I feel it's fair for customers to recognize that technical support costs money. Someone has to be hired to provide technical support, and the infrastructure has to exist to provide that support. For those that require a lot of assistance, Fongo Home Phone makes more sense.

[Liptonbrisk]

I’m quite sure I DON’T understand what will happens after April 19th?

Presumably the offer ends. Some people clearly require technical assistance more frequently than others. If people find that they need technical support, then the offer may appeal to them

[Liptonbrisk]

there is currently no support for FPL anyways - it's all community based.

Yes

[FONGO_jeff]

Nothing is changing with your FPL accounts, we don't provide technical support for FPL and this is an offer for those that would like the peace of mind of technical support and a maintenance-free pre-configured ATA.

[NudgeNudgeWinkWink]

> however if you require technical support, we will not be offering it, essentially leaving you on your own.

If I didn't know better (and I usually don't), that sounds more like the "$50 Pay Per Incident Technical Support" was being discontinued leaving you REALLY "on your own".

So far, it's still there.... https://support.freephoneline.ca/hc/en- ... al-Support

[Liptonbrisk]

Amend that to "we will not be offering it for free" then unless otherwise notified.

Nothing has changed, except for the promotional offer having been made available.

[tester2]

Dear Fongo Staff,

If the Problem is from FPL Server side, and if Unlock Key Buyer Customer contact to FPL Staff about this Problem to Fix on their FPL Server side, Still "Pay Per Incident $50+Tax" do they have to Pay for Fixing this issue, which is not on UNLOCK KEY BUYER CUSTOMER SIDE.

Some time on FPL SERVER SIDE, FPL Staff has to RESET on Server side.
I mean asking to make a RESET on FPL SERVER Side is FREE, because this is nothing to do from UNLOCK KEY CUSTOMER Side, so what will be the situation in this case.

Please let us know, about this.

Thanks

[Liptonbrisk]

https://support.freephoneline.ca/hc/en- ... al-Support

"Refunds for this service are only applicable if the issue was determined to be the fault of FreePhoneLine."

FPL customers have never been charged for issues that are not on their end.

FPL support staff is not obliged to respond on these forums. If you want an official response, you'll need to submit a ticket.

[mh1983]

So I received the following email:

fpl-email.png

It was a bit concerning to me, so just to be clear: you (Fongo) are just letting us know that FPL is not supported? It's not that FPL is going to disappear? You recommend Fongo Home Phone but for all intents and purposes, FPL will continue to be offered and function for us?

[vasan]

I received the following email:

[Liptonbrisk]

Please read the post by FONGO_jeff: visit viewtopic.php?f=8&t=20168&p=78844#p76412.
You can also read my responses in this thread.

[emailit]

Hi,

I just received an email from Fongo requesting me to switch to Fongo Home Phone.
Reasons: my FreePhoneLine Service is getting old ..., my adaptor's technology is outdated, FPL platform is no longer updated, support for FPL is no longer available (was it ever?).

What should I/we do?

[bridonca]

It is only an upsell, ignore it at your leasure. If Freephoneline works, leave it be. If you are having problems, look at getting a better ATA. Still a better deal than a monthly Fongo Home Phone plan.

[Liptonbrisk]

was it ever?

Yes, a long time ago.

I doubt anything is going to happen without hundreds of CCTS complaints, and each one costs Fongo money.

If you find you need tech support, Fongo Home Phone is the better option.

If not, Freephoneline works.

Also, promotions to switch aren't new. Start at the top of this thread.

[Liptonbrisk]

Interesting. Fongo Home Phone now includes free U.S. calling.

"**Unlimited Calling to the United States is a Limited Time Offer for current and new Fongo Home Phone customers."
https://www.fongo.com/fongohomephone/

[emailit]

Thanks Liptonbrisk.

My FPL service works very well. The only issue I have had in the past few years was when a Bell line did not disconnect correctly rendering my line to be blocked/busy for 3-4 hrs ... several other FPL users were also affected during this 12+hr issue, of which there was no official announcement of what caused the problem.

I have had this "upsell email" from Fongo in Apr '21, Jan '21, and Apr '19 (possibly at other times which I purged from my email server).

RE Fongo Home Phone US calling: **Unlimited Calling to the United States is a Limited Time Offer for current and new Fongo Home Phone customers. <--- "fine print"
I will check with a friend who has Fongo Home Phone if this is the case ...

[Liptonbrisk]

My FPL service works very well. The only issue I have had in the past few years was when a Bell line did not disconnect correctly rendering my line to be blocked/busy for 3-4 hrs

The call duration limit with FPL is 3 hours. So after 3 hours, an active call will disconnect regardless.

FPL supports 2 channels; there can be two active calls per account, which is why call waiting works. If both calls won't disconnect, then you can't use your service.

several other FPL users were also affected during this 12+hr issue, of which there was no official announcement of what caused the problem.

BYE was never being received or acknowledged properly, and it was likely an interconnect carrier issue. However, I never received an official explanation either after the issue was fixed.

[mh1983]

Thanks for addressing the recent email campaign, lipton. I don't recall previous ones saying this outright, though:

"The FreePhoneLine platform is no longer updated"

My understanding was that the FPL and Fongo backends were the same and kept in sync. Is that not the case?

Thanks again and hope everyone's staying safe.

[Liptonbrisk]

My understanding was that the FPL and Fongo backends were the same and kept in sync. Is that not the case?

Some aspects of the services are similar. Beyond that, I don't work for them, so it's not useful for me to speculate. I can't see what's going on.
My interpretation is that Fongo Home Phone may be updated to include additional features while Freephoneline won't.

For example, Fongo Home Phone now includes free U.S. calling, which may make the $4.95 monthly fee more appealing for some.
Freephoneline doesn't include free U.S. calling.

Should Freephoneline be purposely left to rot so that it won't function, I would expect to see a flood of CCTS complaints (or worse) and a mass exodus to other services
that have nothing to do with Fibernetics. In turn, I would also expect a lot of ill will generated towards Fibernetics/Fongo, which wouldn't make for good business, in my opinion.

[Liptonbrisk]

Nothing is changing with your FPL accounts, we don't provide technical support for FPL and this is an offer for those that would like the peace of mind of technical support and a maintenance-free pre-configured ATA.

I believe this should be the takeaway.

Additionally, Fongo Home Phone now includes free U.S. calling.

[ScoFF]

I can see they'll just pull the plug at some point. Your username on the SIP just won't work and you won't be able to ask about what happened. You're SIP will just become unregistered.
It was good while it lasted, it was a short "lifetime" though.

[Liptonbrisk]

I can see they'll just pull the plug at some point. Your username on the SIP just won't work and you won't be able to ask about what happened. You're SIP will just become unregistered.

Based on what evidence? You have an employee in this thread stating nothing is changing to FPL accounts. These ads, as bridonca stated, appear to be an upsell. These email advertisements to switch are nothing new and go back to 2019.

Freephoneline has not offered free technical support for years.

Are you "likely [to] encounter issues in the future with this service"? Well, sure, particularly for those who are not technically inclined or don't know what they're doing, and for those people Fongo Home Phone is probably a better option.


viewtopic.php?f=8&t=20168&p=78866#p76412

Nothing is changing with your FPL accounts, we don't provide technical support for FPL and this is an offer for those that would like the peace of mind of technical support and a maintenance-free pre-configured ATA.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=20168&p=78866#p78843

It is only an upsell, ignore it at your leasure. If Freephoneline works, leave it be. If you are having problems, look at getting a better ATA. Still a better deal than a monthly Fongo Home Phone plan.