Vonage Mobile - International Calls Through the iPhone and BlackBerry
People using residential subscription-based VoIP services have little hope of getting to use their service for international calls and even less while on the move. Vonage is trying to fix all that. Last year, Vonage gave free international calling to 60 countries worldwide on subscription. Some time later, it launched the Vonage Companion, a softphone application that can be installed on a computer and used to make and receive Vonage calls. The Vonage Companion was launched with a service plan called Vonage Pro.
This week, Vonage has launched another application that merges international calling with mobility. The application is called Vonage Mobile, and it can be installed on Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch and also BlackBerry handsets, allowing users to make international calls using these mobile handsets. In a Wi-Fi hotspot, direct international calls can be made at cheap rates. Anywhere else, GSM networks are used to place international calls, which cost the Vonage international rates plus the local cellular fee. Speaking of Vonage's international rates, I find them interesting. One minute to some common destinations in Europe as less as 2 dollar cents, which is way cheaper than Skype, for example. The main drawbacks are that the application works only in BlackBerry and iPhone, and that it is available only for Vonage users. This is quite logical since the number used for international calls is the user's Vonage number.
For Blackberry, Vonage Mobile works only through the cell network. It does not work through the WiFi connection. So, cell phone minutes will be used.
There is no need for Vonage Mobile because the meter is always running. You can extend your Vonage World flat rate to 60 countries to your cell phone by installing the DialMate CM1003 (see http://www.woodtel.com) on your Vonage line. There is also no need for a 3g or WiFi connection, just your regular cellular network. Since all cellular networks now have free incoming calls or free favorite number calls to cell phones and vice versa, with the CM1003, you can do call back or call bridge and call out from your cell phone through your Vonage line to 60 countries unlimited and free unlimited air time (no need to subscribe to expensive unlimited air time and long distance plans) to boot. In addition, using the Vonage Call Transfer feature, the CM1003 will transfer your domestic and some international calls (e.g., China, India, Malaysia, etc.) and hang up automatically your Vonage line to be ready for the next caller. Multiple callers can use one Vonage account almost simultaneously. Called parties in those 60 countries can also do call back and use the Vonage line using ordinary landlines or regular cell phones without a broadband, WiFi or 3g connection.