Truphone has recently unveiled a brand new version of its multi-network IM and VoIP application for the Android platform. The single most important change in Truphone for Android v2.0 is completely reworked user interface which makes the app easier to use. In addition, the code is tweaked (or completely changed – we’re not sure), resulting in faster and more responsive experience.
Truphone, however, remains the same at its core, providing users with the ability to make free or cheap phone calls (Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Talk and Skype are supported), as well as chat with their buddies from multiple IM networks — including Skype, Google Talk, MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, AIM and Twitter.
Want it? The new application is available for download from the Truphone’s website or from the Android Market.
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard some company promise me that they’re going to reduce the price of my phone bill by letting me use WiFi to make phone calls, I would not have to pay my phone bill for over a decade. Cherry, a new operator based of Belgium, is claiming that their “revolutionary” and “unique” approach to making phone calls will save you money. There are a few clauses: you have to be using a Nokia (NYSE: NOK) S60 device, and it has to be running their software.
This is their fancy marketing video, probably done by a starving university student for a 6 pack of beer and a kebab:
And here is an interview with Cherry CEO Bernard Noël De Burlin, Telco Service Manager Davy Van De Moere, done by Robin Wauters from Tech Crunch:
Now granted, they do hand offs between WiFi and GSM, which is pretty cool, but I just can’t get myself excited about this no matter how hard I try.
If you’re interested in someone who does the exact same thing, but supports more devices, and has been in the game way longer, check out Truphone.
Truphone has updated its Symbian S60 application and now it works on 11 additional Nokia (NYSE: NOK) handsets, running S60 3.2 (Feature pack 2) and touch-enabled S60 5th Edition. The new Nokia S60 smartphones that now sing along the popular low-cost VoIP and IM service/application are: N96, N78, N85, N79, 5630, 5800, 5320, 6210, 6220, 6650, and E63.
In addition, three of the devices from the list — Nokia N85, N79 and 5630 — are also compatible with the original Truphone Wi-Fi calling service.
With this addition, Truphone is now compatible with a total of 26 Nokia devices. Of those, software for 14 of the Truphone-compatible phones can now be downloaded from Nokia’s Ovi Store, with the software for 11 of the remaining 12 new devices to be added to the Ovi store soon.
On the heels of the release of Truphone 3.0 for the Apple iPhone, Truphone has recently launched the version of their app for iPod Touch users.
The updated application is even easier to use, faster, and brings improved voice quality. As with the previous release, the new version also supports a number of IM services such as Skype, MSN Messenger, AIM, Yahoo! Messenger and Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Talk. Users can phone for free to other Truphone, Skype, and Google Talk users; while calling to landlines and mobiles around the world is significantly cheaper, and you can see rates before actually initiating a call.
Rest of the features include:
Display recent call history, showing the Truphone customer exactly how much a call just cost and how long it lasted with the ability to see a summary of calls made month by month;
Top-up from within the application, without the need for web windows to open separately;
Top-up in a variety of ways: credit card or PayPal;
SIM4travel, a Truphone company, has announced a special offer for those customers affected by the termination of the United Mobile service. The offer includes a free SIM4travel SIM card with free 5 GBP credit when they top-up 10 GBP.
United Mobile has recently left its customers without a service, and SIM4travel as a smart company tries to bank the opportunity. For the purpose, they’ve prepared a dedicated page on their website to explain all the details to the parties affected.
Commenting on the news, Truphone’s CEO, Geraldine Wilson, said: “It’s never a nice thing to see a business struggle, particularly in these tough economic times, but we’re keen to ensure that as many customers as possible continue to make great savings on their roaming charges – and with SIM4travel quality offering that’s what they’ll get.”
One of the most popular multi IM network and VoIP clients, Truphone, has been recently updated for the Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) iPhone. Version 3.0 is faster than ever, “enhancing users’ instant messaging and account management experience,” while at the same time delivering a “new standard for call quality.”
Those not familiar should know Truphone allows users to keep up with their buddies on multiple instant messaging networks, such as Skype, MSN Messenger, AIM, Yahoo! Messenger and Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Talk. Moreover, users can make free calls to other Truphone, Skype and Google Talk users; or make regular, but way more affordable calls to landlines and mobiles.
In a nutshell, it’s one of those must-have apps on your iPhone, especially when you consider its price – FREE! The updated version for iPod Touch will be released in the near future… In the meantime, the download link for Truphone for iPhone stays the same.
One of the most popular VoIP application companies, Truphone, has recently announced TruUnlimited, “a robust, flat-rate, worry-free” calling plan with the idea to offer its customers a single price for calls to both landlines and mobiles, without requiring them [users] to enter into long-term contracts.
There are two plans available – TruUnlimited for Landlines and TruUnlimited for Mobiles. The first of the two gives unlimited calls to landlines in 38 countries for just 10 GBP per month, and also permits calls to mobile phones in some top destinations such as the USA, Canada, China, and Hong Kong at no extra charge.
As for the TruUnlimited for Mobiles, it provides subscribers with unlimited calls to mobiles and landlines in 64 countries for just 25 GBP per month.
Both plans are available immediately both to existing Truphone customers and new subscribers, no matter which platform they use…
During the recently ended CTIA in Las Vegas, Truphone announced that it is entering the U.S. market in a big way. More specifically, the company launched its Truphone Business offering and the Truphone Channel Partner Program in the States.
We’ve already covered Truphone Business in the past, when we’ve talked about the service for the UK market. I’ll only repeat that we’re talking about a BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) application that enables business users to make low-cost international phone calls.
At the same time, they announced the Truphone Channel Partner Program to recruit partners to sell and distribute Truphone Business to companies throughout the U.S. As part of the program, resellers are offered generous commission plans according to a tiered structure, as well as a range of sales incentive schemes, co-marketing funds, and a wide variety of marketing support materials.
Additionally, the channel program offers sales and marketing training modules, dedicated channel managers to support partners’ sales teams in addition to secure and easy to use customer management tools to make all order entries, adds, changes, deactivations and trouble ticketing seamless and instantaneous.
The popular mobile VoIP company, Truphone, has recently launched Truphone Business, a BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) application enabling business users to make 50% cheaper international phone calls.
The new service unfortunately isn’t available globally – it’s the UK that the company is targeting, at least initially. The whole thing works like “standard” Truphone app, meaning that it’s almost entirely “invisible” to end users, who simply dial an international number as usual, without noticing that the call is being connected by Truphone.
Truphone Business is quick and easy to provision, being pushed to each device via the Blackberry server, instantly activating the service on every BlackBerry device. Specifically designed for business use, the service also offers centralised monthly billing with itemised and departmental reporting.
The new service is offered at two tiers of rates, TruStandard and TruSaver, for a monthly subscription of 2.50 GBP and 5.00 GBP, respectively. Truphone’s website is the place to look for all the additional information.
Truphone is on the rage. At the Mobile World Congress they announced a new offering called Truphone Local Anywhere. The idea is to go beyond VoIP application and offer a single-SIM, multi-country mobile service that will turn any mobile call within the set of supported countries into a local call.
Some of the Truphone Local Anywhere features include:
Number portability of existing mobile and landline numbers to Truphone
Multi-language customer support
Ability to manage Caller ID
Competitive rates on domestic calls, SMS and data in home country
Low-cost international calling to the world from any Truphone Local Anywhere-supported country
Up to 80% savings on roaming charges
No roaming surcharges to received calls in most major destinations
TruFriends – even lower rates for calling other Truphone Local Anywhere users
Additional “virtual” country mobile numbers which seem “local” in another country so friends/colleagues can call at local rates.
In a nutshell, Truphone wants you to dump your existing SIM card and grab theirs, and they have a compelling offering to entice you to do so.
But, there’s always some “but.” If you’re not travelling that often, Truphone’s offering may not be for you. As a matter of fact they identified several groups of users who may be interested in Truphone Local Anywhere. They include travel industry workers, second home owners, professional expatriate workers, international business people and international students.
Now you may wonder about the price and the availability. Truphone Local Anywhere is coming in H2 2009 and we still don’t have all the rates. However, I’m sure we’ll find out more as soon as they have something new to report. Stay tuned, in the meantime…
