IPhone VoIP Comes with Trade-Offs

The iPhone has truly been at the center of the news recently. Apple Inc. introduced the new iPhone 3G model and sold more than 1 million of the devices the first weekend that they were available. And through its online App Store, Apple for the first time began to offer third-party applications that can run on both new and previously iPhone models. For many cost-conscious users, the most important iPhone apps will involve VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), which will let them avoid the high cost of calling overseas from a mobile phone. Nevertheless as is the case with all mobile VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) solutions, iPhone VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) will come with trade-offs

Truphone was the first company out of the gate with a new iPhone VoIP app. Software downloaded to the iPhone lets Truphone's app make calls over the company's VoIP backbone network from wifi hotspots. However the app doesn't allow users to connect to the VoIP network via cellular voice links, as they can with Truphone Anywhere, a service that the company introduced in May 2008. If it did, iPhone users could make their cheap overseas calls even when they weren't nearly hotspots, paying only for local cellular minutes plus Truphone's low international VoIP rates.

The other hand

On the other hand, 8x8 Inc.'s VoIP application, called Packet8 MobileTalk for iPhone, doesn't use wifi however does use the cellular voice network to carry calls between the handset and the VoIP network. To do so, the app eschews the downloaded client software that 8x8 uses to provide MobileTalk to users of other cell phones. Instead, Packet8 MobileTalk for iPhone employs a Web portal, which is accessible through the iPhone browser, that mimics the iPhone dialer.To establish the connection once the user has entered the number, the portal reads a cookie that the browser has stored in order to determine who is making the call. The portal at that time sends the browser an instruction that causes the iPhone to dial a local Packet8 access number. From there, the call travels over the Packet8 VoIP network. The portal-based approach is necessary because third-party apps cannot directly access the iPhone dialer, according to 8x8's vice president of engineering Ramprakash Narayanaswamy.

JAJAH Inc.'s iPhone VoIP app — like many iPhone apps of all kinds — is after all awaiting Apple's OK earlier users can download it through the App Store, however it should be impressive once it is released. According to JAJAH co-founder Roman Scharf, the app will allow iPhones to make calls that travel over 3G, EDGE or wifi data networks to reach the JAJAH VoIP network. A call goes over the data network if the quality of that link is sufficient or if the user specifies that it do so regardless. If not, JAJAH calls the iPhone and the overseas number that the user is trying to reach and connects the two calls via a VoIP link — a classic VoIP callback approach.

ICall Inc.'s planned iPhone application is all in all in beta testing. Like Truphone's app, it will use wifi links to access the VoIP network. A in a class by itself feature is the app's ability to switch from a cellular call to a wifi call without interrupting the conversation. ICall claims that such transfers will happen "seamlessly." CEO Arlo Gilbert said that the application should be available in early August 2008.

The Nokia E-Series with a mobile VOIP solution

DeFi Mobile supports the Nokia E-Series with a mobile VOIP solution, including a proprietary network. Great call quality and no more international roaming fees or long distance charges. Check it out. www.defimobile.com

All this talk about VOIP over IPhone. Hasn't anyone heard of Rebtel.com. They assign your contact a local number where you are located and you dial that assigned number and it connects to your contact whereever in the world they are. Much cheaper than Skype or anything else.

Plan for a straightforward SIP client?

Is there a plan for a straightforward SIP client? The Nokia E-Series has had this for over a year and I'd expect and require it in order to use an iPhone for business. Speaking of which, is the iPhone available on business tarrifs in the UK?

I'm curious if anyone has heard of an iPhone VoIP client that's not locked to a specific service provider. Something like CounterPath's X-Lite that can be connected to an Asterisk server via SIP.

Or there is Fring, that uses true VoIP without callback tricks, through 3G or WiFi and connects to the Skype network too.