Which free VoIP Android app that can make & receive calls has the best voice quality?

[droyder]

I'm currently using the Hangouts Dialer app (Google Voice integrated) as my VoIP on my HTC phone.

Voice quality is overall pretty good, but can be hit or miss at times.

Is there a better free VoIP app out there for Android that's any better?

[stessT]

I use Hangouts/Dialer, but also the beta version of the ring.to app. For me, the Ring.to app ALWAYS beats the quality of the Hangouts dialer/app. However, if you aren't using the beta version of the new app and are still having to use GrooveIP+ringto, Hangouts beats it.

[droyder]

Does Ring.to integrate with Google Voice and use your GV phone number?

And does it use WiFi/data only to make and receive calls?

[stessT]

No, it does not integrate with your GV number unless you port your GV number to ring.to. The services are similar.

Www.ring.to

[zapjb]

I looked at the ringto site. How can ringto afford to do this for free? Aren't there $1-3 charges (911, fed taxes etc) per month each line. As far as I can see porting to ringto is free. "Keep your number for life for free." Or not?

[droyder]

No, it does not integrate with your GV number unless you port your GV number to ring.to. The services are similar.

Www.ring.to

Ah ok, yeah they're pretty similar.

Will keep an eye out on this app over time. Reviews on Google Play seem a bit mixed, seems like there's consistency issues with connecting incoming/outgoing calls and not receiving txts in a timely manner.

Been using different VoIPs on my laptop for a while, but new to using them on my phone as a replacement for most cellular service.

[stessT]

Ah ok, yeah they're pretty similar.

Will keep an eye out on this app over time. Reviews on Google Play seem a bit mixed, seems like there's consistency issues with connecting incoming/outgoing calls and not receiving txts in a timely manner.

Been using different VoIPs on my laptop for a while, but new to using them on my phone as a replacement for most cellular service.

I really like the ring.to app. I have had zero issues with notifications or calls. You can also make calls and texts from the browser. I originally signed up for a ring.to number when I had GrooveIP more than a year ago and GV was going to kill third-party apps. GrooveIP partnered with Ring.to to provide people with a new phone number to use with their service. I decided to port in/park a phone number from T-Mobile that I loved and didn't want to lose. I used the iOS app on an Iphone 5 for a while and it was great. The Android app is lagging behind the iOS app in features right now - so I signed up for the beta program (to get access to the latest Android app that is similar to the iOS app in appearance and functionality). With the beta version, I really haven't had any issues at all. They have a very welcoming forum over at ring.to, and the developers/company are interactive and open to listening to suggestions to improve the app, website, service, etc. I have been very pleased with the service (have had it about a year now), and find calls seem to be extraordinarily clear.

[hoktrillian]

There are four Android VoIP apps I have tested thoroughly with free calling to at least continental United States PSTN. Their voice quality heard by the party being called are listed from the best to the worst as below:

Google Hangouts Dialer
magicApp (sound a bit like under water if compare with Google hangouts Dialer)
Vonage Mobile (sound even more like under water if compare with magicApp)
RingTo - Free Calling & SMS beta 2.1.3 (volume simply is way too low for the party being called)

Why I rated voice quality heard by the party being called instead of what I heard? Because I have been using VoIP for well over a decade and have been using VoIP 100% for many years. Yes, my mobile phone plan is data only; my home and work only have fiber Internet access without POTS. I can tolerate with poor VoIP voice quality greatly. It is the party being called would not tolerate poor voice quality regardless what technology I use to call.

[HansCT]

I looked at the ringto site. How can ringto afford to do this for free? Aren't there $1-3 charges (911, fed taxes etc) per month each line. As far as I can see porting to ringto is free. "Keep your number for life for free." Or not?

It's a subsidiary of a huge telco that works with Google.

Possible same biz model - mining your data, metadata parsing, maybe content transcripts, get enough members and someone will buy them out for the big-data value.

Or maybe our tax dollars at work, TLAs unlimited budgets donchano.

Or maybe they'll have value-added programs for sale down the road as their apps mature. Lots of opportunities selling VoIP when the customers' used to paying 10x what the service actually costs. Just have to make it simple easy and reliable enough. . .

[hoktrillian]

I looked at the ringto site. How can ringto afford to do this for free? Aren't there $1-3 charges (911, fed taxes etc) per month each line. As far as I can see porting to ringto is free. "Keep your number for life for free." Or not?

First, VoIP service providers that do not fully interconnect with the PSTN(public switched telephone network) are not currently required to comply with the FCC 911 and e911 rules.

Second, yes, both porting to RingTo and keeping DIDs(Direct Inward Dialing -- telephone number) at RingTo are free of charge completely.

Third, RingTo is a service offered by a CLEC(competitive local exchange carrier) who does receive inter-carrier compensation when calls are terminated with them. Consequently, all calls terminated with RingTo do get FAS(False Answer Supervision) so the CLEC can maximize their inter-carrier compensation.

[barryspar]

I noticed that WhatsApp voice calls are amazingly clear.

What is their secret?

Is it because the call stays in their system end-to-end and doesn't have to transit the PSTN?