‘ FireChat ’ – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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1. What is ‘FireChat’?

‘FireChat’ is a messaging app that works with or without internet connectivity.

2. What are chatrooms, how are they different from Whatsapp groups?

Whatsapp groups are used for a closed community, where messages circulate within the group members only. Members outside the group have no access to the messages circulated within the group.

However, there is no ‘group’ concept in ‘FireChat’. ‘FireChat’ has ‘chatrooms’. They are very different from Whatsapp groups. ‘FireChat’ chatrooms are open to the entire world. ‘FireChat’ Chatroom is designed for public communications. Anyone can see our messages and add their own comments, whether we are in a big chatroom or a small chatroom.

[box type="shadow" align="aligncenter" width="2" >Please note "chatroom" is not a private group. A message posted in chatroom goes to the entire world. So if we want to convey but want to limit something to a group it should not be posted on ‘FireChat’. It should go from Whatsapp groups only. Chatrooms on ‘FireChat’ are to discuss social issues.[/box>

3. Does ‘FireChat’ work on all mobile phones?

‘FireChat’ will work on Apple devices with iOS-7 and above and in case of Android phones/Tablets, it works well on the devices less than 2 years old (manufactured after March 2014).

4. Difficulty in connecting with each other without Internet - people find it difficult to connect without internet.

For connecting with each other without internet, we have to turn on Bluetooth and WiFi connections in our mobile phones.

It is a general observation that ‘FireChat’ takes time to connect with each other without internet. It may not happen immediately after we download the app. It slowly gets used to on our mobile phone / Tablet and after a few days, (generally by a week’s time) it will start communicating without internet on its own.

5. What is role of # Hashtag?

Hashtags in ‘FireChat’ work in a different manner than they do in Twitter, Facebook or other social media. In ‘FireChat’, hashtags create a link to a Chatroom with that name. The default Chatroom is #everyone, one can go to any other chatroom by clicking on the hashtag links in the messages.

6. How can we create and delete chatroom?

When we use a word with hashtag ‘#’ in public chatrooms, automatically a chatroom with that topic gets created. For e.g. if we use #Mumbai word, a chat room with topic #Mumbai gets created. And if there already exists a chatroom with #Mumbai, our message gets listed in that chat room.

As a ‘chatroom’ is common to all we cannot delete it from ‘FireChat’ but we can withdraw ourselves from the chatroom, i.e. to say we can delete it from our device.

7. Is the member with internet allowed to connect with the one who does not have Internet?

Yes, provided the member who does not have internet turns on bluetooth and wifi connections on his/her mobile phone/Tablet.

8. How can we ‘Follow’ or ‘Block’ users in ‘FireChat’?

We can go to the profile of a particular user, and from there, we can follow that user. We can even block that particular user, or ‘report abuse’ about him by going into the options menu in top right hand side corner.

9. How does it connect? Is BLUETOOTH and WiFi Esssential?

‘FireChat’ connects with nearby users using bluetooth and wifi connections. Thus, turning on bluetooth and wifi connections is necessary.

10. Can we share photos and videos?

We can share photos but not videos.

11. On few mobiles, it gives sign-in error, how to tackle this?

We can sign in with mobile phone, and if that is not working, we can even sign in with our email ID.

FireChat’ - videos explaining the basics of ‘FireChat’ in 3 languages:-

FireChat’ English Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GogPPT3ePGQ

FireChat’ Marathi Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FEHCnfNfWg

 FireChat’ Hindi Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYzLIP_I7Sw    

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