This might be useful for we Comcast broadband customers with no alternative if service is down. There are numerous low cost ISPs recommended for the same purpose but this service avoids the recurring monthly cost. However I was unable to find any listing with the BBB nor identify their registrar. Can you verify the legitimacy of this business and comment on there business model? I’m a daily reader of Applelinks and enjoy your reporting.
Thank you in advance.
Jeff Miller
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Well, like Jeff, I was unable to find any reference to TollFreeISP or its parent company, RemotePipes, Inc., with multiple searches using different criteria on the BBB Website.
However, I was able to turn up several media references to the Minnesota-based company and its service in the business press
“RemotePipes, Inc. [Emerging Companies, July 2001] divested its wholly owned subsidiary MaGlobe, Inc. in April. The Mendota Heights-based Internet provider had acquired MaGlobe in 2001 from its founder and venture capital backer. Mahesh Hinduja, the founder, bought the company back. RemotePipes also announced a new service call TollFreeISP that offers worldwide business travellers international toll free access to dial-up Internet accounts, which it hopes to private label for resellers....”
“Remote Pipes Inc., an Edina Internet service provider that’s looking to establish a nationwide toll-free Internet access network, has rounded up $1 million in private investments while it waits for a larger, venture-backed round to close.”
“RemotePipes Inc., a Minneapolis-based provider of remote Internet access solutions. Has received more than $1 million in new equity financing. Funding from Nortel Networks (Ticker: NT), Prairie Ventures, SLWK Ventures and private investors completed the round of financing. The additional funding will be used to complete the company’s Secure Remote Access Content Delivery Platform in its new data center in Chicago, with the balance of the funding to be used for operational expenses. The Secure Remote Access Content Delivery Platform is the underlying technical architecture that extends an additional layer of security and redundancy to RemotePipes solutions in order to achieve better reliability...
“Doug Bonestroo... founded Remote Pipes with the intention of filling in the nation’s gaps in local access numbers for Internet service. Though much of the country is already well-served by local ISPs, users in many rural areas still have to dial long-distance to reach an ISP -- a particular hassle for on-the-road business types...”
“The firm counts IntraNet Solutions and Minnetonka-based Cargill Inc. among its customers, and has launched pilot programs for Maplewood-based 3M Co. and Rooster.com of Bloomington.”
So, the lack of BBB references notwithstanding, it sounds like TollFreeISP is a legitimate outfit, which is good to learn, because it fills a useful niche, and I’m especially gratified by the fact that the company is solicitous of Mac-using customers and offers their service in Canada as well as the US (indeed globally in over 100 countries).
TollFreeISP is designed to keep you conveniently connected from almost anywhere in the world, using a combination of local and toll-free dialup numbers. Parent firm RemotePipes provides prepaid and post paid global dialup Internet access services worldwide.
With the global launch of the TollFreeISP global dial Internet access service in May 2003 – offering 24-hour-per-day and 365-day-per-year online signups, level one help desk support, and web-based reporting and management – RemotePipes has extended their carrier-class remote access services to individuals and small and medium-sized businesses all over the world.
TollFreeISP describes its service as offering:
• Savings of up to 90% on local and toll free internet access
• Global coverage
• High availability
• Toll free, 24/7, live customer support
• Web-based usage reporting and management
• No monthly fees
• No set up charges
• No term commitments and no usage commitments
• Multi platform support, including PC and Macintosh systems
• With thousands of local access numbers, in addition to toll free options available around the world, getting and staying connected could not be easier.
• 5,800+ US Access Numbers
• 100+ Total Countries Served
• 10,000+ Worldwide Access Numbers
Sample Rates
• US & Canada Local Internet Access - under $.01/min.
• US-48 Toll Free Internet Access - under $.04/min.
• Canadian Toll Free Internet Access - under $.09/min.
• International Internet Access* - under $.13/min.
1) Simply purchase any of TollFreeISP’s plans.
2) Any time you use the service your balance decreases based on the actual time you were connected.
3) Recharge as needed at anytime.
Supported Operating Systems
• Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X
• Windows 95/98/Me/NT/XP/2000 --
