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iCall Brings Seamless VoIP To IPhone Users

Posted by timothy on from the now-that's-tempting dept.

andrewmin writes "iCall, a company well known for offering free VoIP calling for Windows users, has just announced the first iPhone app that offers free phone calls over WiFi. It's also one of the first legal (in other words, non-jailbroken) VoIP apps. I don't have an iPhone, but if I did, you can be assured that I'd be on this in a second."

7 of 51 comments (clear)

  1. Re:uhhh, no by drhamad · · Score: 4, Informative

    Apple has SPECIFICALLY stated that VOIP is just fine, as long as it's WiFi only.

    It makes sense: it reduces stress on AT&T's network, AND makes Apple's users happy.

    --
    -Daniel
  2. Re:incorrect by Free+the+Cowards · · Score: 2, Informative

    If you really think about it, it makes sense. It reduces stress on AT&T's network while at the same time making Apple's users happy. It reduces AT&T's opportunity to collect fat revenues from people exceeding their allotted monthly time as well. I think that they would be against this. However they may not be in a position to actually disallow it, making it Apple's decision. They at least would have no reason to do so.
    --
    If you mod me Overrated, you are admitting that you have no penis.
  3. Re:incorrect by drhamad · · Score: 2, Informative

    AT&T has been making deals all over the place to speed up its network and reduce capacity requirements, for instance making a deal with Sbux to allow all iPhone users to use the AT&T nodes there for free.

    --
    -Daniel
  4. Re:So...contracts? by MindStalker · · Score: 4, Informative

    Nope, as mentioned on the site
    Apple has explicitly stated that VoIP is allowed, just not over Edge networks. Steve himself answered this question in the Q&A session after the last keynote speech.

    This is true, someone specifically asked if VoIP is allowed, they stated that as long as its not using AT&Ts network (Edge/ 3G soon) it would be fine.

  5. Re:incorrect by Free+the+Cowards · · Score: 2, Informative

    That's data and not voice, though. All iPhone subscribers get unlimited data, so there's no extra money to be made there. They do have limited voice time, however, and I'm sure that just like any other cell phone provider, the rates they get for overage are quite lucrative.

    --
    If you mod me Overrated, you are admitting that you have no penis.
  6. Without background processes, VOIP not so much... by KH2002 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Since the iPhone SDK doesn't allow for [3rd party] background processes, how are you going to be notified of an incoming VOIP call? Answer: you're not, unless you already happen to be in the VOIP app. So it will be fine for outgoing calls, but pretty limited otherwise...

  7. Subtle as a brick. by StarKruzr · · Score: 3, Informative

    The implication is quite evident, and I wholly agree with you.

    If I want to run a freeware/open source drawing application on my Nintendo DS that lets me save PNG files on a SD card, should that be illegal since it's not approved by Nintendo?

    People honestly believe that corporations can write laws.

    --

    +++ATH0