Comments on: Truphone Adds Key iPhone App Features, Hunkers Down

By: Skype me! - Truphone adds Skype to iPhone

Skype me! - Truphone adds Skype to iPhone — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:08:38 +0000

[...] In December, Truphone re-vamped its iPhone app with two crucial new features. The first, dubbed Truphone Anywhere enables iPhone users to make low-priced international calls via the GSM network even when they are not connected to Wi-Fi. Prior to this you needed WiFi. The second is that inbound Truphone calling on the iPhone was added. In addition Truphone are able to indicate ‘presence’, as in ‘available’ or not. [...]

By: links for 2008-12-12 « Brent Sordyl’s Blog

links for 2008-12-12 « Brent Sordyl’s Blog — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:01:18 +0000

[...] Truphone Adds Key iPhone App Features, Hunkers Down With the new main feature, customers will pay for a local connection to the GSM network before the rest of the call is connected using VoIP. That would make an international call around $.06 per minute from the US to another country (or 3 pence if you were calling from the UK). (tags: iphone appstore voip) [...]

By: Skeptic

Skeptic — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 08:17:19 +0000

@ Alexander Straub:

Why did you not disclose that you are an investor in Truphone?

Pretty lame marketing efforts by you.

By: fb510434054

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:39:27 +0000

It works perfectly today.

By: Jeff S

Jeff S — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 02:21:36 +0000

True, it could have been my Airport/Comcast combo.

By: Alexander Straub

Alexander Straub — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:48:25 +0000

Not sure about quality on the call, the ((truphone)) is recognized as a Gold Standard. yes it is not the cheapest provider but I have used it since 2 years for all my business calls and have had never any issues, Not on Nokia, neither on iPhone or blackberry. Sometimes the WiFi access point could be the reason. I use it mainly on Nokia and my new Nokia E71 does it perfectly.

By: Alexander Straub

Alexander Straub — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:46:38 +0000

You may want to email support@truphone.com or visit the mobile voip forum http://www.mobilevoipforum.org for help. I used it and it worked perfectly.

By: Alexander Straub

Alexander Straub — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:45:36 +0000

But it can also terminate on the truphone network in which case the call is FREE. Used case. You dial from the US to India (the called party in India has a truphone enabled phone). You call him via ((truphone)) anywhere, effectively you only take the minutes out of your bundles in the US, the remaining journey on ((truphone)) is completely free, all the way to INDIA. WHO can beat this?

By: Alexander Straub

Alexander Straub — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:43:14 +0000

I love you analysis. Clearly truphone is great for calls from iPhone to iPhone when you are all on the ((truphone)) network. IP to IP calling is nothing which is build into the phone the last time I bought an iPhone. Therefore I am glad ((truphone)) build the app and allows you to also terminate on landline and regular mobiles. It also helps in situations in which you have no coverage. I believe the US has still quite some dead spots, so WiFi can help. But in general the international calling is not enabled once you get a contract, so truphone is a great alternative.

By: Rupert Goldie

Rupert Goldie — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:41:45 +0000

The application just calls a local access number and places the international call through their switch. The fact that they use VoIP to carry the call is fairly irrelevant, pretty much any cheap calling provider would be doing that today, it’s just a transport mechanism.

The call starts as a GSM call, gets carried internationally as VoIP and then onto the fixed network to terminate to the called number.

By: Alexander Straub

Alexander Straub — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:39:02 +0000

Wow, just got back from LeWeb and tested the new ((truphone)) iPhone app. I love the presence indication. Once you have moved your Tru Buddies into the favourites they are indicated with a Green arrow to be ON Net. My father as well as Stefan Menden our associate are ONnet, so I called my father on his US truphone Number in Germany. The CALL was Crystal clear. Again a sign how high quality the apps by truphone are, the voice quality in my mind is better than GSM once you are IP to IP. Just love the new app. Lot’s of bugs fixed and lots of new feature, truphone anywhere is something I cannot live without, I got used to it on my Nokia’s but I am very glad it is now also available on my iPhone. GREAT job ((truphone)) guys, keep innovating.

It shows how a newcomer can bring services to the market we all have been waiting for. Presence for example is so hugely helpful if you are using your phone for business. This is just the beginning of a new mobile voice area with lots of very useful feature and add ons.

By: December 10, 2008 | next media update

December 10, 2008 | next media update — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:06:25 +0000

[...] Truphone Adds Key iPhone App Features, Hunkers Down TECHCRUNCH Truphone has re-vamped its iPhone app with two crucial new features. The first, dubbed Truphone Anywhere enables iPhone users to make low-priced international calls via the GSM network even when they are not connected to Wi-Fi. This is significant because prior to this you needed WiFi. The second is that inbound Truphone calling on the iPhone has now been added for the first time. That means Truphone-made calls between two iPhones are free. In addition – and this is somethiing business users will probably like – Truphone users will be able to indicate ‘presence’, as in ‘available’ or not. Source> [...]

By: Gary Lavin

Gary Lavin — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:11:36 +0000

So how does this app differ from Skype?

By: appmaker

appmaker — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:28:48 +0000

I’m an iphone developer. I have apps in the store. Let me break the news to you… there will NOT be a version of ANY app that allows a true “alway-on” experience. The platform doesn’t allow the idea of a “service” that runs in the background. Any implementation of this type of thing will be some hack around this limitation.

By: EH

EH — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:25:37 +0000

You know, I was just thinking that having a good looking interface is overrated.

By: EH

EH — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:24:06 +0000

As they’ve said on many occasions, TC are not journalists and have no standard of quality.

By: AppBeacon

AppBeacon — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:18:18 +0000

I’m really surprised this app survived the Apple review process. Several other apps have been pulled because they duplicated functionality built into the iPhone. Last time I checked, calling was already a function of the iPhone!

Also, you’d think that AT&T (and other carriers tied to the iPhone) would be clamoring to get this app axed. Either Apple has some balls and is pushing back, or they are afraid of the public outcry for pulling an app like this.

By: fb510434054

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:39:16 +0000

With repeat attempts I get a very pleasant woman telling me that the international number I’m trying to dial isn’t in service.

Anyone get it to work?

By: Jeff S

Jeff S — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:27:33 +0000

My wife tried Truphone on the iPhone to call her mother in Japan. Her mother kept saying “What’s wrong with your phone?” She had to hang up and go back to using Onesuite.com (which is cheaper anyway).

Jeff, Seattle

By: fb510434054

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:22:20 +0000

The new anywhere feature is great… but it doesn’t seem to work. I’ve tried 3 times to make a call from London to Toronto… no luck.

By: Brian Sherwin @ Myartspace Blog

Brian Sherwin @ Myartspace Blog — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:17:57 +0000

People never want to give the details.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:58:22 +0000

OK, so I’ll play the bad guy here and point out that, in the first sentence of this article, “it’s” is a contraction for “it is” and “its” is a possessive meaning something belonging to it.

Yeah, I know everyone hates grammar police but I love TechCrunch enough to want to see you look as professional as possible. (So feel free to delete this comment if you correct the sentence.)