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General questions - Frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions

General

Who are Freshtel?

Freshtel is an Australian internet communications company. We are committed to providing a quality, reliable VoIP service at a price everyone can afford.

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What is an internet phone?

Freshtel internet phone is an internet phone, or VoIP Softphone; that's just a fancy way of saying internet telephone. The Freshtel internet phone allows you to make free phone calls to other people who are also running Freshtel internet phone (or any other service running on the Voicedot network, such as Tesco internet phone users) on their computers. It also allows you to make extremely cheap calls to mobile or landline numbers if you're on one of our monthly plans or if you have credit in your account.

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How do internet phones work?

When you make a call through an internet phone, your call goes through your internet connection instead of through the PSTN network. If you're calling another person on the Freshtel network, the call is digital and completely free. If you're calling someone on a landline or mobile number, the call goes through the internet, and then through the PSTN to the destination number.

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How can Freshtel save me money?

Freshtel calls are much cheaper than calls through most landlines. For example, on some of our monthly plans calls to any Australian landline are FREE and untimed, whilst mobile calls are from just 15¢ / minute.

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Why use an internet phone?

Firstly, because it's cheaper! There are other advantages as well - there's no line rental, your number travels with you, and voicemail is free.

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Why are internet phones cheaper then a normal landline?

Since our calls are sent over the internet, rather than using the traditional phone network, we can offer much cheaper call rates that we pass onto our customers.

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What codecs does Freshtel use?

The Freshtel internet phone uses the ILBC codec, our 3010 ATA uses G.729 or G.711.

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What protocols does Freshtel use?

Our Freshtel internet phone now uses the SIP protocol, while the 3010 ATA uses the IAX2 protocol.

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What is QoS and how does it affect me?

QoS is a feature that may be available in your router or modem/router that is used to prioritizes specific traffic ahead of other internet traffic. This allows users to surf the internet and talk on the phone at the same time, with the voice traffic being given priority. If your modem/router supports QoS, you should enable it for Freshtel. You'll want to apply QoS rules to IAX and/or SIP traffic depending on your setup. Please contact us for more information on how to do this.

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What do I need to join Freshtel?

You can sign up on our Free plan for free! You don't need to give us any money or credit card information. If you wish to sign up on one of our great monthly plans, you will need a valid Mastercard or Visa card. To sign up on our Fresh Line or higher plans, we may require proof of address so that we can assign you a standard Australian phone number.

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How is Freshtel different from other internet phone providers?

Freshtel is an Australian-owned VoIP provider with a strong international presence. We're one of the few providers who design and provide our own network, our own software and our own hardware.

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What speed internet connection do I need to use Freshtel?

512/128k or greater broadband connection recommended for best results.

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Can I use Freshtel through a dialup connection?

The Freshtel internet phone can be used through a dialup connection, however we recommend a minimum speed of 512/128k Broadband. Our 3010 ATA cannot be reliably used through a dialup connection, as it uses G.729, which is a higher-bandwidth codec. If you wish to use Freshtel through a dialup connection, we do not recommend any other use of your internet connection while in a call.

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Can I use Freshtel from anywhere in the world?

Yes! You can log into your Freshtel account and make calls from anywhere in the world. Calls will be charged as though you were making a call from Australia.

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How do I sign up for Freshtel?

You can sign up online here or email Customer Care team at info@freshtel.net.

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Do the people I call need to be on Freshtel?

No. Freshtel-to-Freshtel (or any other person on the Voicedot network, such as Tesco internet phone and Freshtel internet phone UK customers) calls are absolutely free, however if you're on one of our monthly plans or if you have credit in your account, you can call any mobile or landline number.

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Can anyone call me on my Freshtel number?

Other people on the Freshtel (or Voicedot) network can call your Freshtel number for free. If you are on our Fresh Line or higher monthly plans, you will also be assigned a standard Australian phone number that can be called from any mobile or landline.

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Can I call any landline or mobile from my Freshtel account?

Yes, if you're on one of our monthly plans or have credit in your account. We offer a comprehensive list of calling rates to most countries around the world. There are no charges for unanswered or busy calls.

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Does Freshtel give me a new home phone line?

In effect, Freshtel provides you with an additional phone service. If you're on our Fresh Line or higher plan, we'll provide you with a standard Australian phone number as well.

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Can I cancel my existing landline phone?

If you have a cable or wireless broadband connection, you may find that you no longer need your landline phone. All of your phone service can be provided by Freshtel. If you have an ADSL broadband connection, you will still need to keep your landline phone - however, you could downgrade to a cheaper plan and make all your outgoing calls via Freshtel!

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Can I keep my existing phone number?

Sure. Signing up on a Freshtel plan will not affect your existing phone number or phone service in any way.

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Can I move my existing phone number over to Freshtel?

We hope to be able to offer this service in the future.

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Will my Freshtel number be listed in the White Pages?

We hope to be able to offer this service in the future.

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Can I choose my new number?

No, an available number will be allocated to you.

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Can I use the same account in several places at the same time?

A Freshtel number can only be active at one point on our network at one time. So if you're logged in on one PC, you can't be logged in with the same number on another PC or an ATA. If you wish to have two telephones through the same Freshtel account at different places within the same house, we suggest using a cordless phone base station with multiple cordless handsets plugged into an ATA, or registering multiple accounts instead.

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How many people can I have on my account?

You can add as many additional people to your account as you like. Each additional person will need have their own Freshtel number and their own plan.

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Is conference calling available on your service?

We hope to be able to offer this service in the very near future.

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Do I need to have my PC on to use Freshtel?

If you're using the Freshtel internet phone, then yes. You will have to have your PC on and be connected to the internet in order to make and receive calls. If you're using our 3010 ATA or a third-party VoIP hardware device, then no - you won't need your PC to be turned on. Hardware such as this is typically plugged into your internet connection or your router, not your PC.

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Can I browse the web while using Freshtel?

Yes! The Freshtel internet phone is a low-bandwidth application, so it should not interfere with typical web use.

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Can I dial emergency numbers such as 000 through Freshtel?

No. While we hope to be able to offer this service in the future, emergency numbers cannot currently be dialled through Freshtel.

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Can I use a fax through Freshtel?

If you have one of our 3010 ATAs or a third-party VoIP hardware device, then you may be able to send and receive faxes through our service. You will need to use the G.711 codec and have at least a 512/128k broadband connection. However, we do not support this and we cannot guarantee that it will work with your hardware.

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Can I SMS through Freshtel?

We hope to be able to offer this service in the future.

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I've forgotten my password. What do I do?

You can have your password emailed out to you by clicking here.

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I've forgotten my Freshtel number. What do I do?

You should email us at info@freshtel.net

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How can I contact Freshtel?

You can email us at info@freshtel.net

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Voicedot Compatible