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I read today about an interesting iPhone application which basically changes the natural behavior of the iPhone and lets VoIP applications use the 3G network instead of the default Wifi.

This application, Voipover3G, works with the alternative installer Cydia, specifically designed for jailbroken iPhones 3G.

After installing this app, VoIP apps which used to use the Wifi connection, like Fring and Truphone, will be forced to use the 3G data channel. Not having an iPhone 3G I couldn’t test it out, anyway I find it useful in certain contexts even if limited to jailbroken iphones only.

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Technorati Tags: 3G, Apple, Cydia, fring, Installer, iphone, jailbreak, luca filigheddu, truphone, VoIP

I wrote many blog posts about mobile VoIP and I tried most of the mobile VoIP services available for my handsets (Nokia N-series). That being said, I have to say that all of them are definitely bringing innovation to the mobile market, while mobile operators start watching them carefully as a potential threat.

One of the trends I’m observing is how those services are leveraging their existing infrastructure, investments and developments by offering a white label solution to big companies which want to up-sell new innovative services to their huge potential user base. It’s nothing more than what some mobile carriers are already doing worldwide with the so called MVNOs, but with “VoIP” and “new services” in the middle.

Look at Rebtel with EasyMobile (but I know for sure there is more coming out soon) or FreshTel with Tesco. FreshTel, for example, is a new player operating in the Australian market that I knew during the VoIP World 2008 in Dubai since I was sitting at the same rountable with Rhonda O’Donnell, their CEO. They signed a big deal with Tesco, a Wal-Mart competitor, to provide their customers with a mobile VoIP solution. How long will it take for WalMart or similar groups to look for similar solutions to be sold to their huge audience?

I’m pretty sure there is more coming out from players like, for example, the no-boundaries mobile operator Cubic Telecom and I expect to see something similar coming from other players like Truphone or Fring. The point here is to bring user experience at its best. Customers of big shopping groups like Wal-Mart are mostly “normal” people who look for something cheap and easy to use, without having to struggle with software installation or handset’s configuration.

In this perspective a solution by MaxRoam, Rebtel or Sim4Travel (by Truphone) would fit better with that audience and are more likely to succeed than other services which are more complex for an average user. Most people are not early adopters of new technologies so all the mobile VoIP companies that want to jump into that business through those channels must keep this aspect well in mind.

Besides, I stated many times and I firmly believe that the #1 concern for any mobile VoIP player must be the usability and the overall user experience delivered by their services. They can offer the cheapest rate ever, but It becomes useless if a “normal” person needs to attend a software engineering class to install their software or needs to buy a $500 phone to use it (mmm… how many “normal” people have a Wifi access at home?).

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Technorati Tags: Cubic Telecom, freshtel, fring, luca filigheddu, maxroam, mobile voip, rebtel, Tesco, truphone

Om Malik is reporting that Nokia removed VoIP from their latest N-series models. Both the N78 and the new N96 are not VoIP enabled, so that also services like Truphone or Gizmo5, which rely on Nokia’s SIP stack, are not working on those devices (as Om verified by himself).

This move doesn’t surprise me at all. Previous models such as the Nokia N73 and the Nokia N93 didn’t have a complete SIP stack on board so VoIP was not allowed on those phones (as I reported last year while testing those phones).

At the same time, unlike E-series (typically for the business market), where VoIP seems to be on board in the latest models too, N-series are targeted to the consumer market like Truphone or Gizmo (to name some), that are not “friends” of the carriers which Nokia makes agreements with (Om points out the fight between T-Mobile and Truphone which took place last year). Is it a sort of “protection” for Nokia? Hey mobile carrier, my phones protect you against those new mobile VoIP services… are you happy?!?

Om’s post highlights other interesting points about this subject too, it’s really worth a read.

Technorati Tags: gizmo5, luca filigheddu, Mobile, n78, n96, Nokia, om malik, truphone, VoIP

A few months ago the UK-based mobile VoIP operator Truphone bought Sim4Travel, a company which provides an international sim card to cut costs of international roaming.

Today they sent me an email with a promotional offer by which I can get a free SIM card by paying for 10 pounds of talk time credit on it.

I have to say that their offer looks really interesting and their rates very cheap. The good point is that I don’t pay to receive calls in over 50 countries so I can even keep that SIM in my mobile phone even while I am in my country without having to pay when someone calls me.

Together with the SIM you get a +44 number (unlike MaxRoam, no other country codes unfortunately) and most outbound calls cost about 0,25p (pounds).

Unfortunately, for certain use cases, there are solutions much cheaper. For example, going back to my tests while I was in Palo Alto, a solution involving a local T-Mobile SIM and Rebtel or Jajah Direct are still MUCH cheaper.

Technorati Tags: luca filigheddu, maxroam, Mobile, sim4travel, truphone, Voice 2.0, VoIP

I still have to get my brand new iPhone 3G (tomorrow is my bday… who knows…) but I don’t have any doubt on which iPhone apps I’m going to install first. Here is my Top Five (+ 1) list.

1) Google Mobile App

How many times do I use Google to find everything? Always. So this app will definitely be on my iPhone.

2) Twitterrific

Are you a Twitter addict? I’m becoming it, more and more, and Twitterrific for the iPhone looks really cool. Definitely a must-have.

3) Wordpress

Blogging on the go has always been painful for me, never found the right app for my Nokia phones. This seems to be the definitive solution. It’s not available yet, but should be in the following weeks. In the meantime, enjoy this video.

4) NetNewsWire

After many trials, NetNewsWire has been sticky for me and it’s my everyday companion to go through my over 200 RSS feeds. It’s now available for the iPhone, so why not?

5) Facebook

The Safari version is already very hot, but this one looks like even better.

Special Mention (SIX): (6) Truphone

Truphone has been the first ever VoIP application working on the iPhone. Now everyone can get it from the iTunes App Store and it looks like a clear winner in this space. Congrats to all the Truphone team for this great goal. We had to wait but it was worth it.

Technorati Tags: Apple, facebook, Google, iphone, luca filigheddu, Mobile, netnewswire, truphone, twitterrific, VoIP, wordpress

A trusted source told me that Truphone will likely release a multi-IM client for the iPhone, supporting the most popular IM networks, including Skype.

If this were true, this would be definitely an important move by the UK-based mobile VOIP operator, adding an important piece to their current portfolio of available VoIP/IM clients.

Technorati Tags: Apple, iphone, luca filigheddu, Mobile, truphone, Voice 2.0, VoIP

Truphone is no longer offering their FREE calls, after having had this options for many months. Mobivox, announced that calls between Mobivox users are no longer FREE, too.

All that said, is a new trend starting? Are we finally in front of the end of the FREElosophy?

On the contrary, companies like Rebtel caught this opportunity immediately and issued a press release where they state that, unlike TruEphone and Mobivox, their service can still be used for FREE, with the “smart call” option.

Unfortunately there are two weak points here. First, this is not free. That option can be used if both users are calling a local number from their phone, calls that they are paying (not to Rebtel, but to their local telecom provider). From Rebtel’s website:

Please note: You and your friend will pay your phone companies for the local part of the call. The international connection is free!

Secondly, that method is not certainly the most usable, they surely have other methods much more suitable for a wide general usage. However, we have to say that Rebtel’s CEO honestly admits this in the press release:

“It true that most of our customers choose our paid service,” said Hjalmar Winbladh, Rebtel co-founder and CEO.  “And we don’t deny that our free calling service requires people to jump through a hoop or two.  But if free is what matters to you, then give us a try. It’s really not hard to do – in fact, we think it’s kind of fun.”

Anyway, customers will tell their opinion by using this or that service. In the meantime, I praise any VoIP company that start making users pay for their services. It’s a clear equation: someone offers you a service, you have to pay.

Technorati Tags: free, luca filigheddu, mobivox, rebtel, truphone, VoIP