# VOIP over iPhone?



## HackNSlash (Apr 3, 2009)

Hey all,

Do you guys have any recommendations for what app to make VOIP calls on the iPhone? Is there anything out there that lets you call to regular phone numbers (ie not just other smartphones that have the same app installed)?


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## Spudd (Oct 11, 2011)

I don't know of anything except Skype, which I use with great success on my iphone. It saved me quite a few times for work conference calls when I was in Costa Rica on business and unable to figure out how to use the local landlines. I think Skype charges for non toll-free numbers, though.


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## Four Pillars (Apr 5, 2009)

I use the Skype App. It lets you call any number.

They have long distance packages - I think I paid around $36 for one year which gives me unlimited Canada and US long distance.

It's not 100% reliable though - sometimes it just doesn't work. But, it's mostly ok.

VOIP uses more data, so keep that in mind too.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

First voip.ms hands down, for Cdn phone number and voip minutes (cent a minute or unlimited for $5/month iirc) The site is complicated but I had it set up and running in 5 mins the first time with help of chat (and copy/pasting like 2 things) Less complicated than paying a Rogers bill really

Then there are many many apps that let you use this account such as Bria (and I've deleted the many other ones such as V Phone G729, and I'm sure there's many now, just search for SIP) I get my voip.ms voicemail by email in a wav file, which I can easily listen to on iPhone. Text messages can be done for free from many apps. I've only paid for data now for years


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

Skype is just a proprietary version of VoIP and last time I checked it doesn't have Cdn numbers? I do use Skype as well and the quality is much lower, but therefore it should use less data. I don't talk for days on 3G and 500mB is more than enough for me to use VoIP (I just save long calls for WiFi). Best experience is on WiFi with a newer QoS router that prioritizes VoIP calls


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## colossk (May 11, 2011)

For those that use VOIP are you running to your computer when the "phone" rings or is there a portable device?


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## jamesbe (May 8, 2010)

Majicjack free app free voip calls to any number in NA
Talkatone free app free voip calls to any number in NA (uses google account)
NetTALK free app free voip calls to any number in NA

Have fun! I use these all the time for my long distance.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

colossk said:


> For those that use VOIP are you running to your computer when the "phone" rings or is there a portable device?


You can buy a small box that lets you plug in a POTS phone easily. You'll have to buy it online though as Robbers doesn't want you to know about it. Portable device would be a normal portable phone or a smartphone on WiFi

Magicjack is all marketing and ads imo voip.ms is much better for function and quality


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## kcowan (Jul 1, 2010)

My magicjack runs to an AX522 switch and then to a cordless phone base so that any extension can answer incoming. For outgoing, a 0# switches the line. Never go to the computer.

I use Skype from my Android smartphone.


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## Guigz (Oct 28, 2010)

mode3sour said:


> I've only paid for data now for years


Can you give more details on how you do it, what company and plan you are on? I have been looking at getting an android phone but the high monthly price has been holding me back. I have a cell phone with speakout and I average about 1-2$/month in use. Obviously, I do not use data at this point.


I already use VOIP.ms for my home phone with a spa 3102 adapter so I am aware of how this part functions. I am mostly asking about how you only have a data plan on your cell phone.


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## KaeJS (Sep 28, 2010)

HackNSlash said:


> Hey all,
> 
> Do you guys have any recommendations for what app to make VOIP calls on the iPhone? Is there anything out there that lets you call to regular phone numbers (ie not just other smartphones that have the same app installed)?


netTALK is a good one. I use it for long distance calling.

It pre-loads all your contacts from your iPhone, so you can just select your contact and it will dial for you. You can call other cells, landlines, local, long distance, whatever.

Doesn't cost a dime, as long you have data or wifi.


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## leoc2 (Dec 28, 2010)

If you have a gmail account you could uses google voice. Here are the rates... https://www.google.com/voice/rates?hl=en


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

Guigz said:


> Can you give more details on how you do it, what company and plan you are on? I have been looking at getting an android phone but the high monthly price has been holding me back. I have a cell phone with speakout and I average about 1-2$/month in use. Obviously, I do not use data at this point.
> 
> 
> I already use VOIP.ms for my home phone with a spa 3102 adapter so I am aware of how this part functions. I am mostly asking about how you only have a data plan on your cell phone.


When I did it a few years ago, all the reps would flat out say it was not possible (they don't lie, they're just told lies..). I read online that it was possible, and this was obvious because those usb sticks are data only plans... This was the same when people were getting dry dsl back in the day all the reps said it was not possible. My iPhone bill was $25 vs $80..

These kinds of technology are popular all over the world, yet Cdn reps somehow keep us in the dark ages and we believe them lol. The military uses VoIP in combat and at home so it is very reliable, that is if the people controlling the network let it be lol


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## jamesbe (May 8, 2010)

It's not that it is not TECHNICALLY possible. But I don't believe the major canadian players will let you do it.


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## ddkay (Nov 20, 2010)

Rogers sells data only plans for iPads, the microSIM+adapter provided should work in any Rogers compatible mobile device: http://www.rogers.com/web/content/ipad-dataplans. $35 for 5GB is still really expensive...

The problem with VoIP is latency sensitivity. I tested my voip.ms number with sipdroid via Rogers HSPA+ network in my city last year, with 60ms to the gateway and random packet loss I found calls were choppy about 75% of the time. If you do a lot of travelling, chances are you will at some point be pushed onto the GRPS network, this is where latency jumps to 1000ms and VoIP calls are impossible. LTE will bring a lot of improvement with latency at around 10ms, but still the best service quality is bound to specific urban areas or around WiFi. Obviously Rogers network is not going to be giving IP traffic priority to VoIP for consumers, so it is probably not be a very good long-term solution either...

PS I've switched to Wind, got a kick-*** deal from their retention department, it's basically the $40/mo Holiday Miracle Plan promo they are running now minus $5/mo for life:
-Unlimited CA/US calling
-Unlimited CA/US picture messaging
-Unlimited Global text messaging
-Unlimited Data with tethering
-Voicemail, Call control

Apple devices aren't compatible yet. Maybe the iPhone 5 will be. Not an issue for me tho, I've only got Nokia's Android's and BlackBerries in my phone collection.

If you're interested in the future of Wind I suggest reading this interview with Tony about our telecom industry, ineffective regulation and the upcoming 700MHz LTE auction: http://www.cartt.ca/inDepth/1012/Wi...tion-regulation-and-the-upcoming-auction.html


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## ddkay (Nov 20, 2010)

Guigz said:


> Can you give more details on how you do it, what company and plan you are on? I have been looking at getting an android phone but the high monthly price has been holding me back. I have a cell phone with speakout and I average about 1-2$/month in use. Obviously, I do not use data at this point.
> 
> 
> I already use VOIP.ms for my home phone with a spa 3102 adapter so I am aware of how this part functions. I am mostly asking about how you only have a data plan on your cell phone.


With Speakout (Rogers MVNO), prepaid expires after a year(?), so you have to continuously top-up with a minimum of $25/month for 100 minutes plus additional usage or $20/month for the month-to-month plans. Not the best deal out there, but obviously by piggybacking Rogers, they have a larger network and you can worry less about roaming charges (typically 20-25 cents/min) ontop of long distance charges. Anyway, I guess it depends on your usage. We don't have a traditional landline and rarely use VoIP. Someone like my mom burns through 3500 minutes a month on her cell phone, so having unlimited mobile airtime is literally saving thousands a year.


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## kcowan (Jul 1, 2010)

leoc2 said:


> If you have a gmail account you could uses google voice. Here are the rates... https://www.google.com/voice/rates?hl=en


Google voice only works for US numbers.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

jamesbe said:


> It's not that it is not TECHNICALLY possible. But I don't believe the major canadian players will let you do it.


Of course not, unless you ask them correctly. The dedicated forums are a better source for how to deal with clueless reps (I had data only with Rogers on an iPhone.. for $25/month 1GB, I don't know what the plans are now for tablets and rocket sticks) In Europe however I have much more data for €25 and there are no overage fees per mB like Rogers, just throttled like Wind

ddkay is right about latency. I find voip works great on WiFi with a mimo router, and it just works so so on 3G. For me, voice is a last resort because I prefer email or text as I travel so much. Email and FB is just so convenient because I can't answer my phone all the time and the younger generation seems to agree with me. Normally I only use voice at home or when old school businesses/old people who can't type demand one and don't seem to accept email/SMS yet. That is where voip.ms saves me from spending the extra $50/month cell and $30/month landline. Those businesses/old people can just leave me a voicemail and I receive it conveniently by email in wav format (no more calling my voicemail bs when I'm traveling etc, and it's way cheaper) and I call them back when I'm available/it's cheaper


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## fabienne (Jan 4, 2012)

*Voip over iPhone*

Hi,
I would also tend to recommend skype... Even though I recently started to use forfone as well. It's a new app that offers quite similar services than skype. It's working well (sound quality, messages) and they have good prices to call people who do not have smartphones. 
The app is for sure available for iphone but should also be available for Android phones I think. 

Hope this could help...


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## dotnet_nerd (Jul 1, 2009)

Vonage just added a VOIP iphone app for making calls


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## jagger (Jan 12, 2011)

I use nettalk on my android phone. You can use google talk on your android device via an app known as Groove IP. The free version only allows you to make calls over wifi, paid version will let you make calls over data plan. It costs around $5, worth it for people that make long distance calls.

I'd love to see a native implementation of google voice for adroid devices in Canada. Not sure why the CRTC is blocking google from offering this service in Canada.


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