Fring announces new fringOut mobile VoIP service with 1-cent worldwide calling

Fring added a new mobile VoIP service to its arsenal of mobile calling options. The aptly named fringOut service will allow fring users to call any mobile or landline phone worldwide for as low as 1-cent per minute. The new service is now available for Symbian S60 devices and will be available on the Android and iPhone platform soon. To make a call to a traditional phone number, S60 users only need to update their app to the latest version and sign up for the fringOut service before placing their first call.

Few month after its messy public dispute with Skype

Fring’s move towards offering its own traditional voice calling service comes a few month after its messy public dispute with Skype. The mobile calling application launched with support for Skype calls when it was first released on the S60 platform four years ago. The two companies seemingly remained on good terms up until this summer when Fring pulled Skype support from its application without warning, citing a need to free up capacity on its network which was swamped following their launch of two-way video calling on the iPhone 4. Fring and Skype then engaged in a public battle with the two VoIP providers blaming each other for the permanent removal of Skype support.