One of the biggest costs associated with owning a smartphone besides data is the number of minutes required each month to run a non stop real estate business. If you’re an iPhone or Android owner, we want to show you ways around using all of those minutes. So get ready to call your provider and get a smaller plan, because the secret is out!
First up is the iPhone solution, Viber which is a free app allowing iPhone calls with VoIP (voice over IP) internationally and on 3G. For now it’s not the greatest thing since sliced bread because the free calls are only between Viber users (and there’s no guarantee that the person you want to talk to is on Viber), but as the network grows, Viber will become even more useful. It will also pave the way for other apps to make VoIP commonplace.
For Android users, there is a solution that is the best thing since sliced bread and it doesn’t require anything of the person you’re calling. Although it requires a phone plan (you can’t remove the phone option), there is a combination of apps that allow you to make free VoIP calls. Sign up for Sipgate and use Google Voice and it’s ON! Click here for instructions, we won’t bore you non-Android users.
Although we have the largest plan offered by Sprint, we barely use the phone feature and if the Android option above would let us remove the phone plan and only pay for data, we would (but alas, it requires a phone plan). So, we’re now going to the lowest minute plan, sticking with unlimited data and hotspot and cutting our bill in half. How cool is that!?
Ralph Bell
January 31, 2011 at 3:10 pm
Been playing with this idea in my head for months. I already use Sipgate from my laptop to make annoying calls while in Starbucks and in the office. Now I don’t have to take my laptop with me. I can do it all from my phone. Great tip Lani!
Lani Rosales
January 31, 2011 at 4:05 pm
Is Sipgate pretty reliable? I am nervous about using it…
Bryan McDonald
January 31, 2011 at 5:30 pm
I haven’t tried Viber yet but I have been using Sipgate for a few months now with no problems. I use it with my Google Voice number to make free phone calls. It works great over Wi-Fi but not as well over 3G.
Ralph Bell
January 31, 2011 at 10:33 pm
It has been super reliable from Wi-Fi and LAN. I haven’t tested it with 3G. I also use the Mozilla plugin which allows me to click on any telephone number and it connects the call via my softphone.
Erion Shehaj
February 1, 2011 at 10:55 pm
I just tried this with the Evo. Doesn’t really work over 3G. And I’m not entirely sure what the purpose of Google Voice callback is in it. If I just use Sipgate by itself, it works pretty well though
Matt Thomson
February 1, 2011 at 11:59 pm
Very intrigued. I’ll try and set it up tomorrow and see how it works.