Truphone is now bringing low-priced international calls to the iPhone even when not connected to Wi-Fi. In case you don't recall, Steve Jobs will only allow VoIP over Wi-Fi and not over a 3G data connection. So has Truphone enabled VoIP over a 3G connection for the Apple iPhone? Not quite. It's a callback system similar to Jajah that uses the 3G voice bearer channel not the data channel. So you're still using voice minutes. But if you have an unlimited bucket of voice minutes, you make international calls across the internet for as little as £0.03/$0.06 [UK/Rest of World] per minute even when they're not connected to the Internet using Truphone Anywhere. Today Truphone also announed inbound Truphone calling on the iPhone making it possible to have completely free Truphone calls between two iPhones.Truphone Anywhere works by connecting to a local Truphone server, which then connects the long-distance part of the call over the internet, i.e. VoIP. The local connection to Truphone is, typically, free because it uses bundled minutes from the customer's usual cellular service provider.
Unlike calling card solutions, Truphone Anywhere doesn't require a user to remember what to do. Whenever an international number is dialed from outside Wi-Fi, Truphone Anywhere simply asks whether he/she wants to make a Truphone call. The user simply accepts, and Truphone connects the call.
The second new key feature - inbound calling for Truphone on the iPhone - works in all countries. Using the new 'presence' feature, iPhone users can see which of their other Truphone-using contacts are online, including contacts who also have Truphone on their iPhone. This makes it possible to place, for the first time, a free iPhone-to-iPhone Truphone call.
Benefits of Truphone for the iPhone:
- Truphone routes calls over the internet whenever possible, saving loads of money both on international calls from a user's home country and on calls when connected to Wi-Fi abroad
- Truphone routes calls over the internet, so customers don't need to worry about poor mobile reception. Calls are crystal clear and voice quality is superb from almost any Wi-Fi zone
- No monthly line rental, subscription or other hidden charges. Truphone customers only ever pay for the calls they make. Additional credit is simply purchased online, or an account may be set to top up [refill] automatically when it falls to a certain level
- Truphone is free to download via the iPhone App Store and takes seconds to install. New customers receive £1/$1 [UK/RoW] free calling credit to get them started
- With Truphone's American Tru Saver bundle, calls within and to the USA and Canada can be as low as 0.75 pence/1.5 cents [UK/RoW] per minute
- Calls within and to 40 countries (including UK, Australia, Brazil and most of Europe) are £0.03/$0.06 [UK/RoW] per minute to landlines and £0.15/$0.30 [UK/RoW] per minute to mobiles
- making a Truphone call is easy: open the Truphone application and dial as normal. Truphone uses the iPhone's own address book.
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