Entered CNET Catalog: 04/24/2004
SKU: SERVFREEWORLDDIALUP
Manufacturer: FreeWorld Dialup
Product summary
The good: Free; clear-sounding calls; calls aren't limited between FWD users; supports Mac and Linux OSs.
The bad: Dial-up users are out of luck; slight latency problem during testing; calls outside FWD network require you to dial extra digits.
The bottom line: Download FWD, and you'll be able to make free calls over the Internet within minutes to other FWD users as well as to other Internet phone networks.
Average user rating: from 10 users
4.5 stars
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 04/29/2004
All that stands between you and free Internet phone calls is a free download of a third-party softphone, which you use with your desktop, notebook, or handheld (the FWD Web site lists a handful of softphones for Windows and Windows CE, Mac, and Linux machines). You can also use an IP phone that connects to your DSL or cable router, cutting the PC out of the picture entirely. Third-party software or hardware is needed because FWD is just the service provider that provides the network for routing calls over the Internet.
We chose the free softphone route and downloaded FWD X-Lite in New York and FWD EyeP Phone Lite in San Francisco; these are two of the three softphones listed for Windows-based PCs. After you download the softphone of your choice, you are assigned a six-digit FWD phone number. We were up and running within minutes.
Calls between New York and San Francisco were clear-sounding in our tests, with each side using a USB headset. We did experience a slightly longer delay between when a word was spoken and when it was heard on the other end than we did with -->latency resulted in one side talking over the other and awkward pauses initially, but we soon learned to compensate for it. Our conversations from that point on were smooth, if a bit slow. Your experience may differ depending on your location and that of the people you're calling.
Unlike Skype, FWD is an open network, which means you can make calls to other FWD users in addition to users of about a dozen other Internet telephone networks, including Packet8. If you make calls to or receive calls from people outside the FWD network, however, you or the person dialing your FWD number will need to remember to dial between three and six extra digits. Think of these extra numbers as VoIP area codes; they're needed to dial you in to different networks. Still, it's a small inconvenience for a phone service that's free of charge and easy to use.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 10 user reviews
Easy configuration, great Sound
Pros: Great sound quality
Cons: Needs Broadband
Review:
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 10 user reviews
Outstanding free VoIP using SIP
Pros: Using SIP means you can use third party software, hardware, free DID and local access providers
Cons: It is not as user friendly as Skype, and sound quality is not as good as Skype either
Review: Overall best totally free VoIP provider! Since it is using SIP, users can get DID (Direct Inward Dialing) numbers in Washington state from http://www.ipkall.com/ for free, use or connect to any SIP compatible service, software and/or hardware from third party in connection with FreeWorldDialup. Furthermore, there are free local access numbers from http://www.notaduck.com/My_Homepage_Files/Page1.html. Nice voice mail features that allow customize greetings. Basically, it gives users a free incoming call line that comes with Washington DID and many local access numbers in major United States cities plus nice voice mail features that set it apart from other free VoIP providers. Of course, it offers virtually all other features by other free VoIP providers such as free calling between users, even to other SIP users and toll-free numbers.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 10 user reviews
Best free VoIP service
Pros: Just works, great community, peering with most other networks
Cons: none so far
Review: For broadband users FWD is a great free service - specially with free peering (access via a prefix) to some of the most popular VoIP networks, like Packet8, Broadvoice, and SipPhone. I have purchased IP phones from FWD and installed them overseas, where I have friends with broadband access, well over one year ago. I'm talking to them daily, and the initial investment paid back long ago - no charges whatsover, and perfect voice quality, for thousands upon thousands of minutes. Grandstream Budget Tone IP phones sold by FWD support low bandwidth codecs, like G723, iLBC and G729, which makes them work on bandwidth equivalent to dial up connections, for point to point connections. FWD works fine over dialup, if you have a high compression codec.
FWD was the first VoIP service I tried, and its tutorials and support formus made the whole experience painless.
You can get free "normal phone" numbers associated with your FWD number, so friends can call you directly (www.ipkall.com), and there are local phone numbers to access the network (gateways) in most major markets in the US, and quite a few overseas as well. For dialing out to the normal PSTN, you can get either a toll free credit card, or buy minutes from ICH (delta three), and just dial a prefix to access your IConnectHere account.
Since FWD is an "open" network, it can be accessed from most other SIP service providers, which is a very big plus for me. For example, I have my 2c/min toll free number from nufone.net linked to my FWD number, so I can get toll free calls from US48 on my IP phone for 2c/min, and no monthly fees. You can also permanently forward your FWD number to any other number on another "open" network, like mutualphone.com, and dial out for 1.2c/min (US48), while still receiving calls on your FWD number.
While it is less reliable then normal phone service (it was down for about two hours in the past year while my SBC phone line was up for the past 10 years), it is good enough to rely on. Given the ***FREE*** price, you would expect less, but FWD service has exceeded my expectations by far. I am using two FWD lines with "hard" IP phones - they are just extra lines for day to day use. I am still keeping one regular phone line for 911 and incoming DSL service, but have replaced two additional phone lines with FWD service (and a third phone line with fax to email service from maxemail.com).
If your router supports STUN (Linksys WRT54, Netgear RP614, RT314, etc.), there is no latency introduced by FWD - RTP (Real Time Protocol, or the voice packets) go directly from your router to the guy you are talking to, and the latency is given by the network latency between your two nodes. If your router does not support STUN (most symetric routers have this issue), FWD still works, using a "voice gateway" to go around the problem. This workaround forces RTP packets in both directions to travel through the voice gateway, which does add latency, and under heavy load, specially if the gateway is poorly located, latency may become an issue. This however has nothing to do with FWD - any SIP service provider using voice gateways has the same issue, and the solution, as mentioned above is to use STUN compatible routers.
FWD was the first VoIP service I tried, and its tutorials and support formus made the whole experience painless.
You can get free "normal phone" numbers associated with your FWD number, so friends can call you directly (www.ipkall.com), and there are local phone numbers to access the network (gateways) in most major markets in the US, and quite a few overseas as well. For dialing out to the normal PSTN, you can get either a toll free credit card, or buy minutes from ICH (delta three), and just dial a prefix to access your IConnectHere account.
Since FWD is an "open" network, it can be accessed from most other SIP service providers, which is a very big plus for me. For example, I have my 2c/min toll free number from nufone.net linked to my FWD number, so I can get toll free calls from US48 on my IP phone for 2c/min, and no monthly fees. You can also permanently forward your FWD number to any other number on another "open" network, like mutualphone.com, and dial out for 1.2c/min (US48), while still receiving calls on your FWD number.
While it is less reliable then normal phone service (it was down for about two hours in the past year while my SBC phone line was up for the past 10 years), it is good enough to rely on. Given the ***FREE*** price, you would expect less, but FWD service has exceeded my expectations by far. I am using two FWD lines with "hard" IP phones - they are just extra lines for day to day use. I am still keeping one regular phone line for 911 and incoming DSL service, but have replaced two additional phone lines with FWD service (and a third phone line with fax to email service from maxemail.com).
If your router supports STUN (Linksys WRT54, Netgear RP614, RT314, etc.), there is no latency introduced by FWD - RTP (Real Time Protocol, or the voice packets) go directly from your router to the guy you are talking to, and the latency is given by the network latency between your two nodes. If your router does not support STUN (most symetric routers have this issue), FWD still works, using a "voice gateway" to go around the problem. This workaround forces RTP packets in both directions to travel through the voice gateway, which does add latency, and under heavy load, specially if the gateway is poorly located, latency may become an issue. This however has nothing to do with FWD - any SIP service provider using voice gateways has the same issue, and the solution, as mentioned above is to use STUN compatible routers.
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 10 user reviews
The most flexible free service available. Period.
Pros: Works with any SIP or IAX client, even dialup.
Cons: Communications are dependent upon both parties using the same CODEC.
Review: True to its name, FWD is totally free and global. Anybody can use any of the many software or hardware SIP or IAX clients to be making and taking calls within minutes. Contrary to the CNET review, even dialup calling is possible if both parties to the conversation use a high compression CODEC.
In addition to VoIP calls, it is possible to make outbound off-net calls either by making a tandem access call to a peer partner like IConnectHere or by using FWD's toll free calling feature to dial a calling card access number in any of six countries. It is also easy to receive a call from an ordinary telephone in about a dozen countries, where both public network access numbers and free DID numbers are available.
All in all, FWD would be a good deal as a paid service. As a free service, it's phenomenal.
In addition to VoIP calls, it is possible to make outbound off-net calls either by making a tandem access call to a peer partner like IConnectHere or by using FWD's toll free calling feature to dial a calling card access number in any of six countries. It is also easy to receive a call from an ordinary telephone in about a dozen countries, where both public network access numbers and free DID numbers are available.
All in all, FWD would be a good deal as a paid service. As a free service, it's phenomenal.
User Rating:
4.0 stars
out of 10 user reviews
A great intoduction to voIP and a way to communicate free
Pros: Friendly, helpful user community, pretty good free Internet calling
Cons: No guarantee of stability or quality
Review: I somehow discovered FWD while Googling around for something else and got hooked on the idea of a ham radio-like Internet community. While there are many newbies and non-technical types on the FWD forum, there are also several advanced users that can answer more sophisticated questions, like use of FWD with asterisk, NAT and router issues, etc.
The TellMe voice-operated directory service is a great demo of what voIP can be. FWD also has peering agreements with many services and allows dialing toll free numbers in many countries. Expats will appreciate this, since calling these numbers from abroad on your regular phone will not usually be free.
FWD is an excellent springboard to dip in the deep waters of voIP. You may want to swim out there to install your own asterisk pbx for home or office or begin a new career in this field. You may just be happy with free phone calls to friends and family. In this regard, Skype may be a better choice, though as it is easier to setup and has many more installed users. Your firends may already be using Skype.
FWD is both a fun hobby for non-techies allowing them to talk free to friends and family worldwide AND a way for technical people to start discovering and discussing voIP without the flames you're sure to get on more advanced forums.
Highly recommended!
The TellMe voice-operated directory service is a great demo of what voIP can be. FWD also has peering agreements with many services and allows dialing toll free numbers in many countries. Expats will appreciate this, since calling these numbers from abroad on your regular phone will not usually be free.
FWD is an excellent springboard to dip in the deep waters of voIP. You may want to swim out there to install your own asterisk pbx for home or office or begin a new career in this field. You may just be happy with free phone calls to friends and family. In this regard, Skype may be a better choice, though as it is easier to setup and has many more installed users. Your firends may already be using Skype.
FWD is both a fun hobby for non-techies allowing them to talk free to friends and family worldwide AND a way for technical people to start discovering and discussing voIP without the flames you're sure to get on more advanced forums.
Highly recommended!
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 10 user reviews
amazingly clear amazingly crisp free communication!
Pros: Free Calling, No solicitations, No limits, pda compatible
Cons: none, exist
Review: better than skype for what it does
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 10 user reviews
Excellent VOIP community and free service
Pros: Free, friendly, innovative
Cons: Sometimes I have a feeling their website and forums lack good manager
Review: We are in Poland, our daughter lives in Florida. We have an X-Lite softphone and two free US PSTN numbers (in WA and MI) that connect her directly with our FWD number. She has an unlimited long distance plan for her home phone and some economy plan for her mobile (I don't remember the detailes). Thanks to this system, with FWD as a core element, she can call my wife to get her advice while shopping, or call me while driving a car to wish me all the best for my birthday. And all that for free, both for us and her (she had her phone plans before we discovered FWD). In this respect Skype can't even hold a candle to FWD. (By the way, FWD is not a software, so one could not download it.)
User Rating:
5.0 stars
out of 10 user reviews
Like a 2nd Phone Line
Pros: Call Tollfree # and other FWD #
Cons: Not every one in the word has FWD
Review: FWD is one of the best Free VoIP's I use it all the time as a 2nd line for calling my works 800 number. You can also connect to lots of other networks out on the internet as well. Get an account today. Also get Free Washington state phone number to your Internet phone at http://www.ipkall.com/. I am now 100% VoIP at my house useing Asterisk PBX System. http://www.asterisk.org
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 10 user reviews
excellent, fwd is truly a revolutionary breakthrough in voip
Pros: I stopped my in house phone because fwd does jut about everything for free
Cons: not enough people know about it
Review: Really great service, I have nothing but good things to say about Jeff Pulvers innovative Free World Dialup. Way better than skype because you can make connections to telephones easier and for free inbound from many citys, and outbound any phonecard, much cheaper than anything out there. If you havent tried Free World Dialup, give it a try. Long live Jeff Pulver and Free world Dialup!!!!
User Rating:
4.5 stars
out of 10 user reviews
Great way to consilidate all my IM and VoIP ID's in a single app
Pros: Voice and Video, conference rooms, chat rooms and the NEW Meta Buddy make using it a pleasure
Cons: no outlook or other address book integration
Review: I have been using the pulver.Communicator soft client for a few months. It allows me to talk on the phone, have video calls, manage my IM and Skype ID's and is easy to use. The new Meta Buddy feature lets me consolidate all a buddy with multiple IM ID's to one contact on my buddy list. Hosting IM chat with buddies from different networks lets me host mini reunions online. I can't wait to see what other innovative features they release next.
