FreedomVoice announces to customers and partners that rumor of a bankruptcy stems from confusion with another telecom company of a similar name. In early August, a company by the name of Freedom Communications USA filed for bankruptcy in Tennessee. The likeness of this company’s name has led many in the industry to incorrectly attribute this event to FreedomVoice, prompting concerned phone calls and emails. Officers at FreedomVoice say nothing could be further from the truth.

“We’re headed in exactly the opposite direction,” says Eric Thomas, President and CEO of FreedomVoice. “Over the past couple of years, we’ve experienced tremendous growth with our flagship product, the FreedomIQ Hosted VoIP PBX. As our technology continues to attract and impress SMBs, we find ourselves in a great position with a well-received product in hand.”

While the full names are similar, the real confusion is in how the two companies are referred to in short.

“Many in the industry choose to refer to us simply as ‘Freedom,’” says Thomas. “Freedom Communications USA apparently experiences the same name-shortening, so it’s easy to see how there might be a mix-up. It’s a shame to have to come out and make a statement in the wake of another’s misfortune, but we felt a strong need to clear up this confusion and reassure our customers and partners that we’re doing better than ever.”

Both telecom companies emerged after the passing of the FCC’s Telecommunications Act of 1996, but that’s where the similarities end:

• Freedom Communications USA is based in Dickson, Tennessee, while FreedomVoice is based in Encinitas, California.
• Freedom Communications USA operates in 10 states, while FreedomVoice does business nationwide.
• Freedom Communications USA targets residential and business customers with phone, data, satellite, and wireless services, while FreedomVoice specializes exclusively in advanced solutions for the SMB market.

Thomas sees the rumors and concerned phone calls as signs his company is doing something right.

“The people contacting us are shocked,” explains Thomas. “They’re the first to sing our praises, and in disbelief that we could be having problems. We get the privilege of telling them, ‘No, we’re not going anywhere but up.’”

This is not the only time in the recent past that the name ‘Freedom’ has caused confusion for FreedomVoice over bankruptcy filings. A little less than a year ago, a large media company by the name of Freedom Communications, Inc., also referred to as ‘Freedom’ for short, filed for bankruptcy in Delaware.