Most of the FizzCall Customer will probably know this by now. However, It's important to analyse What exactly went wrong at FizzCall.
Fizzcall suddenly stopped Registrations and buy credits option on their website. They also sent users an update on FizzCall terminating all unlimited calls service on October 10.
The email says, "You may have noticed that today we suspended purchases and sign-ups on the Fizzcall website. This is due to an announcement sent to us today by our main supplier (BT) stating that as of the 10th of October 2008 they will cease to provide the service that we use. This change affects all of their customers, including us.
"
So What Exactly went wrong at FizzCall?
FizzCall was using BT's Web21SDK (Callflow API) service which allows developers to use BT's infrastructure to make calls. The CallFlow API allows each developer to make certain number of calls totally free and if they want to use more, they can buy talktime from BT at rock bottom prices. Now you probably know why FizzCall was able to provide service at such dirt cheap price.
The Party is now over atleast till the time BT rejuvenates Web21SDK in Ribbit. BT has taken over Ribbit, another similar API based Callflow service which preety much competes with Web21SDK. It seems BT will now work on the integration and take the best of both worlds and build a Ribbit Web21SDK CallFlow API service however its uncertain whether they would actually continue to offer unlimited calls service and the ability to buy minutes at cheap price. They might do or they might not.
This simply means any service running on Web21SDK (Terminated from October 10) can't run any longer. Its not just fizzcall but any other service enjoying the comforts of BT's infra is now pretty much on the road.
You can either ask for refund if you have any money in FizzCall or just use it up. Thomas and Rus I believe can repay your funds. Most obviously they are keeping a close tab on the new offering by BT, so that they can rejuvenate FizzCall.
Mark the date on your calender to use FizzCall. Make the most of it. The best way is probably just use the credit and make some calls to your loved ones.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
FizzCall to terminate unlimited call service on October 10
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12 comments:
Unfortunately, I was pretty sure that cannot last long! Fortunately I have only 1 credit left so I will use it soon :)
Anyway a good service and a good job behind it.
Bye!
i have 15 calls left...i need few more which i will finish till 10th OCT:-)
I am not able able to finish it up before Oct 10. I have asked them to confirm to give a refund after 10th. Thats disappointing...
hi vinay
This same happend to all Betamax VOIP services especially in GCC countries.Now we cannot login any of them.I request you to give us how to solve this problem.
As I had rightly said on the begining of the fizzcall posted on voipguide.Same thing has happened with similiar kind of service provider named zootok.. few months b4 and I had advised everyone to be cautious in purchasing higher denomination of recharge !!!!! So those who might have read my post would be in the safer zone....
i think the question of why this is happening is interesting. of course they say it is for migration to ribbit. i have been a web 21c sdk developer for some time. judging by the support issue in the forum i conclude that the primary application seems to be reselling the discount call capability(meant to ease developer usage for testing, etc.) in a commercial form. this can not be something that hgas made BT happy.
it would not surprise me if the real reason it is being shut down so quickly is to actually close down these services intentionally.
i am also a ribbit developer and from the beginning they have made it clear they have no intention of being a price leader. they plan to compete on features, functionality, and quality. we should not expect them to offer the sort of very low pricing that was available using web 21c.
agree with you that BT just can't throw in those rates for the sake of developers building the apps. I really don't see any great innovations at web21sdk besides a bunch of people commercialising it using simple callflow API.
Lets see how ribbit integration works for BT and if they restart these services all over again.
the latest update on the web21c site confirms that they will not be offering the flat rate pricing on the ribbit platform.
http://web21c.bt.com/forums/40/topics/1719
I have created my own application on BT long before nd m using it regularly..i guess if u make your application/account on BT then u might be still able to use the service.. By the way fizzcall gave 40 calls for 10pounds whereas if u register on BT u get 50.
Regards,
Amit(neo.dink@gmail.com)
it may still be possible to create an ultra low cost calling service via the Jaduka API. there is no reason to believe that ribbit will be a place to build such an application. in fact if you follow the forum postings over at web 21c it becomes clear that a primary reason for shutting down voice call/call flow at this tijme is that they were running on an unsustainable business modal and had to cut losses as soon as possible. if it were not the migration to ribbit i have no doubt that BT would have move to a per minute billing system; and these rates would likely not have been on the low end.
I am a software developer and had been using the web21SDK in my last project.Does anyone have any idea whether ribbit is providing similar APIs currently?
Ribbit API is now open for development. Please check their website. I am already on there playing with it. Looks good.
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