Ringfree Communications, Inc. Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy was last updated March 24th, 2022.
Ringfree Communications, Inc. (“Ringfree,” “we” or “us”) provides Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone services (the “Services”).
This Privacy Policy contains important information on how we use, maintain and disclose personal information collected about you on this website and webpages owned and operated by Ringfree as well as the Services provided on our website through the customer portal for business customers. By accessing this website or providing information to us through this website, including our customer portal, you accept the terms of this Privacy Policy.
How we collect and use your personal information
Ringfree collects certain information from you when you request information about Services, establish an account, request information, or ask to be included in an email or other contact list. Through our website and customer portal, you may provide us with certain personal information in order to set up an account, contact us, request information, access information or subscribe to Services. This information may include your first and last name, phone number, email address, mailing, service or other physical address, payment information (including credit or debit card information), and other information needed to provide you with the information or services you are requesting. You may enter this information through our contact us form or through our customer portal, available at www.ringfree.freshdesk.com. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third parties, even those that have websites linked to or from our website or who act as our marketing agents, dealers or who are designated as Ringfree Marketing Partners. We encourage you to review the respective privacy policies of any such third parties.
When you browse our website, you do so anonymously. As with most websites, our website collects certain information automatically, such as the internet domain from which you access our websites, IP address, the type of browser and operating system you use, the date and time of access, pages visited, and the address of the website from which you linked to our website. Like many websites, our website uses cookies to collect information about how you use the website and to assist us in improving our website by understanding how it is used by customers. We do not link this automatically collected data to any personal information. Please see below for more information about our cookies and tracking policy.
We may use the information we collect about your through our website to administer your account, improve Services, correspond with you, particularly when you submit an inquiry, or sign up to receive products or Services, or other communications and updates from us; to maintain the security and integrity of our website, products and Services; to administer, review and improve our website, products or Services; or, should you become a customer, for purposes permitted by your agreements with us, if any, to enable us to provide you with and bill you for certain products or Services. Some products and services may be provided by third-party vendors, such as the manufacturers of various equipment or devices which may be purchased or leased from Ringfree. We will not share or sell your personal information with third parties, other than to our Marketing Partners, agents, and dealers; third party telecommunications carriers and Internet backbone providers; vendors, licensors and suppliers, including payment processors, software or hardware providers, our customer portal host, and others who perform similar functions on our behalf and require such information to provide, bill for or maintain the products and services you have ordered; to protect our network and customers and the networks of our telecommunications carriers and Internet backbone providers; and as otherwise required or permitted by law. In no event will Ringfree rent, sell or lease your personal information to third parties.
We may disclose your personal information when such disclosure is required or authorized by law through legal process, or when pertinent to judicial or governmental investigations or proceedings, to protect our legal rights, or to defend and protect the rights of others; in connection with a sale, purchase, merger, reorganization, liquidation or dissolution involving Ringfree; and when necessary to respond to an emergency, which includes protecting your safety or the safety of others.
Children
We are committed to protecting the privacy of children. We do not knowingly attempt to solicit or receive information from children under the age of 13, nor send them requests for personal information. In the event that we determine that we possess personal information from children under the age of 13, we will delete that information.
Cookies and Tracking Technology
Like many other websites, we use standard technology such as cookies, web beacons, and pixels (collectively, called “cookies” herein) to collect information about how you use our website. A cookie is a small data file that may be sent to your computer when you visit our website. A cookie is used to identify you when you use our website or return to our website. We use cookies to better serve our website users and help us improve your experience on our website. We may use session and persistent cookies—a session cookie enables certain features on our website, but is deleted from your computer when you end your browsing session, whereas a persistent cookie remains on your computer after you close your browser, and may be used by your browser on subsequent visits to our website.
Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings tab. You may also have the option to delete most cookies. By changing the settings of your browser, you may be able to effectively refuse or delete cookies, but that may affect the display function of certain features on our Website.
How we protect your information
We make reasonable efforts to maintain the security of our servers and computer networks in order to help prevent the loss, misuse, and modification of the personal information we collect on our website. We protect the security of your personal information by using specialized software during the Service application process, enrollment, or when you pay for Services via our customer portal. We also maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the personal information in our possession. We have established security protocols to ensure that we are doing our part to protect against any anticipated threats or hazards to the security and integrity of our systems. Even though we take reasonable steps to maintain information security, and expect our vendors to do the same, we cannot guarantee the security of personal information.
We also encourage our customers to do their part in protecting their personal and sensitive information, including being responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their account login information and other passwords.
Indirect End User Phone Contact Information (Personal Identifiable Information)
Ringfree acts as a data processor with regard to indirect end user personal identifiable information and our Clients act as the data controller of such data. In the course of Ringfree’s processing and protection of such data, all use will be in conformity with the data controller’s instructions.
Specifically, only when enabled via system permission on Android apps and iOS mobile, Ringfree shows personal contacts within the respective application. When the user sends an SMS message to one of his/her phone contacts, or when the user initiates a call to one of his/her phone contacts, the phone number is sent securely through Ringfree’s API. Ringfree does not store this number with any other PII, and it cannot be directly or indirectly attributed to any person or persons; Ringfree stores only the phone number and pertinent metadata so as to be compliant with all applicable state and federal laws, and Ringfree does not share this data with any advertisers or third parties under any circumstances. A user can revoke phone contact access on his/her mobile device at any time, and his/her app experience is not hindered or interrupted.
The Android and iOS apps also uses Gravatar, only when enabled via Settings and UIConfigs, which is a service that provides avatar images linked to the MD5 hash of the user’s email address. This means that, only when Gravatar use is enabled, we hash each contact’s email address and send it to Gravatar to try and retrieve an avatar image. MD5 hashes cannot be directly or indirectly attributed to any person or persons, and we only send the MD5 hash to Gravatar, never the email address in plain text. As with phone contacts, a user can revoke Gravatar access at any time in Settings or via UIConfig, and his/her app experience is not hindered or interrupted.
Transfer of Data
Your information, including personal information, may be transferred to, and maintained on, computers, servers or other data storage located outside of your state, province, country or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ than those from your jurisdiction. If you reside outside the United States and choose to provide information to Ringfree, please note that we transfer the data, including personal information, to the United States and process it there.
Your consent to this Privacy Policy followed by your submission of such information represents your agreement to that transfer.
Retention of Data
Personal information collected by Ringfree will be retained for as long as necessary and legally permitted for the purposes for which it was collected, to provide you with Products and Services, enforce our legal agreements and policies and to conduct our legitimate business interests or where otherwise required by law.
Data Integrity
Ringfree employs reasonable means to keep personal information accurate, complete, and current, as needed for the purposes for which it was collected.
How to Access and Update Your Information
We generally provide individuals with an opportunity to examine their own personal information, confirm the accuracy and completeness of their personal information, and have their personal information updated, if appropriate.
The ability of an individual to access his or her personal information is not unlimited, however. An individual’s ability to access personal information may be limited, for example, where (i) the burden or expense of providing access would be unreasonable or disproportionate to the risks to the individual’s privacy, (ii) the information should not be disclosed due to legal or security reasons or to protect confidential commercial information; or (iii) providing access would compromise the privacy of another person.
If you have created a user profile on a portal, you may also access and revise the personal information in your user profile when you log into your account.
Individuals who wish to access or update their personal information not accessible via a portal should direct such communications to Ringfree at:
support@ringfre.com
Third-Party Websites, Plugins or Widgets
Ringfree websites, Products and/or Services may include social network or other third-party plugins and widgets not operated by us. Accessing these links to other sites is done at your own option and is not part of any Ringfree’ offerings. Ringfree has no control over and assumes no responsibility for the content, privacy policies or practices of any third-party sites or services. We strongly advise you to review each privacy policy provided at the respective site.
Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI).
Certain of the information that we collect from you may constitute Customer Proprietary Network Information, or CPNI. CPNI is certain information that we obtain solely by virtue of providing you with the VoIP Services, and that concerns the VoIP Services you purchase, including the type, destination, technical configuration, location and amount of use of such Services, along with related billing information.
From time to time, we will use the CPNI information we have on file to provide you with information about our communications-related products and services or special promotions. Ringfree’s use of CPNI may also enhance our ability to offer products and services tailored to your specific needs. Ringfree may use your CPNI to let you know about communications-related services other than those to which you currently subscribe that Ringfree believes may be of interest to you. In some instances, Ringfree will want to share Customer’s CPNI with its independent contractors, suppliers, agents or “Marketing Partners” in order to provide Customer with information about Ringfree’s communications-related products and services or special promotions. Your signature on a service agreement or sales order signifies Customer’s consent that Ringfree may use and disclose CPNI as described herein.
Nonetheless, you do have the right to restrict Ringfree’s use of your CPNI. Customer may deny, withdraw or restrict our right to use CPNI at any time by advising ringfree via email message to support@ringfree.com. If Customer denies or restricts its approval for Ringfree to use Customer’s CPNI, Customer will suffer no effect, now or in the future, with regard to how Ringfree provides any Services to which Customer subscribes. Any denial or restriction of Customer’s approval remains valid until Customer’s Services are discontinued or Customer affirmatively revokes or limits such approval or denial.
Ringfree may disclose CPNI without your consent, and without asking for Customer’s authorization, in any of the following circumstances:
- When disclosure is required by law or court order.
- To protect the rights and property of Ringfree or to protect Customer and other carriers from fraudulent, abusive, or unlawful use of services.
- For directory listings.
- To provide Ringfree Services to the Customer, including assisting Customer with troubles associated with its Services. Without limiting the foregoing, if you purchased your Ringfree Services through a designated Ringfree “Marketing Partner,” that entity will provide you with certain support services, and Ringfree will share your CPNI with that Marketing Partner as necessary to enable it to provide you with customer support.
- To bill the Customer for Services.
- When Customer has approved use of their CPNI for Ringfree, or Ringfree’partners, affiliates, or independent contractors.
Federal privacy rules require Ringfree to authenticate the identity of the Customer calling Ringfree prior to disclosing CPNI. Customers calling Ringfree can discuss their Services and billings with a Ringfree representative once that representative has verified the caller’s identity. There are three methods by which Ringfree will conduct Customer authentication:
1.By having the Customer provide a pre-established password and/or PIN;
2.By calling the Customer back at the telephone number associated with the Services purchased; or
3.By mailing the requested documents to the Customer’s address or email address of record.
In the event the Customer fails to remember their password and/or PIN, Ringfree will ask the Customer a series of questions known only to the Customer and Ringfree in order to authenticate the Customer. You may manage your password in the online customer portal available at https://portal.ringfree.net.
Ringfree will notify you of changes to your account. These notifications may be sent to a postal or e-mail address, or by telephone, voicemail or text message.
In addition to the protections described elsewhere in this Privacy Policy, Ringfree employees are trained on how CPNI is to be protected and when it may or may not be disclosed. Ringfree maintains records of its own and its joint venture partners and/or independent contractors (if applicable) sales and marketing campaigns that may utilize Customer CPNI. Ringfree also keeps records of instances in which CPNI is disclosed to third parties or where third parties were allowed access to Customer CPNI.
In the event Ringfree experiences a privacy breach and CPNI is disclosed to unauthorized persons, Ringfree will notify law enforcement as required by Federal regulations. Ringfree cannot inform Customer of the CPNI breach until at least seven (7) days after notification has been sent to law enforcement, or later if law enforcement directs us to postpone disclosure pending investigation. Ringfree is required to maintain certain records regarding any breach involving the release of CPNI, and retain these records for a period of not less than two (2) years.
Changes and updates to this Privacy Policy
We will change and update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, the Privacy Policy version date, at the top of this page, will be updated to reflect that revision. We encourage you to periodically re-read this Privacy Policy to see if any changes could affect you.
Questions, concerns or complaints
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, you can reach us by sending an email to support@ringfree.com or by regular mail to PO BOX 1994 Hendersonville, NC 28793.
