Vonage Goes Mobile: New Calling Applications Available

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 08, 2009 Posts: 2

I am wondering what Touch microphone/headphone works with the Vonage app (other then the $80 apple one)? I have tried the speaker, a microphone that I have for voice recording, regular headphone and blue tooth headphone/microphone. So far I can only hear dialing then total silence.

Posts: 656 · Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:29 am Post subject:

Make sure you have a 2nd Generation iPod Touch. If you have a 1st generation device, you will not get audio because the 1st generation iPod Touch and iPhone were not built to use microphones.

This article will somewhat explain it.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=607669

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 08, 2009 Posts: 2

I am using a second gen iPod Touch with the latest software. Not to repeat myself, but I am looking for an inexpensive headphone/microphone that works with Vonage. Anyone out there with actual experience successfully using the app on the iPod Touch and if so could you tell me what headphone/microphone you are using?

Posts: 30 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Sep 19, 2007 Posts: 30

VonTechMgr wrote:

If you have an iPhone you can dial domestic numbers however that would be useless unless your making the calls over a WiFi connection. If your using the GSM network, your always going to be using your cell minutes for any call you make. So while the domestic call would be free through Vonage, you would still be using your normal cell phone minutes. If your using a WiFi connection, making local calls would be OK through Vonage as it would not cost you money or minutes.

The Vonage mobile app is separate from your Vonage home service and is not tied in to one another. That is why you don't have to be a Vonage customer to get the mobile app. Think of Verizon and Verizon Wireless. If you have Verizon at home, does that mean your cell phone should also be free?

I don't see any advantage of using Vonage Mobile when I can access Vonage World at my home using an ordinary cell phone (no data connection), regular wireless network and a switch such as DialMate CM1003 (see www.woodtel.com). All wireless networks now have either free incoming calls or calls to favorite numbers at minimum monthly calling plan. With Vonage features such as 3-way and call transfer calling I can make calls (domestic and international) from my ordinary cell phone to those 60 countries at the cost of Vonage World flat rate and my cell phone's minimum monthly calling plan. As an added bonus, all those people (no need for a broadband connection) I am calling in those 60 countries can make calls using the Vonage World for free.

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 29, 2009 Posts: 4

VonTechMgr said "Think of Verizon and Verizon Wireless. If you have Verizon at home, does that mean your cell phone should also be free?"

The difference is that Vonage home and Vonage Mobile are both Voip except with a different interface. I know it is not quite apples to apples. My apple is that I have Vonage Pro with Companion which allows me to make WiFi calls through my laptop. I should be able to do the same using my Blackberry WiFi. However, unkike the iPhone, WiFi cannot be used with Vonage Mobile on a Blackberry. I do not understand why this is so. Is it a technical isssue with Blackberry? Or, is it a business issue with Vonage?

Posts: 656 · Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:51 pm Post subject:

If you do research, you will find that RIM is not allowing developers to access areas in the code that would enable Voip over the WiFi connection. They say this is a restriction due to contracts between RIM and the cell service providers. I do not even believe the Skype app was ever released that works over Blackberry WiFi but I could be wrong.

There are many Blackberry forums and other 3rd party sites that talk about this. You just have to look around.

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Oct 29, 2009 Posts: 4

VonTechMgr wrote:

If you do research, you will find that RIM is not allowing developers to access areas in the code that would enable Voip over the WiFi connection. They say this is a restriction due to contracts between RIM and the cell service providers. I do not even believe the Skype app was ever released that works over Blackberry WiFi but I could be wrong.

There are many Blackberry forums and other 3rd party sites that talk about this. You just have to look around.

Thanks for the excellent response. This is exactly the information i was looking for. I have looked at some of the Blackberry Forum's, but, must have been looking in the wrong place or used the wrong words. I will definitely followup and research this in the forums again.

Thanks again.

Posts: 656 · Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 5:41 pm Post subject:

This one lists a technical problem I read about in other forums. BB can only do half duplex audio and they do not have access to the code to change this. It is also the most current being posted a few days ago.

http://supportforums.blackberry.com/t5/Java-Development/SIP-Stack-for-Blackberry/m-p/350853

Post by alejandromagnus

Here is another. Mentions the lack of access to the code at the bottom.

http://news.techworld.com/mobile-wireless/106326/truphone-puts-voip-on-blackberry-minus-wi-fi/

Read post by route 90 from May 21 2009 which says RIM is not allowing it and another post by flare3 on July 5 2009 which states RIM is preventing it due to the carriers.

http://www.blackberryforums.com/general-9000-series-discussion-bold/166190-sip-softphone-client.html

Posts: 881 · Vonage Forum Evangelist Joined: Nov 05, 2005 Posts: 881

So regardless if you have a WiFi enabled BlackBerry smartphone, the Vonage Moble app will ALWAYS and ONLY use the cellular network and your cellular minutes to route the call...I didn't realize this until now. Personally, this totally defeats the purpose of using the Vonage Mobile app.

Posts: 656 · Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 11:39 am Post subject:

The only benefit would be to international callers if the rate to the destination being called is cheaper through Vonage then dialing through the cell provider directly which is the primary purpose and focus on the mobile app. Domestic calling was not a focal point since the cost of cellular rate plans has gone down and included many if not unlimited National minutes.