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Friends And Family - Add Google411 - They connect calls!

Just an idea for all of those with a "fav 5" or "friends and fmaily" type of feature on your plan.
I would recommend adding Google 411 (free directory assistance) to one of your number slots. the number is: 1-800-466-4411
I know that you cannot use this to call friends, but even if you know a business number, call it through Google's 411 service and since they connect the calls it will not use any of your minutes. You can also say "text me" before it connects you and it will send you a txt message with the name, number and address.
Anyway, just an idea. I added it to our new plan we just switched to and now calling Google 411 is considered an in-network calling so it doesn't use any minutes

crobs808 said:
Just an idea for all of those with a "fav 5" or "friends and fmaily" type of feature on your plan.
I would recommend adding Google 411 (free directory assistance) to one of your number slots. the number is: 1-800-466-4411
I know that you cannot use this to call friends, but even if you know a business number, call it through Google's 411 service and since they connect the calls it will not use any of your minutes. You can also say "text me" before it connects you and it will send you a txt message with the name, number and address.
Anyway, just an idea. I added it to our new plan we just switched to and now calling Google 411 is considered an in-network calling so it doesn't use any minutes
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What country are you talking about for this?

orb3000 said:
What country are you talking about for this?
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Sorry, USA.
I am on Verizon, and I added Google 411 to my list. They go into a "pending" phase for 24 hours before they become active, but it is active now! Can call anyone free pretty much via Google. Will be awesome, hehe.

crobs808 said:
I know that you cannot use this to call friends, but even if you know a business number, call it through Google's 411 service and since they connect the calls it will not use any of your minutes
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Actually, there was an article published a few years ago in 2600: The Hacker Quarterly (Autumn 2007, Issue 24:3, page 32) that explained how easy it was to add businesses to Google 411, and then how to add your friends and family as businesses in order to call them for free. And I'm not sure you need to even put it into your Fave-Five or other like plans, since it's an 800 number, so it should be toll free.
You just add your friends' and family members' numbers as really obscure named businesses with obscure purposes, like archery if there are no archery businesses around you (so that way you are guaranteed to have your "business" show up.
According to the article, the only thing you need to do to register a business is to have a Gmail/Google account, to be able to answer the phone whose number you gave Google 411, and a special PIN number they gave you when you completed part 1 of the registration process (signing up the number and inputting business information).
Then, you wait a while for Google to update their database, and then just call 1-800-GOOG-411 and look up the name of the imaginary obscure business you input, and make free calls to your friends/family. Although it's kind of impractical, for lengthy long distance calls, I guess it could seriously come in handy.
Although I don't know of any reason this wouldn't work now, this article is a few years old, so Google may have changed the process entirely by now, SO THIS ARTICLE MAY NOT BE ACCURATE ANYMORE! And if I missed anything in this post, please feel free to correct me.
@Mods, I don't think this post violates any forum rules, but if it does, PM me and I will be happy to take it down. Thanks,
Dave

[APP][2.3][UK Testers wanted] WYMO - Mobile bill optimizer app

Hello all,
WYMO (Watch Your Mobile Operator) is an Android friend that helps you find the cheapest mobile plan available for you in the UK market.
Our application is in beta testing phase and we are looking for volunteers who would agree to use WYMO's services free of charge and to give us invaluable feedback on their experiences.
If you are interested in giving our app a try and you have Android 2.3 on your phone please go to wymo.co.uk or search for Wymo on Facebook to get to our app's page, where you can find a link (as a noob I can't link here now) or drop a mail to [email protected] and I'll send you the apk.
If you’re a tester don’t hesitate to share your questions and ideas here in this thread or via the email address above. Testers will be asked in a few weeks by a questionnaire as well.
Details about how our app works:
The app is counting incoming and outgoing calls, SMSes, MMSes, data traffic and roaming as well (due privacy reasons it only watches the first 4 numbers of phone numbers). Then it searches for the cheapest plan available on the UK market by analysing the data gathered. The user will get an email about the better offers.
To gather sufficient amount of data the app needs a few weeks monitoring of usage. This happens automatically as the process runs in the background showing a green logo on the status bar.
On the first start the app asks for a few data: only a valid email address and the name of your operator is required. Gender, age, education and postal code are optional.
The main screen has 6 options:
Show report shows the measured usage data.
Discount numbers is where the user can add those numbers which it can call with discount prices (this helps us to be more accurate)
Number portability is where the user can set those contacts who have different prefix than their operator (it helps us to be more accurate as well).
Upload data to server option uploads the measured data to the server.
Settings leads to the app settings.
Purchase leads to the Market’s in-app payment system, where the user can pay to get the cheaper offer’s list. The user will get an email with the list of offers and their prices. For beta testers the service is free.
Should you have any questions, feel free to ask here or via email.
daniel

CrowdCall - Feedback Needed!!!

hi all,
CrowdCall allows to call free of cost to 40 countries. 10 calls are free per day. Has anyone know if this is a genuin app or so sort of phone info harvesting app?
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.socialdial.crowdcall.app&hl=en
Note: I am not doing the advt of the app. Just wanted to understand if there is any risk in using this app...

coolgal302006 said:
hi all,
CrowdCall allows to call free of cost to 40 countries. 10 calls are free per day. Has anyone know if this is a genuin app or so sort of phone info harvesting app?
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.socialdial.crowdcall.app&hl=en
Note: I am not doing the advt of the app. Just wanted to understand if there is any risk in using this app...
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I used it once to initiate a conference call. It worked for setting up the call but the sound quality was pretty terrible. All of the participants on my call were within the United States, so I don't know how it works internationally.
From the website, here's the data they collect:
Information we collect and how we use it
We may collect the following types of information:
Cookies – When you download CrowdCall, we send one or more cookies to your phone or other device. We use cookies to improve the quality of our service, including for storing user preferences, improving search results and ad selection, and tracking user trends, such as how people search.
Log information – When you access CrowdCall services via a browser, application or other client our servers automatically record certain information. These server logs may include information such as your web request, your interaction with a service, Internet Protocol address, browser type, browser language, the date and time of your request and one or more cookies that may uniquely identify your browser or your account.
User communications – When you send email or other communications to CrowdCall, we may retain those communications in order to process your inquiries, respond to your requests and improve our services. When you send and receive SMS messages to or from one of our services that provides SMS functionality, we may collect and maintain information associated with those messages, such as the phone number, the wireless carrier associated with the phone number, the content of the message, and the date and time of the transaction. We may use your email address to communicate with you about our services.
Location data – CrowdCall offers location-enabled services. CrowdCall may receive information about your actual location (such as GPS signals sent by a mobile device) or information that can be used to approximate a location (such as a cell ID).
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Good app. No issues till now!
simplyapplied said:
I used it once to initiate a conference call. It worked for setting up the call but the sound quality was pretty terrible. All of the participants on my call were within the United States, so I don't know how it works internationally.
From the website, here's the data they collect:
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http://forum.xda-developers.com/images/smilies/cowboy.gif
well ,I have used this app a couple of times recently.For a free calling app Its pretty good only if u wanna compromisehttp://forum.xda-developers.com/images/smilies/frown.gif with the sound quality and limitation of 1 hour. I mainly use it to call overseas frnds which is quite costly if ur using a standard cellular device. http://forum.xda-developers.com/images/smilies/mad.gif The main advantage I enjoyed is that U dont need any other client software for the clients ,http://forum.xda-developers.com/images/smilies/good.gif .Just cell number is enough. Regarding the info they collect , I am not sure about that. Haven't faced any issues regarding that.
still ,good enough app if u ask me! http://forum.xda-developers.com/images/smilies/cowboy.gif

An idea about privacy protection

I have an Idea about privacy protection. In many country sale personal information is illegal. But to track out who sold our information is not easy. If we give unique phone number to each registration. It will be easy to track which number was leaked. But who have so many numbers?
If we can create a PBX like software in our android phone. We can get unlimited extension numbers.
We can create a IVR like app, auto receive calls, prompt to input the extension number, If the extension number not match any number we have generated for any registration, then block the call. If it match then log which number called me use which extension number. If the caller got the extension number from some illegal way, We known who sold our information. So we can talk to a lawyer.
Buy a dedicate phone for untrusted usage, Install this software into it.
When we be asked to fill some registration form, Use this app to generate random extension number, and fill in the form.
The app will only receive calls input correct extension number.(Maybe we can set some white list for callerid)

Good idea

I don't think this will be possible with current SIM cards / how mobile operators like to operate / make money.
I think there was a phone years back that could take 2 SIMs and you could have a personal and a business SIM both in it with their own numbers.
In the meantime, the best thing you can do is use one of the online telephony companies (usually providing VoIP accounts) and get a pile of incoming numbers from them. You could then use their online control panel to divert all calls coming into each number to your mobile - but you would have to pay the divert to mobile call charge. It would let you see which number is being called / given out without your implied permission, but could be sore on your pocket.

VOIP For expatriates, multi-country presence, & escaping carrier-bound phone numbers

VOIP For expatriates, multi-country presence, & escaping carrier-bound phone numbers
VOIP for Expatriates
The bottom line turned out to be, there is no good way to have worldwide phone connectivity unless all of the numbers you use are VOIP numbers, and the SIM/wireless provider simply becomes a wireless ISP. This started out an analysis for CallHippo, which I tried out for a month, but it branched out. So far, I've only worked with CallHippo, RingCentral, and Google Voice, and looked at GrassHopper and Phone.com. I've highlighted the other's differences in red. You might be able to somehow use MagicJack in the fit too. One thing to keep in mind is once you leave the SIM or standard PSTN, VOIP often requires 10-digit dialing. That many not matter to you, but it might to those calling you. 7-digit dialing requires a relationship between the PSTN provider and the phone company for your area.
Cost: The only CallHippo plan that makes any sense is the $15.00/$18.00 plan because the number is free, you get 800 incoming, and 200 outgoing minutes after which you pay a penny a minute. Additional numbers are $6.00/mo. from ~200 different countries.
Advantages:
1. The call quality and latency are good.
2. The call recording is good, and without the intrusive nonsense of, "this call is being recorded". It just works, and they back them up as well as your call logs. The advantages of this cannot be understated. Unless you are doing contracts over the phone you don't want that. Most people just want a note taker so you don't need to interfere with the conversation to write things down, especially while driving. It keeps track of time on calls for invoicing purposes. In most cases, it is not possible to know ahead of time if you will need to play it back later or they will be giving you numbers to write down etc.
3. Very flexible with multiple people using the same number at the same time and ring through to other devices, and using devices like extensions. This is different from something such as RingCentral and Phone.com which can use SIP devices because it assigns it a number on the PSTN. With Grasshopper, the device must already have a number in the PSTN to forward the call to, to use it as an extension, which must be Internet accessible, and has it's own voice mail and greetings per extension. Nothing is more feature-rich than RingCentral and it includes MMS, never-busy FAX number, video and call conferencing, and can manage and access everything from a soft-phone on a computer. Phone.com can do nearly as much, but no MMS. A big advantage of systems that can use a SIP device means you do not need to pay for cellular PSTN number to forward to, which requires the additional expense, and something that needs to change every time you change SIMs. With GrassHopper, every time you change SIMs or let your SIM lapse somewhere, you would have to reconfigure because you would lose your number to forward to. You can still forward, and you aren't counting minutes. If the end point for the number will be a cell phone, then CallHippo might make more sense.
4. It only costs $6.00/mo. for each additional line, which can be from ~200 different countries, giving you local presence in multiple countries from anywhere. RingCentral requires a $34.00 plan for the US plus a $44.00 plan plus a 2-year commitment. With Phone.com I can get 1 US line and 1 foreign line for $14.99/mo. by the year or $19.99/mo. by the month. You get 500 minutes and $.039/min. after that or you can buy a bigger plan. If they had Colombia, I'd go with it.
5. The overall combination of good call quality, call recording, flexible use of lines, and local presence in other countries for $6.00/line set it apart. Phone.com also supports a limited number foreign countries at a very practical cost, and would be by far the better way to go IF they support the countries you need.
Disadvantages:
1. Their web site is a confusing hodge-podge of pages that indicating it was built without a plan and pages added to piecemeal to add a capability. Signup was and getting things going was cruel and required multiple chats. RingCentral is very well done. Phone.com seemed like a bit of a put-off because it seems they want you to get a quote. However, it is actually by far the best. A real-live-American will assemble the features you need so it doesn't need to fit anything, and give you a quote where you are getting everything you need and nothing you don't, and at a better price than any other.
2. Competent support will not be available when you need it. This has been true in all but one case. RingCentral's support is good, and Phone.com's is off the charts.
3. CallHippo cannot dial from your Android contacts, nor does it's sync to contacts work. If you enter the numbers into CallHippo's directory by hand they will work but then you cannot use those CallHippo contacts anywhere else. If select a Contacts from Android Contacts to dial, it will return an error that the phone number not valid. This is the problem:
__a. In Android Contacts when you enter a phone number 1234567890 into Android, it will automatically format it to (123) 456-7890.
__b. The CallHippo directory stores contacts like this: 1234567890.
__c. The CallHippo Contacts is designed to work worldwide numbers. For numbers stored as US numbers, it will prepend a 1 and dial 1123456789.
__d. When you select a number from Android Contacts, it receives (123) 456-7890 from Contacts, for the US it prepends a 1 for 1(123) 456-7890 and returns an error that the number is not valid
4. Like most VOIP solutions, it only has SMS, not MMS. RingCentral Supports both.
5. The combination of the poor support, poor website layout, not-well-thought-out contact access
*RingCentral has no problem here nor does Phone.com.
Summary:
- What sets CallHippo apart is the combination of call recording and local presence in multiple countries for only $6.00/mo. That make the penny a minute make sense. Phone.com can do this better if you can live with the much smaller country list they support.
- CallHippo costs $15/mo. for Silver which gives you 800 minutes of free incoming and 200 minutes of free outgoing. If you do the same for RingCentral Essentials it will cost $30/mo. but it will be unlimited free calling in both directions. If you have two people, RingCentral's price goes to $20/mo. each, making it compelling unless you need foreign or multiple lines per person. For that price CallHippo gives you automatic call recording while RingCentral will make you remember to hit the * key unless you get the more expensive packages. If you add $5/mo. to RingCentral you get fax, audio conference and video conference. CallHippo allows you to add numbers for $6.00/mo. including in foreign countries. RingCentral only works with US numbers and it would cost another full monthly service charge. Google Voice is free, but it is only a US number and you must give them a US number for confirmation. I'm not sure if you will need a confirmation number at any point in the future but I do know that if the number is no longer available, the service does not stop. Call recording for inbound calls only and does an announcement. This enables free calls to from anywhere to anywhere in the US for free, and makes you reachable from anywhere in the US. This does not enable free local calling to and from a foreign country from anywhere. The way I can see this working is if you don't care about call recording, and you got a VOIP number in the foreign country. Otherwise, when you were out of country, you would not be able to be directly contacted from that country, and you would have multiple VOIP provider apps. You hear a lot about GrassHopper. It is more feature-rich than CallHippo, but the problem is it is more of a forwarding service. That means you need to have a number to forward to that you are maintaining from another service. Thus, GrassHopper's fit is for a US-based business using other phones as extensions. It doesn't do call recording, every time you change SIMs the number you forward to would have to change, and anything foreign would be at long distance rates. It is clearly not a fit for international use. Phone.com makes a ton of sense if their limited non-US country list works for you.
- CallHippo's poor website layout, poor support, and not having something as basic as dialing from Contacts working, indicates an amateur operation. RingCentral and Phone.com excel in all of these categories and even sharing a contact list. Not being able to dial from you Contact list? People's expectations of a dialer goes beyond that. They expect to be able to paste a number in from a web page and have it dial.
- I believe CallHippo has a lot of potential but it seems like it's in the alpha stage. Will it even exist tomorrow, and what happens to your ported numbers then? The attraction is there isn't anything with this level of functionality and price for doing frequent coordination in multiple countries.
- Defining the market for this service is a bit of a challenge. As a VOIP IP PBX system, it is much more limited than most. It doesn't work with regular SIP hardware for inside of an office. If you use your cell phone as your desk phone, you still cannot share a company telephone directory, nor can you use its Contacts to dial from because their sync does not make the telephone numbers available in a format that CallHippo can use, nor is there any other way to import or export Contacts. It cannot sanitize numbers copied from web pages. Ideally, as an expatriate, you want your domestic and foreign numbers to be VOIP numbers so when you switch SIMs, nothing changes because the wireless provider does not host your number. He is simply providing Internet access for the numbers. CallHippo's main detractors are the Contact list situation, and no MMS support. So it seems like the only market fits for CallHippo are for a single expatriate, or a one-man business that needs local presence to call other businesses in foreign countries.