US Telco Support > Verizon > Verizon Fiber Optics > Difference between Verizon Digital Voice & Freedom Essential

Difference between Verizon Digital Voice & Freedom Essential

From what I understand (and someone correct me if I'm wrong)..

Freedom Essentials (FE) is a calling plan either on POTS copper or as a formerly offered service on FiOS for residential customers. FE over FiOS connects you to your own central office as if you were on copper wires but uses a fiber connection instead. The features you get are pretty much the same ones available to you if you have POTS service. You get unlimited calls to the US (including all territories) and Canada for one fixed price. When FiOS was first offered, customers were offered FE for phone service. It is no longer offered and if you change services or plans, you are moved to Digital Voice.

Digital Voice (DV) on the other hand is a Voice over IP service and connects you to their "softswitch" and then sends you to the regular phone network for calls that are not handled by DV (more on that in a minute). You get a few more features (such as Do Not Disturb) than you do on FE. All new FiOS customers are put on DV no matter what UNLESS it isn't offered for some technical reason in your area. You MUST dial ALL calls as 10 digits, even if on POTS you were able to only dial 7 digits in your home area code. Collect calls are not allowed and any "third party" billing is not allowed. You also can't use those "dial around" codes (101-xxxx) like you can on POTS, but hardly anybody uses those anyhow. 900 and 976 are also blocked. (Again, who really uses them anymore?)

DV comes in two plans - unlimited and 5 cents/minute for each call. The 5 cents/min plan only applies for anybody who you call who is NOT on DV. If they're on DV, then there is no extra charge. The unlimited plan is like FE - All of the US and Canada for one fixed price.

Advantages for DV over FE: Cheaper (since DV is an unregulated service) and you get a couple of extra features (and you can manage your account any time via their website).

Advantages of FE over DV: Able to use dial-around codes. My guess (and it's only a guess) is that it's better suited for those who use analog modems since IN THEORY it isn't VoIP.

But I don't think (based upon the posts I've seen here) that you can get a FE line that's residential, only if it's a business line. And if you have a business line, you can't get DV even if you wanted it.

I can tell sometimes on DV that it is indeed VoIP. Based upon my personal experience, there is a bit more delay when I talk to someone (two people can't talk easily at the same time - like a cell to cell connection) and analog modems work MOST of the time but not always.

If I had a choice, I would have gone with FE over FiOS, but it was not an option - and I did try really hard to get FE when I went on FiOS this past June.

Well I guess DV is not available in my area. I have had FiOS 30/5 service for internet since 2005 and I am having the Triple Play with Ultimate HD Television, 35/35 and FE installed this coming Monday. I'm finally ditching DirecTV and Vonage and DV was not available. I had to get FE - that's all that's offered where I am.

That's rare that DV was not offered where you live. Because where I live it was the only phone service offered.

reply to davidplatt
You can still order Freedom Essentials? I was under the impression it couldn't be ordered any more as well as 35/35

reply to dmine45
The biggest difference between FE and DV is that when things go wrong with DV, being an unregulated service, you have no recourse to your state public utilities commission. Also, being unregulated, VZ can charge whatever the market will bear.

Verizon DV is not like other VoIP services such a Vonage and Magic Jack which use the internet. DV uses the Verizon INTRAnet.

reply to dmine45
At my company it sounds like we on same track as Digital Voice. I can clearly see the difference between the two types of telephony networks. For personal purposes FE would be a suitable option, however on a commercial note its about using VoIP line.

Dean, Sando Solutions Ltd.
www.sandosolutions.com

reply to zeejjl
Another difference is the FE uses true 64Kbps channel for Analog to Digital sampling and like you said it connects you back to a traditional/legacy Central Office, therefore FE works with dial-up modems (yes, I know, some people still need them), Fax machines, and alarm systems. DV may work with those devices but don't be surprised if you run into issues.

Also, the Quality on DV is pretty good, but every now and then you could get the echo or VoIP garble.

Bottom line, if you want features go with DV, if you want absolute quality and up time go with FE.

reply to Jackarino
Yes. Just got FE after having FIOS. Separate lines. One is DV and other is land line/analog/POTS line

reply to zeejjl
Also with FE you pay more government fees

reply to zeejjl
DV is the better of the two for me.
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Romney - Ryan 2012

reply to dmine45
You mentioned: " ...FE over FiOS connects you to your own central office as if you were on copper wires but uses a fiber connection instead. The features you get are pretty much the same ones available to you if you have POTS service...."

My question then is then what happens to phone on FE over FIOS Fiber if electricity goes out (which I think was the idea behind having the old POTS land line so that you would still have phone service if power was lost)....?

As has been mentioned many times in this forum and is covered in the FAQs, the Battery Backup Unit (BBU) provides power for FIOS phone for up to 8 hours (either FE or FDV).
After that, the ONT shuts down phone service, but there is an emergency reserve button should you need to make an emergency call.
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There are 10 kinds of people in the world; those who understand binary and those who don't.

reply to mastermind

My fax works just fine over the DV, If I was really motivated i suppose i could install an old USR pci modem and test but I am just not that motivated

Sadly, my fax doesn't work well with DV. I've spoken to Verizon and HP (I have a 5 yr old HP all-in-one) but neither has helped. Some incoming faxes. not all, only print about the top 20% of the page. HP's comment was "it's a 5 year old machine...what do you expect?" I'm considering getting a new fax (it definitely WON'T be an HP after that customer service experience) but am reluctant as I'm not sure that will cure the problem.

eFax cheaper and better.

That may be the route I have to go...but the nagging question remains as to why the fax worked fine on copper but doesn't on DV. Just one of those things that makes you go "hmm-m-m-m..."

No odd codes. And it only is the incoming faxes that are affected. I did turn the baud rate down to 9600 and turned off error correction...two suggestions I got here. I also put an old DSL line filter on the DV phone line...another suggestion I got. None of which has solved the problem.