Design
The first thing that we noticed upon loading up Freshtel's VoIP client -- known as Firefly, currently in its second incarnation -- was how similar to a mobile phone interface it all looks, with just a touch of Skype. Then again, between Skype and mobiles, you've got most of the technologically able world's communication preferences in the one basket, so that's not a bad thing per se. Contacts are managed list style in the "screen" of the mobile, which by default will minimise down to your system tray when not in use, and in instant messaging style, it'll tell you when contacts on your list come online. As with any other softphone, you'll need a microphone and headset to make and recieve calls.
Features
Firefly will run on any system using Windows 98SE or better and requires a 400MHz processor and 128MB of memory, along with the naturally requisite broadband connection and a soundcard with suitable input jacks. That's all very low-key by today's system standards, so essentially it's usable by just about every PC user. Firefly doesn't support Mac OS X or Linux, although if you've got your own analogue telephone adaptor (ATA) you can configure it to run on Freshtel's service without requiring the Firefly client.
At the time of writing, Freshtel offers four different plan types. At the inexpensive end of the market, it's entirely possible to use Firefly and pay no monthly charge, although the flipside of that is that call costs are higher -- as an example, local calls within Australia cost 7c/minute on the free plan, whereas they're 10c/untimed on any paid plan.
The $5.95 monthly plan offers $6 worth of call credit, 10c/untimed calls and 29c/minute mobile calls within Australia. The $9.95 plan offers no call credit, but gives you a standard PSTN phone number, while the $29.95 plan combines a $25 call credit with a PSTN number and the same calling rates. A full list of international calling rates is available on Freshtel's Web site. As with every other VoIP provider, calls within the Firefly network are free of charge, although users on limited download allowances should keep an eye on their usage patterns -- VoIP calls still do use up data.
One useful factor with Freshtel's VoIP offerings is that they offer the facility to create sub-accounts; these accounts can access their call logs but not add credit or change vital settings, which could offer a good way to manage a small businesses' phone usage -- or just curb a teenager's rampant phone usage.
Freshtel also sells a number of VoIP accessories designed around Firefly, from USB Flash Drive Stick Phones to regular VoIP headsets and ATA devices for connecting up a regular phone if that's more your VoIP style.
Performance
We tested the Freshtel service with a variety of calls to local lines, mobiles and international PSTN phones. It's typically very hard to pinpoint sources of error with VoIP clients, as noise interference can come from anything ranging from poor ISP performance to problems with the VoIP provider to mobile signal interference... and so on. By and large we were happy enough with Freshtel's service for most of our calls; we did notice more interference with international calls and mobile calls, but that can happen with regular PSTN calls as well.
One factor that did strike us with Freshtel's account charges was that the local call costs are rather high for customers on the Free plan. 7c/minute might not sound like that much, but you've only got to talk for three minutes to make a standard PSTN call seem like good value, and a number of other VoIP providers offer local calls on free plans at around 10-15c, untimed. Obviously, this is intended to shift you towards the paid plans, such as the $5.95 plan, which offers more than that in call value -- as long as you're using that many calls.
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Brian
28/05/2008, 09:58 AM
rating
1/10
Unbelievable poor technology.
I tried to use firefly2 of freshtel. The result was miserable. After I finish upgrading my account, I used it but I couldn't use it anymore because the line was too choppy and impossible to talking. so I queried to Freshtel and then they answered it's because the Internet speed of my house is too slow. I knew it and admitted slow speep of mine. and I decided to give up the money for the month and not to use any longer. I also received mail from Freshtel that my account was downgraded and I can upgrade anytime. However I was surprised and upset when I received the invoice from Freshtel. They charged upto next month bill. In addition, I'm using Skype at the moment. It works well at the same Internet environment. That means the poor quality of service is becaue of technical problem of Freshtel, not because of my house's Internet line.
And I claimed they overcharged to me for next month, they just apologized it but the bill was already paid from my creditcard.
Pros: I'm looking for what they have pros.
Cons: poor quality of service, worse customer service.
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ttdonnelly
20/05/2007, 05:17 PM
rating
10/10
Since buying a new modem with inbuilt telephone connection instead of the old adaptor, I have had perfect results. No dropouts and people usually cannot tell that I am not using a normal landline. I am also on ADSL2+ so this might be helping.
Pros: With a cordless phone for outgoing calls, we no longer use our normal except to receive calls. We can make and receive calls at the same time.
Cons: Not a thing now but it was very frustrating using the old modem and adaptor in the past with fairly regular dropouts and ordinary quality. I was using ADSL1 then.
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Terry Donnelly
12/11/2006, 01:22 PM
rating
4/10
Good value but unreliable, particularly on long calls.
Pros: $5.95 plan is great value.
Cons: Unreliability often results in making 2 calls instead of one.
I can find no way of contacting them even to cancel the service if I decide to switch services.
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17/09/2006, 06:47 PM
rating
9/10
A good service
At 10c per call throughout Australia, it's way ahead of
Telstra: Three STD calls (of more than six minutes) with Telstra will cost a total of Six Dollars, more than the monthly charge with Freshtel. We have at least six STD calls to family each month, so the we're efffectively getting the rest for free.
Pros: Price
Cons: Occasionally there are call dropouts.
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Peter Chin
27/08/2006, 09:01 AM
rating
7/10
Good voice quality, poor accounting.
I had $20.00 credit on the free plan, and then upgraded to the $9.95 plan. The $20 credit disappeared from my account - inspite of half a dozen emails to ACCOUNTS, and calls to support referred me to accounts! So no PSTN calls could be made - each time the message said "no credit".
Then 9 months later (about mid August 2006) I received an email to say my next month's account is due (shortly) and will be debited to my credit card!. On complaining by email, the support staff I spoke to 9 months earlier called me. After explaining (angrily) my dis-satisfaction, a refund of $20.00 was credited to my credit card.
Hopefully there is now proper accounting!!
That was my only grouse - the service otherwise was very good.
Pros: Good softphone design, easy to use. The 9.95 plan is average in value. Voice quality very good on most calls.
Cons: Very poor accounts dept, if it exists.
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SMEOwner
17/08/2006, 09:29 PM
rating
9/10
What a great service!
Pros: We have been using Freshtel for our VoIP provider for quite awhile now and have found that their service, when compared to other Australian VoIP networks, is second to none. Their friendly support and competative plans also help small to medium businesses save a lot of $$. We have recommended to many clients and have found our bills consistently dropping as more people we speak to joins up. Great stuff
Cons: There was some problem's with the first firefly application when released but these have since been resolved
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