Incoming softphone calls - CID

[TheHardy]

So I am relatively new to VOIP and FPL. I have searched thru the forum and not found much of an answer to this, so I will ask again, sorry if it is buried somewhere.

Using the softphone application, when I receive an incoming call, the popup window and the FPL app themselves only show "INCOMING CALL FROM ANONYMOUS" without any CALLER ID being displayed.

I can go back, however, after the call, and see the CALLER ID in either of the call logs, the one inside the app, or the online account one.

Is this a known limitation of the softphone, or have I not configured something directly? Any assistance on this would be much appreciated.

(FYI: I have recently lost my job, and subsequently cancelled my cell phone, so I am now very reliant on FPL as my main and only telephony service provider, so this is kind of a pressing issue for me!)

Thanks!

[FONGO_steve]

Incoming call display will be fully functional in the next release of the softphone.

If you look into purchasing an ATA and VoIP Unlock Key, then you can use the service on a regular phone with regular call display too.

[TheHardy]

Ah okay. The information on the website seemed to indicate CURRENT incoming CID support on the softphone, and I thought that perhaps there was something that I was missing somewhere or had misconfigured.

Thanks for the heads up that I need to wait for a new update and not scratch my head in bewilderment!

[TheHardy]

Incoming call display will be fully functional in the next release of the softphone.

Just to check, if you are able to provide the information, do you have any idea when the next release of the softphone will be? Any info would be appreciated.

[lauren]

At this time, we do not have a designated time for when the new softphone will be released. I would suggest to keep monitoring our website to see if there are any new features added to our site. Thanks

Lauren
Support Specialist
www.freephoneline.ca

[DaBones]

yeah I was wondering this too.. thats kinda misleading that the web site says "caller ID on your softphone" right on their main feature page, but then yet it doesn't have CID working.. how hard would it have been to write that into the program? esp since the CID shows in the call logs.. I hope this update comes around very shortly.. I just started to use FPL as my new home phone line, and could really use this feature on teh softphone untill I can purchase an ATA in the coming months...

so FPL, Why does your web site list it as a feature if it's not a working feature????

[Jake]

yeah I was wondering this too.. thats kinda misleading that the web site says "caller ID on your softphone" right on their main feature page, but then yet it doesn't have CID working.. how hard would it have been to write that into the program? esp since the CID shows in the call logs.. I hope this update comes around very shortly.. I just started to use FPL as my new home phone line, and could really use this feature on teh softphone untill I can purchase an ATA in the coming months...

so FPL, Why does your web site list it as a feature if it's not a working feature????

It used to work fine, but something must have gone wrong in the last re-make of the softphone and now it shows as anon. I guess it is just a cost and importance thing; and they decided it just was not worth remaking the softphone just to get this working. I'm sure it will be fixed again on the next release.

[TheHardy]

It used to work fine, but something must have gone wrong in the last re-make of the softphone and now it shows as anon. I guess it is just a cost and importance thing; and they decided it just was not worth remaking the softphone just to get this working. I'm sure it will be fixed again on the next release.

Hmmm, that little tid-bit just makes me MORE dis-satisfied; had it NOT worked all along, it would not be as bad, but taking a feature that used to work and then BREAKING it with a 'new' release is, IMHO, inexcuseable. Looks like no one spent any time testing it then either, as that should have been a fairly easy pickup!

And, as DaBones wrote, how hard would it be to 'patch' it?

You correctly point out that it is a PRIORITY issue, and I guess that is all that it really is. You would think though that someone at the coding side of things might just take the 10 minutes and re-write the little chunk of bad code and re-release a working version!

Oh well, one can hope.

fpl-lauren: please take note, if you find this thread -- official request from users!

[DaBones]

yeah, like I (we) realize this is a free service, and it actually works pretty good, so it's hard to complain about something like this, but when it was working and then it gets taken away, and they are aware it's not working, that is a little frusterating to say the least.. but again, what are we going to do call and complain that we might cancel? lol..

I guess this is another push for ppl to buy the config file and use an ATA or an actual GOOD Softphone app.. this one is cheesy anyways, can't set separate audio properties, etc.. I have a (free) softphone called QuteCom and it works nicely (I have it set up with a US provider, not FPL) I can set it to put call audio and the mic through my cheapo USB phone, and have the ringer set to use my soundcard so it's loud.. I might buy the config file just even to use with QuteCom..

anyways, good work on FPL guys, but comeon lets get the softphone up to date, or sell a good version with a few options for like $25-30 bucks locked with the config settings or something if thats your angle..

[TheHardy]

Well, not to pour fuel on the fire, but they write their own code overseas for that softphone. I can put up with it being 'cheesy', but as you say, some functionality would be nice.

The thing that got me, and it was in this thread, was that I did not KNOW that their own softphone had working CID in a previous version--I had just assumed it was always broken!

I agree that FREE is a heck of a price to beat, and generally you get what you pay for, so it is difficult to legitimately complain.

FPL-Steve, who is off on vacation right now, has said that they are aware of this 'shortcoming' of the current version and it is expected to be fixed in a subsequent release, so at least that is a good thing. Timeline and possibility for a 'quick fix' are about as nailed down as jello to the wall with a landscaping spike.

[TheHardy]

Just renewing my thread to make sure that I hold FreePhoneLine's metaphoric 'feet' to the fire and reinvigorate my urgings for the software bug/shortcoming of the inbound-CID support of the FPL softphone to be addressed at the earliest possible opportunity.

I truly find this to be a HUGE Pain-In-The-Arse and a major shortcoming of the software. As I posted in another thread, if I could find someway to migrate my FPL number to the budphone (which has working CID support) then I would almost do so, even though that softphone software is somewhat more buggy!

"please" FPL -- fix this!!

[Jake]

TheHardy. If you find the free softphone a pain in the arse, why not support FreePhoneLine and cough up the 50$ for the config file? Your problem will instantly go away by the use of a whole new world of softphones, ATAs, and PBXs; that open up to you.

I have paid for 6 phone numbers for myself and friends. I also have their DSL and I have set up DSL for my daughter also with FPL. I can honestly say that when the invoices come in, I feel pretty good knowing that my money is going to them, and not Bell who I hated having to give money to each month.

I like to think that every 50$ I have given them helps to put money in the coffers that enables them to set up new calling areas, create new applications like the Android app, and to be able to hire programmers to make the softphone that you are so attached to better. If my money hasn't done any of these, then at least I hope it has bought a few drinks at the office parties; because I think most will agree these guys deserve it.

I know if I could get rid of a "HUGE Pain-In-The-Arse" for 50$, I would any day of the week. You will be surprised at how liberating it is

[TheHardy]

TheHardy. If you find the free softphone a pain in the arse, why not support FreePhoneLine and cough up the 50$ for the config file? Your problem will instantly go away by the use of a whole new world of softphones, ATAs, and PBXs; that open up to you.

...

because I think most will agree these guys deserve it.

Jake: point taken, and I think that I have been nothing if not supportive of FPL so far. Granted I take exception to broken things, and I question things that I do not understand or that do not work, but I have also put my time in to assist where I can. Were I not somewhat invested in it, I would not take the time to monitor or pitch in with help/advice. I could sit back and just complain.

All that said, and "free" or not, it is still one thing to expect things to operate "as they should" or "as advertised". CID support is stated all over the website, and officially acknowledged by FPL-Steve as being broken in 3.0.3.0. I have confirmed myself that it works in the ' budphone' app (and probably the other-branded softphones), and have read in forums that it worked in versions PRIOR to 3.0.3.0. It is the RETROGRADE to NOT WORKING therefore, that is the main thing that has a burr under my saddle (so to speak). Nothing there to do with FREE or NOT.

Now then ... that off my chest, my situation at the CURRENT moment is that I am between jobs, and therefore $50 currently is about 20 days of sustenance (not even food... ). Quickly couple that with the fact that I currently have no cable, my cellphone is cut off, and I only have prepaid wireless mobile internet (mainly for job search!) and I am a fulltime job and 2 paycheques away from considering an upgrade! Not meaning to whine or complain, just rather explain.

All that said, FPL is a wonderful service, and in more way than one, a 'life-saver' for me at this point (how else to call people short of using gmail voicecall?). If all works out, there is an ATA/config file in the future. Maybe by then, some more bugs will be worked out too!

[FONGO_steve]

Unfortunately this bug was introduced in 3.0.3 and will be resolved in the next release. At this time I do not personally know an ETA for the next release.

We can also assure you that much more stringent testing procedures have been put in place as a result of this bug slipping out the door. This will result in longer test times and more stringent test cases for future software releases.

[TheHardy]

Unfortunately this bug was introduced in 3.0.3 and will be resolved in the next release. At this time I do not personally know an ETA for the next release.

We can also assure you that much more stringent testing procedures have been put in place as a result of this bug slipping out the door. This will result in longer test times and more stringent test cases for future software releases.

Fair enough Steve. Thanks for the info. Would it be fair to say that you will keep us appraised as you find out more, like an ETA on the new release? Any chance of sending a 'kick-in-the-pants' up the chain? Even the small bug-fix of adding back in the CID for a v3.0.3.1 rather than holding off 4 months for a v3.1 would be appreciated! Either that, or sign me up as a willing beta-basher!

Thanks!

[FONGO_steve]

I will definitely keep everyone here posted as soon as information is publicly available.

[fletch]

I noticed the same problem, however if the number is saved in the contact list the callerID is displayed. Not perfect but at least you know the caller is a 'friendly'

**Be careful, you can only add records to the Contact list, there is no button to delete...**

[FONGO_steve]

**Be careful, you can only add records to the Contact list, there is no button to delete...**

Any contacts can be deleted by simply right clicking the contact and choosing the delete option

[TheHardy]

There is no current way to really apply any sort criteria to the softphone. Also trying to add hyphens, spaces or periods to existing entries to make them easier to read fails to update/save correctly. I have found the "text file" that the softphone uses to store this information, but there is some sort of CRC check sum there as well, so I don't know if it is safe to just TEXT edit that file or not ...