Cheap VoIP Service: iCall on the new iPhone

With yesterday's launch of the new 3G-capable Apple iPhones, VoIP over WiFi is getting a boost.  I still believe using VoIP over WiFi will be often be plagued with quality problems, but if you are really interested in conserving your cell phone minutes, you might want to check out a new iPhone app called iCall. 

iCall is a free VoIP over WiFi application for the iPhone, and you can download a beta version of it now.  Basically, it's a tool to save minutes if you are on a limited minutes cell phone plan.  Whenever you are within range of a WiFi network, you can elect to make outbound calls over the WiFi network instead of AT&T's mobile network, and you can elect to transfer calls that you have received on AT&T's mobile network over to the WiFi network.  When the call is on the WiFi network and not on AT&T's network, then you are not eating minutes from your cell phone plan's minute bucket.  

This is a lot like the T-Mobile "Hotspot @Home Talk Forever Mobile" service that won a BUNGL few months ago, except that it's free.  (That was probably the most controversial of the BUNGL awards...took a lot of heat for that one!  Needless to say, iCall won't be winning a BUNGL.)

How can iCall afford to give away domestic long distance and local phone service?  Good question.  The web site says this about that:

"Why would we give this to you for free? The answer is simple - iCall wants you to call the businesses who pay to be listed in our directory, and we'd also love to sell you a headset or dirt cheap international calling rates."

So, it's an ad play, supplemented by upselling on international long distance and accessory sales.  I hope they generate enough revenue from that to cover their costs, or there are going to be a lot of disappointed iCall users!

Comments

[Darren Loher]

Skype on Windows mobile is pretty nice, although you need 3G to do Skype voice calls.

If you have blackberry, you can use iSkoot which is skype packaged to run on blackberry and other smart-phones. http://www.iskoot.com/

[thejuice212]

i have the tmobile at home service. i have found that for data it's a great tool, but for voice calls it's really sketchy. at times you can be on a call for 30mins no issues, other times it drops 2/3 times in 10 mins. i have found that i can use it at home when talking with friends, but when i need to do a business call i switch off wifi calling and do it standard.