Apple allowing VOIP over 3G

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

iCall

In a bit of chest-thumping, the iPhone app developers of iCall issued a press release today announcing that Apple has lifted the restriction on using voice over internet protocol calls on the iPhone for 3G networks and iPod Touch for wi-fi only. Apparently Apple has updated the iPhone developer kit to allow voIP over cellular networks. Rumor has it that the 3G restriction wasn’t anything to do with the software itself, but instead a server-side block, coming from the carrier (AT&T etc.) Perhaps this is some of the fallout from the clogged network issues AT&T customers have been enduring, but from our point of view this may only add to the amount of data, thus making it worse.

According to the iCall press release:

“With the latest revisions Apple has made to the iPhone developer agreement and Software Development Kit, iCall for the iPhone and iPod Touch now enabled unrestricted free local and long distance calling over 3G data networks. iCall with support for VoIP over 3G networks is now available in the App Store for download. iCall is the first and only VoIP application available for the iPhone platform that allows use over 3G networks. iCall for the iPhone and iPod Touch may now be downloaded from the App Store here.

If you are to believe this press release it would now seem that you can make free and unlimited phone calls. But hold on. A visit to the iCall website shows the rate plans they have in place. Granted their calling is cheaper than Skype, reviews are not too positive on the app store. The application is buggy and offering no support even to those who invest in the unlimited calling plan for $9.95 a month.

This all being said, Apple and the carriers have opened the door, and other apps will soon follow, hopefully better quality apps. For now Skype and Truphone are still the go to alternatives. The phone calling landscape is about to change.

This is a post by The Apps Machine.