Freshphone - yay or nay?

[hcpeer]

Hi. Anyone can help setting up an HT812 with a freshphone account?

 

[AsteriskUser]

Hey I'm not sure if you came right but there is a guy on youtube who created a video for the HT801, I think its probably similar enough.

 

[Ockie]

Remembered I have a Freshphone account and logged in. Nice surprise to see I have R30 airtime left still. I then also saw they have their own app now in the Play store, so downloaded that and it is nice because soon as you press the home screen button on your phone the app goes into "push notification" mode which I assume saves power compared to zoiper.

Have you guys used the app? Is it good?

 

[RichardAshton]

Hi Guys. I need some help as I am not that tech savvy. I have a Telkom ADSL line for my data the odd land line call. I do most calls on WhatsApp, which is not always that reliable. I have just signed up with Freshphone as the marketing looks cool and costs seem OK. My question - is Freshphone a better option than WhatsApp, MWeb new VOIP offer, and Skype calls. Then if I cancel Telkom what do I repace my ADSL data facility with, which is very important and I have had good service with my MWed ADSL product over the years, but it needs Telkom?

Then do I use my cellphone for Freshphone calls or so I need to buy another handset?

Many thanks
Richad

 

[Ockie]

Hi Guys. I need some help as I am not that tech savvy. I have a Telkom ADSL line for my data the odd land line call. I do most calls on WhatsApp, which is not always that reliable. I have just signed up with Freshphone as the marketing looks cool and costs seem OK. My question - is Freshphone a better option than WhatsApp, MWeb new VOIP offer, and Skype calls. Then if I cancel Telkom what do I repace my ADSL data facility with, which is very important and I have had good service with my MWed ADSL product over the years, but it needs Telkom?

Then do I use my cellphone for Freshphone calls or so I need to buy another handset?

Many thanks
Richad

FreshPhone quality for me is much better than Whatsapp etc. There are no delays or cut outs like you tend to get on the IM apps. Maybe see if you have Fibre available in your area? What speed do you have and do you have uncapped? If you PM me your address I can look up if you have fibre available and with which providers.

 

[RichardAshton]

Thanks Ockie, I’m with MWeb ADSL- 10mbs uncapped, incl Telkom Line at R750. +- Their site says they don’t have Fibre or LTE in Plett. 36 Daedalus Reef, Plettenberg Bay, but a neighbor is using LTE Rain. Appreciate your input. I’ll start using FreshPHONE today

 

[Ockie]

Thanks Ockie, I’m with MWeb ADSL- 10mbs uncapped, incl Telkom Line at R750. +- Their site says they don’t have Fibre or LTE in Plett. ***********, Plettenberg Bay, but a neighbor is using LTE Rain. Appreciate your input. I’ll start using FreshPHONE today

Thank you. Maybe just edit your address out for privacy reasons.

I did check ... and there is indeed no fibre and also no Vodacom microwave coverage.

 

[RichardAshton]

Many thanks

 

[AsteriskUser]

The one thing to bare in mind is skype/what’s app and the likes all have proprietary codecs so they could sound better is certain scenarios. FreshPHONE uses G729a as a primary codec (this a highish quality codec for the bandwidth) they use GSM for low bandwidth and apps that don’t support G729 with out buying it, and OPUS for “HD” calling quality. The issue with OPUS is, it’s a bit bandwidth intensive. If you have fiber no worries. Might struggle a little over DSL or 3G. If you have great LTE coverage you will be ok.

The Higher quality codecs like OPUS are not the be all and end all either. Your leg between the PBX and your device may be HD but after the PBX when it reaches the upstream provider, it’s transcoded to G729 anyway. FreshPHONE to FreshPHONE calls on net will be HD though.

What I’m saying is if you struggle with what’s app I don’t imagine FreshPHONE’s quality will blow you away but by all means give it a go. Hope it works for you! It does for me.

 

[Ockie]

The one thing to bare in mind is skype/what’s app and the likes all have proprietary codecs so they could sound better is certain scenarios. FreshPHONE uses G729a as a primary codec (this a highish quality codec for the bandwidth) they use GSM for low bandwidth and apps that don’t support G729 with out buying it, and OPUS for “HD” calling quality. The issue with OPUS is, it’s a bit bandwidth intensive. If you have fiber no worries. Might struggle a little over DSL or 3G. If you have great LTE coverage you will be ok.

The Higher quality codecs like OPUS are not the be all and end all either. Your leg between the PBX and your device may be HD but after the PBX when it reaches the upstream provider, it’s transcoded to G729 anyway. FreshPHONE to FreshPHONE calls on net will be HD though.

What I’m saying is if you struggle with what’s app I don’t imagine FreshPHONE’s quality will blow you away but by all means give it a go. Hope it works for you! It does for me.

The sound might be a bit more rich in WhatsApp calls, but Freshphone does not have the delays that so often happen in WhatsApp.

 

[AsteriskUser]

Could very well be a latency issue. FP servers are in jhb. Not sure if what’s app has presence in SA, probably not until AWS launch’s a local DC

 

[Jbn222]

Hey I'm not sure if you came right but there is a guy on youtube who created a video for the HT801, I think its probably similar enough.

Hi, did you manage to setup your HT801?

 

[Jbn222]

Hi. Anyone can help setting up an HT812 with a freshphone account?

Hi, did you come right with setup of your HT812?

 

[hcpeer]

Hi, did you come right with setup of your HT812?

Yup all sorted!

 

[system32]

Been using freshphone for a while with Zopier - just scanned the QR from the website.
Recently got the Grandstream HT801.
Dial *** and Menu 02 to get the IP address.
Login and go to FXF-Port Menu
Set Primary SIP Server: sip1.freshphone.co.za
SIP User ID: 27xxxxxxxxx
Authenticate Password: ***********
Apply and you done.
I did update the firmware and set the Preferred Vocoder: opus, G729, iLBC, PCM
Seem to work well.
Dial *99 to do an echo test.

 

[system32]

I see that the cost for making calls is competitive:
https://www.freshphone.co.za/pricing

Incoming is free for Freshphone receiver.

Does anyone know what other parties pay for calls to FreshPhone?

• Telkom Landline to Freshhone
• Cell-C/MTN/Vodcom/Telkom-Cell to Freshphone
• International to Freshphone

Thanks in advance.

UPDATE:
Did some testing:

• MTN to Freshphone ~60c per min ((legacy 60c/min PAYG plan)
• CellC to Freshphone ~66c per min (66c/min PAYG plan)

So for MTN & Cell-C the costs are according to my PAYG plan rates.
Rates are according to your networks rates.

UPDATE2:
Copy-Paste from my Telkom Bills:

• Telkom to Mobile on 09-Jul-19 for 12 sec call R1.32 inc VAT
• Telkom to National on 08-Jun-19 for 10 sec call R0.64 inc VAT

Telkom bill Per Minute (complex rules) so the average rate is is higher.
My average for Telkom to mobile is R2.63/min inc VAT (lots of short calls)
Also have to add monthly Rental of R200.

 

[Jbn222]

Hi. Anyone can help setting up an HT812 with a freshphone account?

Hi, I contacted Vox Vumetel and they set it up for me and is working 100%. I am using the Grandstream box.

 

[georgegolding]

I hope to get fibre soon which means I get to say goodbye to Telkom (yay).

Has anyone used Freshphone? What is their service like? Their prices seem very good.

TIA.

If you purchase a dect phones such as the Yealink W53P and one base, you can assign the freshphone account to multiple phones and they all ring.

 

[rph72]

How long does the porting process take. Submitted mine yesterday morning.

 

[rph72]

I just switched. Took a week to port. Currently waiting for Fiber installation and using ADSL. No noise (like telkom) pretty easy top setup and very easy to use...

Thanks, got my answer.