• What is Freedom Fone?
• Our story
• What does Freedom Fone do?
• Real World Examples
• Equal Access
• Farm Radio International
• LIRNEAsia Crisis Response
• Kubatana Audio Drama
• Community Radio Harare
• Other Possible Scenarios
• Vaccination campaign
• Supporting women's rights
• Enhancing business opportunities
• Recording Oral Histories
• Election monitoring
• At the radio station
• Creating your Freedom Fone Service
• Introduction
• Equipment
• Know your audience
• Choose your information sources
• Design your service
• Create voice menus
• Organise your staff
• Advertise your service
• Monitor and evaluate
• Setting Up
• Logging in
• Incoming SMS
• Polls
• Leave a message (LAM)
• Voice menus
• Security
• Statistics
• User management
• Phone books
• Callers
• Version 2S7 & 2S8 update
• Version 2S7 & 2S8 Overview
• The SMS Centre
• Improved Hardware management
• OfficeRoute SIP security options
• Reporting – Graphics reporting tool
• Technical Stuff
• Technical requirements
• Installing the software
• Preparing SIM cards
• Connecting OfficeRoute
• Connecting Huawei dongles
• Connecting MobiGater
• Testing your set up
• Localise user interface
• Troubleshooting
• Installation
• GSM devices
• Problems with Voice menus
• Networking
• Other Problems
• Audio Cookbook
• Working with Audio and Freedom Fone
• Script Writing
• Presentation Tips
• Vox Pop
• News Summary
• Explanatory Report
• Micro Audio Drama
• Working with Voice Messages
• The DIY Studio
• Recording Equipment
• Recording Techniques
• Audio Editing with Audacity
• Audio Editing with Hindenburg
• Useful Links
• Getting Help
• Support
• FAQs
• Appendices
• About mobile phone security
• About Free Software
• About this book
• Glossary

Equipment

Freedom Fone is free, simple to install and easy to use. The basic setup is portable (you do need a power supply though) and requires very little to get up and running.

If you'd like to see how Freedom Fone works without installing it, you can try our online demo: http://demo.freedomfone.org

Equipment setup and costs

If you decide to install the software and set up your own Freedom Fone installation, here's what you will need and some approximate costs:

Notes:
1. Freedom Fone does not run on Mac hardware and we recommend installing on non-Macintosh computers.
2. Backup inverters must be of the pure sine wave type.

For procedures to install the Freedom Fone software, hardware requirements, connecting your hardware and testing your SIM cards - see the section Technical stuff.

What does my audience need?

• A phone (fixed/landline, mobile phone, or Skype with call out credit)
• Mobile phone credit if calling from a mobile phone
• Adequate reception if calling from a mobile phone or internet access if using Skype

Updates and maintenance

From time to time you may encounter technical challenges and it is therefore a good idea to have someone technical help purchase, install and set up your Freedom Fone service. The software is periodically updated as new features are released or bugs fixed. For these reasons, it is recommended to have access to a technical person when deploying Freedom Fone (for more information on staffing issues see the Organize your staff chapter).