Fonolo FAQ

How do you pronounce Fonolo?

We say it like this: "PHONE-oh-low" (with the accent on the first syllable).

How much does Fonolo cost?

Nothing. Fonolo's consumer service is free and without obligation. If your company would like to use Fonolo to improve the experience for your callers, read about our corporate product here.

Will Fonolo ever cost money?

We may introduce a "Fonolo Pro" service with added features down the road, which will have a monthly fee. But Fonolo will always have a free level of service.

Then what's the catch? Are you making money from ads? Selling the usage data?

There is no catch! We are offering the Fonolo consumer service as a way to generate awareness and interest in our corporate product, which you can read about here. It also helps us learn how people interact with our technology so that we can make ongoing improvements.

What kind of phone do I need?

Fonolo will work with any phone! When you start a call, Fonolo will ask you for a phone number where you can be reached. Fonolo will then call and connect you to the company you requested. The only requirements for that phone number are that 1) it has an area code from Canada or the continental US and 2) it rings through to you directly (i.e. someone doesn't have to enter an extension to reach you).

Is there a Fonolo interface for mobile devices?

There is a Fonolo appliction for iPhone and iPod Touch that you can download from the Apple App Store. Additionally there is a Fonolo application for Android, available from the Android Marketplace.

How do I find out if a company that I want is in your database?

There are two ways.

1. Search using the dialing box on the front page of the site.
2. Create a Fonolo account (it's free) and use the search box on the main page.

If you don't find the company you need, you will be able to submit a request to us. We use those requests to decide which companies to add next, so please let us know which companies matter to you.

Can you add company "X" please?

We are very interested to know which companies people want added. If you don't find the company you're looking for (using either of the methods described above) please let us know.

Is Fonolo planning expand to any countries outside of US and Canada?

Yes, but we can't give you a timeline for that.

What about phone menus that need personal information?

Fonolo's Quick Tones feature addresses this need. It lets you pre-configure information like account numbers, PIN numbers, etc. When a phone system prompts you for that number, Fonolo lets you transmit the digits with one click.

Any information you provide us is stored on our secure server and will never be used by us for any other purposes. See our Privacy Policy for more information.

Is Fonolo listening to, recording or using the audio from my call in any way?

Call recording is an optional feature. If you do not explicitly request a recording for a particular call, no recording is made. If you do make a recording, it is for your own use only and we treat it as confidential and private (read our Privacy Policy here). If you delete the recording, there will be no record of it left on our system.

Otherwise, Fonolo is not listeing to or monitoring your calls, except for the purposes of quality control, and then only on an anonymous basis.

Is it legal to record calls?

That is a complicated question that depends on your jurisdiction and the jurisdiction of company you are calling. We have some additional legal information on this specific issue that you will see the first time you make a call recording. Please review that language before proceeding and make sure you understand it.

Does Fonolo work with SIP / softphones?

Yes, Fonolo can call you on any publically available SIP address. Once you have created a Fonolo account, you can enter a SIP address instead of a phone number when prompted.

Does Fonolo work with Skype?

Unfortunately, Fonolo can not call you at a regular Skype address. However, there are several services available that will map a SIP address to a Skype address, and then you can use that SIP address with Fonolo.

Does Fonolo work with GrandCentral/GoogleVoice?

Yes. You can have Fonolo call you on your GrandCentral number and the appropriate phone will ring.

Where can I find out more about your API?

To access the API and related documents, you need to create a Developer Account. To do this, first create a Fonolo account (it's free). Then go to the Account page and click the "Developer" checkbox.