Sweden-based Rebtel have launched a product that will allow users to dial any international number at the cost of a local call. It works by having the two ends of the call use local connections (over low-cost local calls) to a VoIP point and then bridge the call to the recipient at the other end over the net.
I am sitting here at AlwaysOn conference watching the CEO, Hjalmar Winbladh, demo the product as part of the CEO showcase that Mike Arrington is moderating. Rebtel has received a good reception with the audience and the judges here as it seems to be a simple, yet inovative solution for the high costs of long-distance telephone calls.
You can try the product by filling out the form on the front page of their website. It will send an SMS to both the initiator of the call as well as the recipient and then connect the two ends. It will setup a local number for each friend you setup. The cost of each number that is setup is $1 per week, which is for unlimited calling to the other end.
The company is based in Sweden and was founded by serial-entrepreneur Hjalmar Winbladh, the founder of SendIt (which was acquired by Microsoft in ‘99) and a General Manager for Microsoft Mobile solutions in Europe.
That sounds like a great way to leverage VOIP for users uninterested in downloading a desktop client. Very cool.
This could be a potential cost savings for those who need to keep in constant contact with their offices – especially while traveling – since mobile phones also can be used.
Also, family members who are seperated by long distances, who do not want to be just limited to using VOIP on their PCs to save money.
I think this is a great product and idea. I think I will use this to talk to some of my friends in Europe and South Africa.
Good concept, however most intuitive internet savvy users already have a Voip or cheap calling card/plan hooked up for them.
The *problem* I see is that they do not have countries like India and several more that cost real money. Once they integrate them, then its a worthwhile proposition.
Fantastic service and at a great price. I have written a brief review on my blog about this.
It says I will pay my local call rates of my operator when I make international calls with rebtel. My mobile operator is doing a promotion letting students speak 1 hour after midnight only for 1 usd. Does this mean that I will call from Turkey(here) and talk to my friends in US just for 1 usd per hour?
somebody please make it clear for me
This is a great idea but now we all are gonna have like a million more numbers to have to remember.
For most countries Calling Cards are just fine…I still dont see how this is that great. Calling is already cheap.
VoipBuster have had this feature on their website for a while, except that their version is free. Oh, you can call to mobiles in the US, too. See http://blog.voi...via-voipbuster/ for the details.
VoipBuster does this, except they offer the call for free (at least for most of the world where you don’t pay to recieve a call) – and to mobiles. See http://blog.voi...via-voipbuster/ for details.
Isn’t that what Jajah is doing for quite some time now?
Jajah has been doing this for some time and even offers free calls. I live in California and use Jajah to call my girlfriend in Germany for free. I got fed up with Skype because most people I call don’t spend their lives in front of a computer. Jajah is cool because it’s a basic callback system and there’s no flat fees.
jajah did it long ago. they also offer free calls between users!
forget all that – use Globe Dialer to make cheap VoIP calls from your mobile. Those others are great when you are home at the computer – but come on – in the real world you are out and want to use your mobile – that’s where Globe Dialer comes in.
i just checked it out and it’s the best thing = http://www.globedialer.com
I checked up the different sollutions and the best alternative for mobile to mobile over the world still seams to be rebtel.
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Dear Sir,
I want to get some informations, and about of the “legality” of this serviçe in Brazil, so , I need too now about what this region is your serviçe availble in our Conutry.
Thanks.
Mario
my daughter recently moved to chile and is accessible only thru a cell phone. what is the best way for the four family members (each with a cell phone) to call her and could we also call her from our land lines too?
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I think this is a fantastic product and great idea.