balaton
join:2003-03-28
Pomona, NY
| [FWD] Free world dialup
Even since I actually paid the $30 for a couple of FWD numbers, I have problems making and receiving calls. All the tech documentation disappeared from the website. I used FWD for a very long time and was always able to fix the issues before. Now that it costs money, the whole thing went down the drain. I know that they changed their SIP server, but my reconfigured phones don't work even when they are 'registered'. Are the 612 613 numbers still around? Is there a test number? |
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usa2k
Please PRAY for Rebekah
Premium,MVM
join:2003-01-26
Canton, MI
clubs: | 612/613 look dead for my SIP calls from VOIPo  |
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PX Eliezer
Premium
join:2008-08-09
New Jersey
 ·Optimum Voice
·callwithus
·voip.ms
·Callcentric
| reply to balaton
Have you looked at their websites:
»www.freeworlddialup.com/learnmor···features
says
We are experiencing technical difficulties right now.
»www.freeworlddialup.com/
converts to
»www.siptosip.net/
which says
Free World Dialup closed open enrollment for SIP registration and membership in order to focus on High Definition (HD) VoIP content and services. People interested in obtaining SIP credentials for participatition in FWD's HD End User Trial should send an email to fwd@pulver.com.
»www.freeworlddialup.com/help/
says
We are experiencing technical difficulties right now.
-------------------------------
So, what do folks think?
Is this a case of "We got the cash, so now let's dash?" |
|
balaton
join:2003-03-28
Pomona, NY | reply to usa2k
Hello usa2k,
the sip server is: sip.fwdi.net
Try that, maybe you have more luck than I do. Did you have to change your config at the end of March? |
|
Test99
Premium
join:2003-04-24
San Jose, CA | reply to balaton
I just tried calling 613@fwd.pulver.com. Immediately there was a call back on the same phone (which accepts URI-dialed calls). Talking to myself on one phone was difficult. I conferenced the two calls together and got cascading echoes. |
|
Test99
Premium
join:2003-04-24
San Jose, CA | reply to balaton
Dialing 613@sip.fwdi.net also resulted in an incoming call. I am not an FWD subscriber. |
|
usa2k
Please PRAY for Rebekah
Premium,MVM
join:2003-01-26
Canton, MI
clubs:
1 edit | reply to balaton
sip:613@fwd.pulver.com stays dead silent.
sip:613@sip.fwdi.net gets a busy tone
EDIT: Well, I've lost interest ... |
|
B
Premium,MVM
join:2000-10-28
1 edit | reply to balaton
Wow, so it really is a dead service now. 
Remember after the pay program was announced, when we were watching that active connections counter waiting for it to drop to the floor?
»[Poll]What are your plans for FWD's pay to play?
So this is how tech pioneers die - with indifference.
-- B
--
In a realm outside causality and function |
|
balaton
join:2003-03-28
Pomona, NY | If Jeff said that well donate $30 for the past 8 year of service, I would have gladly done it, but that's not what was asked. I hoped that I am paying for continuing service. Anyone using Sipphone or something similar? Which one is working well? |
|
balaton
join:2003-03-28
Pomona, NY | reply to usa2k
usa2k, nice to see you after all these years in this forum. I haven't visited here regularly for many years. I remember you from the early Vonage years  |
|
usa2k
Please PRAY for Rebekah
Premium,MVM
join:2003-01-26
Canton, MI
clubs:
·VOIPo
 ·WOW Internet and C..
·Broadvox Direct
|  said by balaton  :I remember you from the early Vonage years As I recall you!
Yes, still here, the landscape keep changing, and the services keep growing.
I keep up with many forums on DSLR. |
|
mazilo
From Mazilo
Premium
join:2002-05-30
Lilburn, GA
1 edit | reply to balaton
As PX Eliezer described about Teleblend Forum here, I believe the saying goes also WELL to FWD as a whole (let alone FWDOut is completely out a.k.a DEAD).  |
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kieranmullen
Premium
join:2005-12-12
Portland, OR
clubs: | reply to PX Eliezer
Meh? Dash with their thousands hundreds tens of dollars ? |
|
andre2
join:2005-08-24
Brookline, MA
| reply to PX Eliezer
said by PX Eliezer :So, what do folks think? Is this a case of "We got the cash, so now let's dash?" I created a free account back in December (no longer accessible). From the FWD forums (also no longer accessible) in the following months, there was no evidence that paid accounts had better service. People with paid accounts were unable to access them when I could. IMO there was never any intention of continuing service to anyone. |
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fortissimo
join:2003-10-17
Richmond, BC
| reply to balaton
Hm a bit sad. I think Jeff is a good person (may be I'm biased as he is a ham radio operator also). We did exchange some emails some (long?) time ago and he was looking for fresh ideas to go (regarding FWD and VOIP), and I wrote him what I thought (as limited in industry experience since I never worked professionally in this area).
Now w/ the news coming out that RIM and Cisco joining to push Unified Comm., I wasn't far off telling him to look "hard" into adapting mobile side of things (aka cellphones or like devices).
Our convo didn't include FWD specifically though, and I had no privy info from him either.
I think it was a bad move for FWD trying to ask for subsciption money. It was just not the right timing, as service was dropping, not increasing; and it was hardly an incentive to ask for payment. They could look at an advertising support model, or something else, I don't know.
FWD has been around and free (as in beer), and free stuff has its own attraction. Changing to a paid model, is not easy, as paid model, requires its own incentive, which FWD lacks.
I didn't pay FWD a penny at all, but I do want to give them moral support if I could. |
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dberninger
join:2007-07-24
USA
| reply to balaton
Folks,
The main thread seems to be FWD is not what it used to be.
This is quite correct.
How could it be? Jeff Pulver spent $4 million + on the service over the years as a experiment in support of the VON events.
VON events ended. The value of a standard SIP registration as an experiment ended.
The $30 annual service was assembled to support the users that did not want to bother jumping to one of the other free options.
FWD was always advertised as an "experiment" not a free ride in perpetuity.
FWD remains an "experiment" but at this point we are looking at activities in high definition voice.
Take a look at Jeff's HD Communication Summit in NYC on May 21, 2009 - »www.hdcomms.com
A basic standard definition legacy SIP registration service remains up under new SIP domain - sip.fwdi.net
my.FWD, FWD.Communicator, voicemail, service numbers, voicemail all reached end of life in March 2009.
Please send support questions to fwd@pulver.com.
If you are interested in the new HD activities, please contact me directly at the email address below.
Regards,
Dan
..........................................
Daniel Berninger
CEO, FWD
sip HD: 1006@sip.fwdi.net
tel SD: +1.202.250.3838
e: dan@danielberninger.com
w: www.siptosip.net |
|
PX Eliezer
Premium
join:2008-08-09
New Jersey
·Optimum Voice
·callwithus
·voip.ms
·Callcentric
| said by balaton :Even since I actually paid the $30 for a couple of FWD numbers, I have problems making and receiving calls. All the tech documentation disappeared from the website. I used FWD for a very long time and was always able to fix the issues before. Now that it costs money, the whole thing went down the drain. I know that they changed their SIP server, but my reconfigured phones don't work even when they are 'registered'. Are the 612 613 numbers still around? Is there a test number? said by dberninger :The $30 annual service was assembled to support the users that did not want to bother jumping to one of the other free options. FWD was always advertised as an "experiment" not a free ride in perpetuity. I am confused.
The original poster says that he DID pay his $ 30 fee. He was NOT asking for a "free ride". Yet he reports that he has ongoing problems with the service that he paid for.
Dan's response seems to ignore this issue and even seems to put everyone down.
----------------------------------
To my colleagues on this forum: Am I right or wrong in my reaction to Dan's response? |
|
B
Premium,MVM
join:2000-10-28
| Nope -- I read the response and was about to post exactly the observations you did. (What about the paying customer who started the thread?) At least they haven't lost their sense of arrogance, superiority, and entitlement, I guess.
I don't know this Berninger fellow too well, but I had thought Pulver was better than this kind of behavior. Take $30 in September, and declare "end of life" in March.
join:2007-07-24
USA
reply to balaton
Folks,
The main thread seems to be FWD is not what it used to be.
This is quite correct.
How could it be? Jeff Pulver spent $4 million + on the service over the years as a experiment in support of the VON events.
VON events ended. The value of a standard SIP registration as an experiment ended.
The $30 annual service was assembled to support the users that did not want to bother jumping to one of the other free options.
FWD was always advertised as an "experiment" not a free ride in perpetuity.
FWD remains an "experiment" but at this point we are looking at activities in high definition voice.
Take a look at Jeff's HD Communication Summit in NYC on May 21, 2009 - »www.hdcomms.com
A basic standard definition legacy SIP registration service remains up under new SIP domain - sip.fwdi.net
my.FWD, FWD.Communicator, voicemail, service numbers, voicemail all reached end of life in March 2009.
Please send support questions to fwd@pulver.com.
If you are interested in the new HD activities, please contact me directly at the email address below.
Regards,
Dan
..........................................
Daniel Berninger
CEO, FWD
sip HD: 1006@sip.fwdi.net
tel SD: +1.202.250.3838
e: dan@danielberninger.com
w: www.siptosip.net
And the "main thread" here is not that it's "not what it used to be" but rather, that it appears to have run off with the money.
--
In a realm outside causality and function |
|
usa2k
Please PRAY for Rebekah
Premium,MVM
join:2003-01-26
Canton, MI
clubs:
·VOIPo
·WOW Internet and C..
·Broadvox Direct
|  reply to PX Eliezer
Re: [FWD] Free world dialup
FWD never really acted like an experiment. It was a wave of technology with vision. VoIP to VoIP without touching PSTN; looking out for the FCC not classing FWD and IM as phone service with fees and such. Jeff fostered the creativity of the VoIP landscape.
Jeff was good at promoting his vision on this site, and inspiring people. It was not so much about free, as it was about being pioneers.
Now it feels like FWD has embarked on being R&D hoping the masses will support their efforts, even if they do not relate to their current vision. I do not relate to this.
It seems like it was more necessary to tear down the culture they had than support many paths. If it was not affordable, then close it down and take that new direction. We could have been sad, but remembered the great days as technology pioneers. The vision has faded now, like mass emails, some will send money if you ask enough people, but the way it was handled felt more like a departure than continuation of a visionary plan.
That is my impression. FWD has an image problem, and threads like this should not be unexpected.
--
Jim, VoIP since 12/2002, VOIPo 2/7/2007
FAH-Tool ... Whales ... VOIPo Forum ... VOIPo Review |
|
burgerwars
join:2004-09-11
Northridge, CA
·voip.ms
·RoadRunner Cable
1 edit | When FreeWorldDialup became $30 PaidWordDialup they advertised your $30 fee would cover as many FWD numbers as you want (your e-mail address was the linking factor). That did look like a decent deal, since if you had a collection of ATAs you didn't have much use for, you can stick them in all the rooms of your house, and your friends houses, and you can all use FWD, its voicemail, its toll-free dialing features, etc., all for $30 a year.
Now that $30 only gets you a dialtone with the ability just to call other FWD users. Who needs that, as you can make ATA to ATA calls without any service. The configuration login page also seems to have vanished. I paid the $30 as it gave another year to think things over. Now the way it is it has no value. No way I'm renewing. But I don't even think they'll be bothering asking for renewals, as they'll let be letting it die. |
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