Vonage Mobile launches with free Canada and U.S. calling for a limited time
When it rains, it pours. As we’ve seen with Dell Voice, the VoIP market is getting increasingly heated in Canada. Vonage is launching its Vonage Mobile service in app form for iPhone and Android, after providing free calls between Facebook users last year.
Vonage uses high-definition codecs between app users, and calls are free for anyone using the app or a Vonage number. In addition, to promote the service, the company is making calls free to anyone in Canada, the U.S. and Puerto Rico for a limited time. After that, rates will be “on average 70 percent less than major mobile carriers and 30 percent less than Skype.”
The app, which is available on both Android and iPhone, looks good and works quite well. At this time only a small number of my contacts are available for free app to app calls, which are purportedly “exceptional[ly] high-definition.” Outgoing calls use your existing phone number as call display, so unlike Dell Voice, which gives you an entirely new number, outgoing Vonage calls shouldn’t be cause to have your recipients hit the Ignore button.
International rates are pretty low: we’re looking at less than 2.2c/min for China, and U.K., while India is 2.4c/min. Conveniently, credit can be bought using in-app purchasing in both the Android and iPhone app.
Vonage also gives you the ability to send text messages to Vonage users from within the app. Now that there is a mobile version of the popular home phone service, hopefully more people will sign up.
Check out Vonage Mobile for Android and iOS and let us know what you think.
Vonage Mobile launches with free Canada and U.S. calling for a limited time
As near as I can see, there is a prerequisite that you have the Vonage home plan - for which I have absolutely no need.
Mind you - for the few International calls I make, the "regular" YAK rates are just fine, thank you very much!
As far as North American Long Distance is concerned, the HMP takes care of that.
Cheers!
Johnn
_____
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Illegitimi non carborundum!
As near as I can see, there is a prerequisite that you have the Vonage home plan - for which I have absolutely no need.
Mind you - for the few International calls I make, the "regular" YAK rates are just fine, thank you very much!
As far as North American Long Distance is concerned, the HMP takes care of that.
Cheers!
You are incorrect, no prerequisite exists. I have it running now on my Galaxy Nexus and just tested it by making a call, no vonage home phone account here.
the HMP doesn't take care of it when you are roaming. Which is why I'm glad apps like this and Dell Voice are available.
Same here. I tried it and it gave the "unknown number". I'd rather have the Dell Voice setup.
Plus, calls to Canada/US are limited so it seems that if this expires, Dell Voice would be better as we can still make calls to landlines/mobiles even though they aren't Dell Voice numbers where as with Vonage, it may cost us to do so.
Originally Posted by LDN2012
Just made a call but the recipient sees "Unknown Number" on their screen.
Dell Voice gives you another number to use so that it shows outbound.
Same here. I tried it and it gave the "unknown number". I'd rather have the Dell Voice setup.
Plus, calls to Canada/US are limited so it seems that if this expires, Dell Voice would be better as we can still make calls to landlines/mobiles even though they aren't Dell Voice numbers where as with Vonage, it may cost us to do so.
Doesn't hurt to have both apps on your phone. Vonage to call the U.S., and Dell Voice for everything else (incoming/outgoing within Canada)
True, can't hurt. But truth be told, if I wanted to call (outgoing) to Canada/U.S., I'd use my HMP since it's free. If incoming LD, well, no one's going to call my number, whether Dell Voice, or even through Vonage, as it'll cost them. If they're paying, then they'd call my mobile rather than Dell Voice number. I can't expect them to have vonage, so it'll be useless to me.
Originally Posted by djino
Doesn't hurt to have both apps on your phone. Vonage to call the U.S., and Dell Voice for everything else (incoming/outgoing within Canada)
True, can't hurt. But truth be told, if I wanted to call (outgoing) to Canada/U.S., I'd use my HMP since it's free. If incoming LD, well, no one's going to call my number, whether Dell Voice, or even through Vonage, as it'll cost them. If they're paying, then they'd call my mobile rather than Dell Voice number. I can't expect them to have vonage, so it'll be useless to me.
Yes but as I mentioned previously, I'd only be using Vonage/Dell Voice if I were roaming with access to WiFi. HMP/I35 plans can handle all other situations.
These apps are really more likely to benefit Big 3 subscribers, day to day, since they're much less likely to have unlimited calling to anywhere but local numbers. And often not even that.
This is great for those who don't have HMP/I35 though. Also great to have something replace Viber since that app hasn't been all that great for me even on WiFi. After using both Dell Voice and Vonage, what are people's experience on call quality (if possible, both 3G and WiFi experience would be great)?
This would be a great option for texting. I keep the roaming plan on my phone as I work just outside of the wind home zone. I have wifi at work so my real only hit is when I text people from work. (I just use the work phone for phone calls) If I can send a text through the vonage app and the recipient sees it coming from me the roaming data is WAY cheaper.
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Ok, so I manually exited the app, but after awhile it automatically restarts itself...anyone having it happen to them as well? Pretty annoying if you ask me...
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Originally Posted by djino
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