iNum +883 Country Code Calling - Support Request

[VoipDiy]

I would like to ask for Dell Voice and Fongo's support in routing IP-based calls to the iNum created International Country Code +883, for free, or at nominal cost of 1 or 2 cent/min.

Currently, DV/Fongo rate look-up for international calls to the iNum based +883 country code is...... $12.08 .... OUCH
http://www.fongo.com/ldServices
If I do a rate lookup for the following iNum phone number: 883510000000091 (iNum echo test), it will return a rate of $12.08 /min.

This must be some kind of database error, I hope. Most international VoIP service providers that route calls to iNum +883-5100-xxxxxxxx global numbers route these calls for free, or charge a nominal fee of 1 or 2 cents/min. They are able to do this because the organization iNum, owned by Voxbone, who provides wold-wide iNum numbers as a universal global area code, route all these calls for free over the IP-based Internet. There is no traversal of PSTN networks involved and thus, no PSTN toll charges.

iNum provides free iNum phone number blocks and free call routing via IP to any and all qualified VoIP service providers who are willing to support the iNum initiative.

I hope DV/Fongo will consider contacting iNum and find out how they can get free iNum number blocks and free call routing via the global iNum/Voxbone IP networks. And, hopefully pass these savings on to all DV and Fongo customers, too. It is a win-win for all VoIP users world-wide.

iNum - http://www.inum.net/
Voxbone - http://www.voxbone.com
iNum - Get Involved as a Service Provider - http://www.inum.net/?page_id=55

Related ITU document: http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-t/oth/02 ... 01PDFE.pdf

Best Regards,

[seagame2001]

Thanks for post this on

I did get my iNum and I tested it out clear voice kinda fun with 15 digits phone numbers.

[TheHardy]

I do recall an iNUM post from before....

Seeing it is all internet based, yes iNUM support at free-cost would be nice. The routing criteria would need to be more than just +883, as there are more numbers in that range that are INTL calls, and not iNUM assigned. However, it is NOT too hard to use a proper range to isolate the iNUMs ...

FYI: Google-Call works for iNUMs at $0.00 rate ...

Also, based on how responsive (or not) Fongo has been to other requests of a similar nature, I would not hold your breath. No new DID's no calling expansion recently ... an of course no software fixes for PC apps ...

[seagame2001]

I agree with you "TheHardy" and I did not see a lot people read the post but not sure they know or understand iNum so not many people did not bother to vote

Your votes count so vote

[VoipDiy]

Thanks for your responses guys on this plea for support for iNum call routing.

Seagame2001, you are correct in stating that many people do not understand or know what iNum is. Raising awareness is part of the issue in getting support. Dozens of VoIP service providers have already started routing iNum +883 5100 area calls for their customers. It would be great if DV, Fongo, and FreePhoneLine.ca were to support iNum calling for their customers, too.

I have previously written numerous blog articles on the topic of iNum call routing:
http://blog.voipdiy.com/search/label/iNum%20883

My most recent iNum blog post was about how to place calls to iNum destinations using Dell Voice, Fongo, and FreePhoneLine.ca:
http://blog.voipdiy.com/2012/08/how-to- ... -dell.html
But, this method depends on calling the PSTN Gateway Access Numbers provided by iNum (for free).

The hope is that http://Fibernetics.ca, the carrier behind Dell Voice, Fongo, and FreePhoneLine.ca will also see the benefits for enabling direct iNum 883 5100 xxxxxxxx call routing for their customers, also free, or at a nominal rate of 1 or 2 cents/min.

[TheHardy]

Thanks for the links there Jeff... took a quick browse, and will read them in more depth as I have a chance.

I concur that it would be a logical evolutionary step for Fongo as a whole to take, and seeing as "HOW" iNUM's are provisioned, it would be without much cost to them at all, more or less simply implementing it.

Of note, using the PSTN gateways relies on being able to pass the iNUM once you are connected to the gateway -- and for me, with the PC softphone for FPL, is a HUGE issue --- I cannot reliably send any DTMF tones via my FPL softphone, so therefore using iNUM gateways is NOT an option for me to dial them!

This comes back to: a) is it a Fongo-network side issue or simply (b) POS softphone issue?? Or a combo...? I cannot tell, and there appears no means to find out.

[VoipDiy]

Hello TheHardy,
I can assure you the problems you are experiencing (sending DTMF tones) lies with the PC softphone application.
I experienced the exact same DTMF problems when I first signed up with Dell Voice. So, what I quickly did was purchase the "Voip Unlock Key" from Fongo (a one-time fee of $50). Now, with the Unlock Key I was able to directly connect my Linksys PAP2T, SPA2102, Cisco SPA504G IP-Phone, or the 3CXPhone Softphone directly to the Fongo proxy servers. Once connected with "any of these devices" I was able to flawlessly send DTMF tones without any problems at all. So the problem clearly lies with the softphone supplied by Dell Voice, Fongo, and FreePhoneLine, and not with their VoIP servers, or their carrier Fibernetics.

Unfortunately, Dell Voice and Fongo no longer sell the VoIP Unlock Key. This is because they are now selling their own home phone service alternative which includes a hardware based hardphone that they sell for $59 plus shipping plus a $4.95/month service fee. All things considered, not a bad deal if you are not a techie who wants to bother with configuring your own VoIP devices (like I do).

As well, I note that FreePhoneLine.ca still sells the "Voip Unlock Key" on their web site. ( My research indicates that Dell Voice, Fongo, and FreePhoneLine all operate under the umbrella carrier Fibernetics.ca.

So, with that in mind, it is still possible to use a softphone like the 3CXPhone Softphone from 3CX Corp. (free) and configure it with any BYOD Voip service of your choice. Therefore, if you were to purchase the Unlock Key from FreePhoneLine.ca, you can then configure the 3CXPhone Softphone with your FreePhoneLine.ca Unlock Key. Now, you will be able to make calls to any of the iNum Gateway numbers in Canada via FreePhoneLines free calling feature and enter any iNum 883 5100... phone number using DTMF tones and flawlessly make calls to world-wide iNums, for free.

I explain how to download, install, and configure the 3CXPhone Softphone with Fongo's Unlock Key in this blog post:
http://blog.voipdiy.com/2012/02/using-d ... phone.html
I'm confident that this procedure will work equally well with the FreePhoneLine VoIP unlock Key on the 3CXPhone too.

In the end, it would be much easier for everyone concerned if DV, Fongo, and FreePhoneLine would enable direct calling to iNums directly via any of their services (for free, or a low nominal fee, of course).

[TheHardy]

Hey Jeff --- yeah, I've been around a bit, and I grow daily more and more frustrated with the PC applications offered by Fongo (mainly FPL, as I use that as my main account). It is showing its colours as a complete and total POS more and more and there appears to be ZERO support from Fongo for this bug-laden, poor-performing excuse for a softphone.

As I have YET to be able to evaluate the reliability of the network (due to the inconsistencies of their SUPPLIED softphone), I am very hesitant to give them money for the voip unlock key, ESPECIALLY in light of the last 3 months of declining support, HIGH rate of bug implementation and complete and utter lack over the last 16+ months that I have been active to respond to the issues with their own software.

Granted I have received benefit from using their service over this time, but I still find a bad taste in my mouth when it fails to perform as advertised.

I am growing more and more dissatisfied with their service offerings and have lost all faith at this point that they intend to ever do anything about their HORRID software that they themselves have supplied.

You would think that a forward thinking company supposedly on the cutting edge would at least put out some less buggy software, or at the VERY minimum move more quickly than 16+ months in correcting known issues in said software.

[VoipDiy]

Hi TheHardy - I can certainly empathize with your frustrations with the softphone app not processing DTMF tones.
In my case, I felt the $50 unlock key was a reasonable deal considering that it allows me to BYOD and use my own preferred and proven VoIP ATA's and Softphones. For unlimited free calling across Canada, really not a bad deal. As I mentioned previously, Dell Voice Fongo VoIP service functions extremely well this way. And, when using an ATA or IP-Phone, it becomes a Home Phone Service rather than a PC-based service. (I presume the same is true for FreePhoneLine.ca service).

I would really like to keep this thread on topic of * iNum +883 5100 call routing *.

It is my hopes that more DV, Fongo, and FPL customers will read this thread and join us in encouraging the management at Dell Voice, Fongo, FreePhoneLine.ca, and Fibernetics.ca to realize the benefits of the global iNum initiative and implement free, or low-cost iNum +883 5100 call routing for their customers across Canada.

DV, Fongo, and FPL have created a great service for Canadians by providing free calls to all the major cities across Canada. It would be a great gesture on their part to take this one step further and connect with the Voxbone/iNum IP network for free and provide us with low-cost world-wide calling (at virtually no cost to the service providers).

I encourage all customers to please vote and show your support.

[TheHardy]

If we are going to advocate for this, then we should push hard for it to be entirely free, as even at .01 or .02 per minute, you have to add the 4c connection fee, which makes the first minute .05-.06 ...

[FONGO_mike]

Just a heads up, i have passed this information along to the decision makers to see if they can do anything with this.

[TheHardy]

Just a heads up, i have passed this information along to the decision makers to see if they can do anything with this.

Thanks ...
... but did YOU vote?

[VoipDiy]

If we are going to advocate for this, then we should push hard for it to be entirely free, as even at .01 or .02 per minute, you have to add the 4c connection fee, which makes the first minute .05-.06 ...

I agree. Free iNum routing is what I (and everyone else, I'm sure) would hope for. But, many VSP's (VoIP Service Providers) have no incentive to facilitate iNum routing unless they can at least earn some residual income off of it. However, I would like to emphasize to the VSP's that free iNum numbers and/or free iNum call routing is a great marketing strategy to get more customers using their services "freemium" features. And, freemium features generally lead to increased premium sign-ups, too - which is what all VSP's hope for.

[VoipDiy]

Just a heads up, i have passed this information along to the decision makers to see if they can do anything with this.

Thanks very much for doing that, Fongo_mike!

[FONGO_mike]

Just a heads up, i have passed this information along to the decision makers to see if they can do anything with this.

Thanks very much for doing that, Fongo_mike!

We always pass along good ideas

[TheHardy]

We always pass along good ideas

You've passed along some of mine ... and they may not have been good -- but at least worthy. The only thing is, once forwarded, where do they go, cuz very few of them if any get acted on! LOL We know that you (& Steve) _DO_ forward them, but it almost seems at times like they go to "file-13" ...

[seagame2001]

I think at this time FPL or Fongo just need to expand more free calling cities in their list

iNum will come in place later on. I have iNum about a week or so but did not use it cause other people I know did not know iNum or their providers have no iNum like Rogers or Cogeco.

Don't get me wrong I like iNum service, but the problem that I talked to my friends and they did not know about it.

[TheHardy]

Whether or not people know about iNUM is not the issue ... and to that end, if more providers start supporting iNUM, then there is a higher likelihood that word will spread and that more and more people will become familiar with it

I think at this time FPL or Fongo just need to expand more free calling cities in their list

I too hope for both an expanded free calling area (perhaps even Canada-wide?) as well as an increased DID/POP footprint. That said, supporting iNUM is a ZERO cost operation for Fongo and would garner them some more publicity. Adding support for iNUM requires no capital output and minimal infrastructure changes/programming etc on the network side of things.

[VoipDiy]

Whether or not people know about iNUM is not the issue ... and to that end, if more providers start supporting iNUM, then there is a higher likelihood that word will spread and that more and more people will become familiar with it

I think at this time FPL or Fongo just need to expand more free calling cities in their list

I too hope for both an expanded free calling area (perhaps even Canada-wide?) as well as an increased DID/POP footprint. That said, supporting iNUM is a ZERO cost operation for Fongo and would garner them some more publicity. Adding support for iNUM requires no capital output and minimal infrastructure changes/programming etc on the network side of things.

Excellent points made... and hopefully heard by the decision makers...

[seagame2001]

Over almost 3800 members of this forum but not even 10 people vote what's wrong. Need to put this topic on the headline of the forum.

Your vote will count and thanks from VoiPDYI to bring this topic up to FPL

[TheHardy]

Over almost 3800 members of this forum but not even 10 people vote what's wrong. Need to put this topic on the headline of the forum.

Your vote will count and thanks from VoiPDYI to bring this topic up to FPL

A fresh post every now and again to bring it up in the NEW POSTS ... other than that, there is no method to force people to read it. If it manages to get some traction, and catches Mike/Steve/Neil's interest, then perhaps one of them can champion it a bit and promote it throughout the forums as well. Can the OP go back and edit to make it STICKY, or do we need a forum MOD to go back and do that?

[cvijax]

Why only iNum 883+ numbers. It will be useful to be able to do e164 lookups too. No? But yes I agree being able to call iNums for free or some nominal price will be appreciated feature. For now we have to live with PSTN bridges.

[TheHardy]

Why only iNum 883+ numbers. It will be useful to be able to do e164 lookups too. No? But yes I agree being able to call iNums for free or some nominal price will be appreciated feature. For now we have to live with PSTN bridges.

And as we know, using anything that needs DTMF input can be problematic, especially with stock/default Fongo softphones.

[FONGO_mike]

Over almost 3800 members of this forum but not even 10 people vote what's wrong. Need to put this topic on the headline of the forum.

Your vote will count and thanks from VoiPDYI to bring this topic up to FPL

Of the 3800 members, many posted once or not at all. Although there are indeed 3800 registered members, a very small percentage are active regular users.

[TheHardy]

Of the 3800 members, many posted once or not at all. Although there are indeed 3800 registered members, a very small percentage are active regular users.

I eat a lot of fiber so I count myself as regular ... unless my warped personality disqualifies me from that title ...