Individuals can contribute questions, content and feedback by leaving voice messages via the IVR interface. Freedom Fone can be operated as a collective, with different groups managing different channels (IVR menu options) of information from the same installation.

Freedom Fone is network agnostic and can work easily and happily with mobiles and landlines. Scalability can be factored in through Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) in countries where VoIP is available.

This technology can be used in a ‘cost free to caller’ context – where users could dial a toll-free number to access the service – or tickle a number that records the user’s phone number and calls them back, connecting the user to the IVR menu content. In a ‘low cost to caller’ context users can SMS in for a call back.

There are no geographical or community size limitations to the implementation of Freedom Fone. The interface facilitates frequently updated short segment audio programming. It removes the technical challenge of hosting and setting up the back-end, allowing users to concentrate on content.

Elements used by Freedom Fone aren’t new, but their intuitive convergence makes it innovative and globally relevant. Global Voices' Ethan Zuckerman said recently "I'm surprised there hasn’t been more work done making interactive voice response systems usable for development purposes."

Freedom Fone provides exactly that.