Line2 2.4 (iOS)

Move over, Skype; there's a better solution for small businesses. Line2 is the first genuine dual-mode Wi-Fi calling app for the iPhone and iPad. For $14.95 per month, you get a second number, unlimited Wi-Fi calls, plenty of business-friendly features, and the ability to switch between cellular and data calls automatically. Skype offers some of these features, but Line2 goes further. It's perfect for anyone who has trouble connecting calls with AT&T, and a good choice for small business owners to boot.

Sign-up, Interface, and VoIP Calls To get started, you can sign up right from the iPhone app by entering your full name, e-mail address, password, and current AT&T phone number. Toktumi offers a 30-day free trial, and the trial doesn't require a credit card. Line2 requires iOS 3.1.2 or later; if you're running iOS 4, the app can stay resident in the background and receive incoming calls while you're using the phone for other tasks. The app also works on the iPad, which is great for using it as a giant speakerphone in a conference room. For this review, I tested Line2 2.4 on an iPhone 3GS ($99, ) running iOS 4.

The pertinent information

Once you enter all the pertinent information, you can select a nearby area code and receive a separate, second phone number right away. Line2 integrates with the regular iPhone address book and Recent Calls lists. In fact, the interface is pretty transparent, and comes complete with a near-carbon copy of the stock iPhone dialer. The only difference is that you can now select between VoIP and cellular calls via a large toggle button in the bottom left corner.

Line2 works over both Wi-Fi and 3G, and can switch between both networks during calls. Because of its fluency with Wi-Fi, Line2 lets you make iPhone calls where there is little or no AT&T coverage. The app also lets you dismiss incoming cellular calls whenever you're on a Wi-Fi call in Line2. When a call comes in, you get a choice: you can forward it to another number, send it to voice mail, or answer it with a tap.

Sound Quality and Pricing Considerations In a series of voice quality tests, the Line2 app sounded great. I heard warm and clear voice quality in the earpiece. Callers said I sounded clear and crisp on the other side. Wi-Fi calls were quieter than standard voice calls, though. The app can switch seamlessly between Wi-Fi and AT&T's 3G network, if you activate 3G VoIP calls (see below); however, the clarity won't be quite as good as you'd get on a standard AT&T 3G call.

Other Features and Conclusions Line2 offers plenty of business-related features. As I mentioned before, the second number lets you set aside a different one for a business, complete with its own voicemail box. The app can create 20-party phone conferences. It can also transfer calls, and send a call to voicemail automatically while you're talking to someone else. You can also switch on a Do Not Disturb mode that routes incoming calls straight to voicemail.

Skype 2.0 (Free, ) beats Line2 for basic Wi-Fi calls between Skype users, since they're free. But Line2 offers seamless handoffs between Wi-Fi and 3G, and a long list of excellent business-friendly features: voicemail which forwards to e-mail, Do Not Disturb hours, caller-specific forwarding rules, and such. Combining Skype with Google Voice might get you most of the way there—and that's fine for penny-pinching consumers—but we'd advise business customers choose the simpler Line2 for its elegance, even though it costs more.