Simon Sharwood03 May 2007, 10:50 PM
Mobile telcos are going to be squeemish at the thought of users turning to this new VoIP app for mobiles, which allows the use of up to six VoIP lines on one handset.
 Fring, fring: that'll be the internet calling |
Over the last couple of months, Australians have gained the option of using Skype on their mobile phones, thanks to products like 3's X-Series phones .
But now, a UK company called Fring has now taken the concept several steps further, with an application that lets mobile handsets handle up to five different voice lines.
Fring, available at fring.com accomplishes this trick through software that acts as a client for Skype, Windows Messenger, Google Talk and even Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) VoIP services.
You can even set up Fring so it is connected to an account for each of these services, making it five phones in one if you have an account with all its supported partners!
Fring-to-fring calls are also possible, taking the total number of lines to six.
Calls to and from these services are treated as data, meaning they incur data charges rather than the tolls associated with mobile phone voice calls. But with plans like 3's X-Series offering two gigabytes a month of bandwidth, Fring makes a lot of sense. (And of course, Virgin Mobile's $5 for 1GB plan makes it pretty attractive too.)
Sadly, the software only runs on Nokia phones from the E Series, N Series and a few models in its 6600 range. But the company hints that versions for Windows Mobile and handsets from other manufacturers are on the way too.
And when Fring reaches beyond its current handset ghetto, watch out! We tested the software using a Nokia N73 on an X-Series plan, and configured it to connect to our SIP VoIP from iiNet. Configuration took a few minutes to figure out, but only because Fring insists on offering a field called ‘Proxy server' instead of a more intuitive name like ‘SIP Server'. Once we figured out what was needed, the phone quickly registered. Sound quality was fine and the phone reliable.
We're now salivating at the prospect of loading Fring onto a WiFi-enabled mobile and throwing out the headsets and handsets that currently clutter the office.
Fring it on!
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