CallCentric's Free NY Numbers

[Lavarock7]

I got a CallCentric free New York number and had it set up for testing and used it for a while with my Obi. Then I decided to use the fax feature and allowed it to receive fax calls and email me the PDF. I put the number on my website and forgot about it.

Then I received the dreaded email reminding me about the agreement that I would use the number at least once a month. Their automatic process took my number away when it saw no activity in a month.

I was able to ask them to get it back. They had me add a new free NY number anf then they swapped it for my old number; however, a few days later it would have been gone forever.

So, for whatever you use you have for your free number, make sure that you use it a few minutes a month.

[Ostracus]

That's one of the reasons I dropped them even though I was paying them for e911.

[rsnyc]

I am considering a switch from GV to callcentric. If I sign up for the "free" NY number can you make unlimited free local outgoing calls and receive incoming calls as well?

Am I correct that all you pay for is the $1.50 monthly 911 fee?

Thanks for the info.

[Rick]

I am considering a switch from GV to callcentric. If I sign up for the "free" NY number can you make unlimited free local outgoing calls and receive incoming calls as well?

Am I correct that all you pay for is the $1.50 monthly 911 fee?

Thanks for the info.

No.  You can review Callcentric's plans and see the costs here:www.callcentric.com/compare_rate_plans/

[rsnyc]

ah ok thanks for info. I see that you can recive unlimited incoming calls but you have to have a plan for outgoing (minimum $6.95).

[Lavarock7]

ah ok thanks for info. I see that you can recive unlimited incoming calls but you have to have a plan for outgoing (minimum $6.95).

You do not have to have a monthly plan if you just want to call out. You can use the PAY PER CALL option.

[psuPete]

Thank you for alerting me to this.

I have now gone back to their web site to see if I could find definitive info about that:

Scroll to the end of this web page:

http://www.callcentric.com/dids/free_phone_number

and there is another scrollable area:

...

Special limitations on Free Phone Numbers:

...

Each Free Phone Number must receive call(s) from the PSTN totaling at least one (1) completed minute of use every three (3) months; or they may be removed from your account without warning.

Strangely this references a 3-month period, not 1.

/Pete

[Lavarock7]

I stand corrected. I reviewed the email they sent me and it indeed does say every 90 days.

[psuPete]

Thank you for checking ... I was concerned that the web page was different from your recent experience.

Up until your post, I had not looked at the fine print on [only] that one web page.

[carl]

It IS a stupid rule because there are instances where people do not use a number for an extended period of time. I practically do not use the free NYC DID for incoming calls, however I do use them occasionally for outgoing .
Just one more thing to remember
Callcentric provides features many other providers do not and it is useful to have them on pay by call basis.

[Lavarock7]

Here is the letter I received. They mention "state regulations" and need for numbers as their reason. The state regulations may be taxes, but anyway, this is what I received. As I say,they manually grabbed the expired number and reallocated it to me.

---

***Please do not respond to this automated message, you will not receive a reply***


Hello,

We are writing to inform that earlier today our automated provisioning system removed the following "Free Phone Number(s)" from your account with username "MyAccountName":

    1917xxxxxxx



The reason that this has occurred is because over the past 90 days; the number(s) detailed above have not been used to receive any calls. For your reference, "Section 5:D" of our Terms of Service details the following:

    "Each Free Phone Number must receive call(s) totaling at least one (1) completed minute of use every 3 months (90 Days) or they may be removed from a Customer's account without warning"


As a result of both state regulations and exceedingly high demand for our "Free Phone Numbers", this specific clause in our Terms of Service needed to be enacted.

If you still have a need or interest in our "Free Phone Number" service we will be happy to assist. In most cases, your "Free Phone Number(s)" can be restored/re-activated; by going to our website and choosing a "Free Phone Number" in the same area (rate center). If you no longer see your area (rate center) listed on our website please open a support ticket specifying the number(s) you would like restored and we will do our best to accommodate your request. In instances where we cannot restore your exact number(s), we will be happy to replace your number(s).

If you need assistance in restoring/replacing your numbers, please either open a Support Ticket and our Customer Service Engineers can assist or you can reference the following page of our FAQ:

http://www.callcentric.com/faq/19/177

Lastly, if you have an interest in DID(s) from the US/Canada that are not subject to the afore mentioned minimum usage requirements you may want to consider one of the following:

- Pay Per Minute DIDs - $1.95 per DID/month, includes 3 channels, inbound usage is billed at 1.5 cents/minute
- Dirt Cheap DIDs - $2.95 per DID/month, includes 2 channels, and unlimited inbound use (residential only)

Additional details regarding our Inbound DID services can be found at: http://www.callcentric.com/did/

Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

Thank you,


If you have any questions/concerns or if you need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Support Team by following this link:
http://www.callcentric.com/CustomerService

[wabashtrail]

Newbie question...

I ordered a Free NYC DID and went through the account setup and purchase process, it was $3.

However, when I login, the Callcentric number associated with my account is listed as 1777xx and the DID is listed under My Products to the right with the correct 1845xx phone#.

How do I change my callcentric phone number from 1777xx to 1845xx?  Do I have to open a Ticket with Callcentric?

Thanks, wabashtrail

[psuPete]

Newbie question...


How do I change my callcentric phone number from 1777xx to 1845xx?  Do I have to open a Ticket with Callcentric?

--

log onto your account and go to PREFERENCES:

https://my.callcentric.com/preferences.php

Make sure you are on tab GENERAL.

First item in list CALLER ID TO SEND which is an EDIT then drop-down list.

Pete

[CoalMinerRetired]

For the free (or the $1.50) CC numbers, you cannot make any outgoing calls except to 911 or other 1777-xxx-xxxx numbers.

1777-xxx-xxxx is your CC account number and it is also some kind of special phone number in CC's world. Your account is automatically associated with one or more phone numbers (hopefully that you chose), such as 1-845-???-?.

You use the 1777 number as the username when configuring an Obi device for CC, see here, scroll down to "Voice Services > SP Service" and AuthUserName.

[infin8loop]

Stupid Pet Trick that new voip users might never discover on their own:

The Callcentric 1777nnnnnnn account number is also your SIP phone number at Callcentric. While not directly accessible by dialing it via PSTN (POTS) or "regular phones/cellphones" it can be dialed using a PSTN gateway number at http://www.sipbroker.com/sipbroker/action/pstnNumbers

This is powerful since there are local numbers all over the US and the world.  Anyone can dial you up by calling a local number to them from this list and then when prompted dialing  *4621777nnnnnnn when prompted.  The leading asterisk is needed and the 462 says route to Callcentric and the 1777nnnnnnn would be your actual Callcentric account number/SIP phone number. The incoming calls are free to you and charged at the local call rate to the caller (or their cell minutes for a local call).       

You don't have to register at sipbroker.com to use this service.

[Ostracus]

Stupid Pet Trick that new voip users might never discover on their own:

The Callcentric 1777nnnnnnn account number is also your SIP phone number at Callcentric. While not directly accessible by dialing it via PSTN (POTS) or "regular phones/cellphones" it can be dialed using a PSTN gateway number at http://www.sipbroker.com/sipbroker/action/pstnNumbers

This is powerful since there are local numbers all over the US and the world.  Anyone can dial you up by calling a local number to them from this list and then when prompted dialing  *4621777nnnnnnn when prompted.  The leading asterisk is needed and the 462 says route to Callcentric and the 1777nnnnnnn would be your actual Callcentric account number/SIP phone number. The incoming calls are free to you and charged at the local call rate to the caller (or their cell minutes for a local call).       

You don't have to register at sipbroker.com to use this service.

500 concurrent calls supported

Wow! The Friends and Family plan.

[ipse]

Stupid Pet Trick that new voip users might never discover on their own:

The Callcentric 1777nnnnnnn account number is also your SIP phone number at Callcentric. While not directly accessible by dialing it via PSTN (POTS) or "regular phones/cellphones" it can be dialed using a PSTN gateway number at http://www.sipbroker.com/sipbroker/action/pstnNumbers

Damn right I would not have discovered that nifty way to make free calls from abroad.

Thanks!!!

[infin8loop]

Damn right I would not have discovered that nifty way to make free calls from abroad.

I get grief from the wife when I get a call from a broad.

[lhm.]

Why? It is so continental.

[infin8loop]

Why? It is so continental.

Haha. I don't want her removing and Fedex'ing my two OBi units to another continent while I'm asleep.

I'm kind of attached to my OBi units.

And you Don't Mess With Texas ... Women.   http://dontmesswithtexas.org/