VoIP startup Jaxtr has just launched a new service called FreeConnect that gives members the ability to talk to each other on their mobile phones, free of charge, for as long as they’d like. The service seems too good to be true – unless Jaxtr begins serving ads with each call, FreeConnect has no apparent way of making money. But Jaxtr’s interim CEO Bahman Koohestani says that the company is using the service to expose itself to new members, who may be enticed by the more convenient and feature rich premium services offered by Jaxtr.
The biggest deterrent to using FreeConnect is the number of hoops that users will have to jump through to get started. For starters, both members have to be members of Jaxtr. To initiate the call, you first need to enter the number you’re looking to reach into Jaxtr, which will then spit out a local number for you to call using your cell phone. After calling that number, Jaxtr will send a SMS message to the person you’re calling with a number that’s local for them. Once they dial that number, you enter a free mobile call that can go as long as you’d like. The process is tedious, but after creating the initial connection you can use the same local numbers to reach each other in the future.
Users can skip this ordeal entirely by placing calls using Jaxtr’s (very cheap) paid service, which is probably what the company is hoping will eventually happen. Koohestani says that FreeConnect is not just a trial promotion, but I can’t see the company keeping it going for long unless it can increase membership and convert a significant fraction of new members into paying customers.
The last few months have been rough on Jaxtr. Only a few months after closing an $11 million funding round, the company was forced to lay off 13 employees, and then saw its CEO Konstantin Guericke resign (VP Engineering Bahman Koohestani is acting as an interim CEO).
who has got patience to do all that
No kidding. Give them an inch and they will take a mile.
That very good http://www.jugargame.com/
http://www.rebtel.com – what’s new here?
that’s nice and all, but http://jajah.com will do all that for the basic services of any voip users with less hassle. AND, if your friends are also jajah users it’s free. So, like any other service, you’re gong to pay something for voip… at least with Jajah, I can make the call without hassle to any device that can accept a call (no software needed), etc. and make it to friends on it also, (no “hoops”).
unless I really have to use something like skype or gizmo, I just stick to jajah for making calls.
Amazing that a startup could release a product like FreeConnect. Seems like a punishment rather than a service. They need a smart free thinker in the company who has depth in the technology and at the same time understand the market needs. I would have never released a product like this in my life and there are many other ways of generating revenues with the 10 M users that they talk about.
Too bad
SG
With all that complication, I am still confused as to how this is a ‘free’ mobile to mobile service when you still have to pay for airtime.
Freeringer offers a similar service although only to selected countries (30) – http://www.freeringer.biz/
We’re seeing the shake out of all of these “new telcos,” who are seeing that telco is a scale business.
The good news for consumers is that the metered usage model is going away, and transport is become so cheap that new rev models are possible.
ie, advertising.
It’s easy to poo-poo advertising, but there’s not a single person on this site that wouldn’t opt-in for an intelligent advertising experience if it would make their phone bill go away.
The operative word is “intelligent.”
Folks, it’s coming; be excited. Your phone bill is going away. the early solutions will be off the mark as usual, but longer term the right balance will be struck.
Brilliant move by CMC and Jaxtr!!!
I have tried it. Its good. Also reviewed on http://www.callsavr.com
No joke. Bad move on not making CMC king. CMC is the messiah that will guide us through these dark times. All hail CMC.
Wow thats impressive – what countries is this too? is it really unlimited? i been using poketalk.com for free calling but i might change because they have a call time limitation.
This is CMC. I appreciate the support, but at this current time, I prefer to remain the puppet master rather than being the external face of the company.
He speaks! CMC, we will honor your wishes. But just so you know, your minions will never stop hoping for you to take over your rightful place as the head of Jaxtr
Very nice tool. thanks. complete review at http://webisee.com
I have happily used rebtel.com for about two years. It works really well. Their website is slow.
Its a race-to-zero though. And “new lower international rates” their perennial tagline. Dont want to be in their business but happy to use their service.