• Overview
  • What is the fwdOUT™ Network?
  • How does it work?
  • Where can I call?
  • Do I need any special equipment?
  • Why would one do this?
    • An Example:
  • How do I pay for this system?
  • Will many calls go though my line?
  • How can I use my cellular Phone?
  • Can I just buy a turnkey system?
  • How is this community different than FWD®, Vonage®, or SKYPE®?
  • Why are you doing this?
  • Need Help? Comments? Questions? Ideas?

Overview

What is the fwdOUT™ Network?

The fwdOUT™ Network is a system that matches callers with other users that can complete the call for them at no charge. The only catch is that to make some calls, you have to let others use your phone. fwdOUT™is free and not to be used for commercial purposes.

How does it work?

The fwdOUT™ Network keeps a tally of calls that you make and that you give to others. It’s like getting a calling card that starts with a few credits. One credit is used for each call and you get credits for each call that you give. As long as your balance remains positive, you can place calls.

Where can I call?

The list of numbers that may be called is constantly growing. Here is a partial list as of 2/1/2005:

(p) = partial

Do I need any special equipment?

You need to hook your phone line up to the Internet. To do this, you need a PC, an old one will do, and you’ll also need a way to connect it to the local phone network. You’ll also need some sort of phone or soft-phone. The PC must be running The Asterisk™ Open-Source PBX.

While our parent company sells this equipment, you do not need to buy from us – just go to ebay and search for Asterisk! Here is an example system: PBX in a Box.

Why would one do this?

Many of us have free calling regions and unused minutes in our phone plans, by sharing minutes, you get expand your free access considerably. Even if you don’t have free minutes, the minutes you give might cost significantly less than those you take – balancing out in your favor in the end.

An Example:

In New York, Steve and Nick want to go backpacking through Europe this summer, and they are trying to make reservations in Korfu. The Palace doesn’t have a US number and they don’t have international dialing privileges. So, they connect their Asterisk system up to the fwdOUT™ Network and dial 394+30 26610 53103. This dialing pattern routes their call to the fwdOUT™ Network. fwdOUT™ finds the best and closest matching fwdOUT™ members through which to route call. In this case, fwdOUT™ found a system in Athens to complete the call. The call goes through the internet to Athens and then back on the Phone Network in Greece.

How do I pay for this system?

Just keep paying your local phone company. The fwdOUT™ Network is Free.

Will many calls go though my line?

Only as many as you let through. The fwdOUT™ Network lets you specify the average number of calls per hour that you’ll permit. It keeps this figure as a rolling average over 10 hours.

How can I use my cellular Phone?

If you connect your cell phone to your Asterisk Server, you can open your cell phone to the world. The Cell Socket™ is one device that permits it..

Can I just buy a turnkey system?

Of course, We’ll gladly sell you the software or a complete system. Visit http://voipstore.pulver.com

How is this community different than FWD®, Vonage®, or SKYPE®?

Vonage is a fee-based PSTN replacement/enhancement service, SKYPE is an internet communications service with a fee-based PSTN connection, and FWD is an Internet-based calling service. Unlike FWD or SKYPE this free network lets you reach the PSTN anywhere in the world where there is a member gateway.

Why are you doing this?

pulver.com is in the business of bringing communities together at tradeshows and introducing emerging and disruptive technologies. There are two underlying philosophies at pulver.com that underly everything we do:

• The love you take is equal to the love you make from the beatles song "The End", and
• Build it and they will come. from the "Field of Dreams"

In essence, the more you give, the more you get, and the better everyone does!

Need Help? Comments? Questions? Ideas?

Try out our fwdOUT™ forums!