Vonage Mobile Offers International Calling for iPhone and iPod Touch

[wrlsmarc]

is this any different than google voice or truphone

i fail to understand why this is any different than google voice or truphone. Google voice allows you to either call in to your number to place the outbound call or you can use the google voice web app to initiate the call over the web. these are all dial around services. to me vonage is late to the game.

 

[ogxjason15]

i fail to understand why this is any different than google voice or truphone. Google voice allows you to either call in to your number to place the outbound call or you can use the google voice web app to initiate the call over the web. these are all dial around services. to me vonage is late to the game.

Once Vonage enables the World Plans...it will be quite different

Also Vonage is a real VoIP carrier that replaces your ordinary home phone.

 

[kuebby]

I'm not really clear about how this works for iPhone users calling either domestically or internationally from a foreign country.

Obviously if you turn the phone on it will auontomatically join the local network (my brother forgot to turn his phone to Airplane when we were in France and it automatically joined Orange) and then if you made any calls on the cell network you would have to pay for those minutes...

but what if you called using Wi-Fi? Is it the same prices as if you were calling from within the United States?

 

[ogxjason15]

I'm not really clear about how this works for iPhone users calling either domestically or internationally from a foreign country.

Obviously if you turn the phone on it will auontomatically join the local network (my brother forgot to turn his phone to Airplane when we were in France and it automatically joined Orange) and then if you made any calls on the cell network you would have to pay for those minutes...

but what if you called using Wi-Fi? Is it the same prices as if you were calling from within the United States?

If you were to use Wi-Fi and an App like Vonage/Skype (Unlimited US Plan)/Truphone/Google Voice...the calls will be free. However, if you are out of Wifi Range during a call, you will be disconnected.

 

[dread]

My brother does product testing for vonage, but did not work on this app, although he knew of it. This is typical vonage garbage. Their networks are the cheapest they can buy which is why only 30% of their calls work to international numbers. He told me they know of the issues and don't do anything about it, which is why they loose as many customers as they gain each month. The customer service is non-existent. The problem with vonage is their networks are horrible. For example I was in tanzania for 6 months and when my wife called me on our cablevision phone, the call always went through and sounded crystal clear and we only paid $.08 a minute, when my parents called on their vonage phone it would take 4-5 attempts to get through and I couldn't understand a word they were saying most of the time, plus they were paying $.30 a minute.

 

[edoates]

Seems to work fine with just WiFi for domestic, too

Using my iPhone 3Gs, it turned "airplane mode" on, then turned WiFi back on, so my cellular services are not available. Then I called my home landline number with 1-areacode-number, and the call went through, no problem. Slight delay (maybe 1/4 second: cool echo effect when I turned on my land line speaker phone ;-). No money was deducted from my $1.00 freebee from Vonage.

So that answers a prior question about turning off cell coverage while overseas to prevent in-country cell and roaming charges. You may have to pay for WiFi, however.

I assume the international call stuff is just fine calling from the US. I'm not out of the country for a while, so I can't test the WiFi use overseas (or shipboard on a cruise: that might be interesting...).

Note that it does NOT replace your home phone: you cannot receive calls via Vonage Mobile, and 911 does not work. But your caller ID goes through.

Eddie O

 

[mambodancer]

I agree, it is completely reasonable for it to work that way. It does, however, take away from the usefulness of the Vonage app, because you would still have to pay your plan with AT&T, unless you have wifi access all the time of course.

It doesn't use your minutes if you call on the weekends or after 9pm (or earlier, depending on your plan). That's what unlimited nights and weekends are for.

 

[wrlsmarc]

i was a former vonage customer. not sure how the service is now but back 2 years ago their international voice quality was pathetic. with skype, google voice and truphone, i have never had a bad sound quality issues.

My brother does product testing for vonage, but did not work on this app, although he knew of it. This is typical vonage garbage. Their networks are the cheapest they can buy which is why only 30% of their calls work to international numbers. He told me they know of the issues and don't do anything about it, which is why they loose as many customers as they gain each month. The customer service is non-existent. The problem with vonage is their networks are horrible. For example I was in tanzania for 6 months and when my wife called me on our cablevision phone, the call always went through and sounded crystal clear and we only paid $.08 a minute, when my parents called on their vonage phone it would take 4-5 attempts to get through and I couldn't understand a word they were saying most of the time, plus they were paying $.30 a minute.

 

[techiegirl]

Has anybody tried it on the Touch? I can't get it to work with a bluetooth headset.

 

[bretm]

I've used Vonage in the past and it was HORRIBLE!! They have terrible customer service, the phone calls would often be VERY POOR quality (so much that the calls were unbearable), there were long delays between speaking and hearing what was spoken (enough that you had to wait until the person was done speaking completely before you could even try to respond to them), and the service was not cheap.

I will never ever use Vonage again. RIP-OFF!!

You are much better off using Skype or Google Voice.

Well, I can't comment on your experience, or Vonage's customer service, because I've never needed it. They sent us a modem, we plugged it in, it worked. 5 Years later and nobody has ever noticed we're on vonage or complained about the quality. It's invisible. Never noticed Im using vonage either. Except of course when the cable goes out.

But for $25 a month, I get all the features the cable companies are charging $40 for. I can listen to messages online, have them emeiled to me, divert calls to cell phones if the service (Internet) is out, you name it. Faxes work great too these days. Didn't always.

I have to believe it's better than skype, etc.

Sorry it didn't work for you. Did you speed test your connection?

 

[techiegirl]

I too have had great experience with Vonage. Voice quality has been great. For $25 a month, we get unlimited international calls. I also get text of my voice messages emailed to me included.

 

[optophobia]

I too have had great experience with Vonage. Voice quality has been great. For $25 a month, we get unlimited international calls. I also get text of my voice messages emailed to me included.

REALLY ? Wow, I had vonage about 4 years ago, and the sound quality sounded like an old man with sleep apnea talking into a kazoo while jumping out of a plane into a waterfall.

 

[me.s]

I have used vonage in the past and will never use them again or recommend them. They are fine until you want to cancel your service and then they charge fees that are not disclosed and are very nasty. They even went so far as to change account information to their advantage without authorization. Very bad experience. If you google vonage problems you will find many complaints along these lines.

 

[kuebby]

If you were to use Wi-Fi and an App like Vonage/Skype (Unlimited US Plan)/Truphone/Google Voice...the calls will be free. However, if you are out of Wifi Range during a call, you will be disconnected.

Thanks, it still sounds like something that would have been very useful on my trip to France. On which I didn't take my iPhone, and I really missed it.