Fring Software for Smartphones Lets You Call Skype Users as well as Ordinary Phone Numbers

26 April 2007

The phenomenal success of Skype Internet telephony service has boosted the development of new products that provide free or low-cost phone calls. Although many of these services run on PCs, the most natural device for making phone calls is, as we all know, a mobile phone. We carry it with us all day, after all. The problem is that the availability of reliable and easy to use VoIP products for smartphones has been scarce. Let's find out if Fring can secure its place on popular Symbian OS/S60 smartphones.

Sometimes, it's amazing to realize how much advantage new technologies have when they are competing with established technologies. About 30 years ago, Motorola invented the mobile phone. Since then, telephone service providers have invested zillions of rupiahs, rubles, and dollars in wireless networks that were solely reserved for mobile phones. About 30 years ago, in another place, the Internet started taking shape. When the network was up and running, some clever engineer wanted to connect his computer to the Internet wirelessly. A few years ago, Wi-Fi was born. Inevitably, another engineer had to build Wi-Fi into a smartphone.

So, here we are with our palm-size devices that can make telephone calls in two different ways. We may make an ordinary mobile call and pay our service provider for the air time. For instance, we all know how unreasonable prices for overseas calls can be; but sometimes, we just have to tolerate it. Alternatively, we can use the same device for phone calls over the Internet via a Wi-Fi hotspot without having to pay a single cent to anyone. Sure, someone has to pay for the broadband connection and for the Wi-Fi router, but it didn't cost zillions in any currency.

Why would anyone use anything other than Internet-based, low-cost VoIP technology for phone calls anymore? First, Wi-Fi-capable smartphones are more costly than ordinary mobile phones. Second, you have to use your own feet to find a Wi-Fi hotspot, whereas a true mobile network can cover practically all inhabited areas in a region. Third, once you find a Wi-Fi access point that you are allowed to use, you have to stay put, because you can't move to another hotspot without dropping the call. Fourth, VoIP software products, such as Skype, are not usually compatible with other products - which means, for example, that a Skype user can't call a Truphone user.

Fring is a software product that allows you to use your smartphone for phone calls over the Internet. Better yet, Fring solves one of the problems – it is compatible with Skype, Google Talk, MSN Messenger, and SIP (which is a standard for VoIP technology). The Fring application runs on Nokia Symbian OS/S60 devices, and it is free to download. You can check the full list of compatible devices at the Fring web site.

Fring is not the first software product to provide VoIP capability for smartphones. For example, we have reviewed Skype, Truphone, and TiVi earlier.

What Can Fring Do?

1. Make phone calls to other Fring users

When you have Fring installed on your smartphone, you can call other Fring users for free. The product also includes a chat application for instant messaging.

If you own a smartphone with Wi-Fi connectivity, you can use your home access point or other hotspots for free phone calls. You can also use a 3G connection for Fring phone calls - but then you are using your mobile service provider's network. Carefully verify the pricing structure of your data plan before making VoIP calls via 3G. If you have a flat rate or generous monthly data plan, you are fine. Fring is economical with the bandwidth – it transmits only about 5MB of data during a 60 minute VoIP call.

2. Call Skype users on PCs and smartphones

With Fring on your smartphone, you can make free Internet phone calls to anyone who is using Skype on her PC or phone. Google Talk, Windows Live Messenger and SIP technology users can be reached from Fring as well. Chat sessions between different systems are also possible.

Fring displays Skype contacts with icons that indicate if people are online or offline. Skype (both on the PC and on a smartphone) displays Fring users as normal Skype users with an additional 'Fring' identifier text.

3. Call any landline or mobile phone number

For calls to landline and mobile numbers, Fring relies on Skype. You must have a Skype account and purchase SkypeOut credits in order to make phone calls from Fring to ordinary phones.

Our Recommendations for Smartphone VoIP Products

We recommend Skype Mobile for users of Windows Mobile smartphones and PDAs. Skype re-defined the Internet telephone service for PCs, but the company could be faster when developing software for smartphones. Still, Skype for Windows Mobile smartphones is an excellent piece of software. We are waiting for the Video conference feature to be available for smartphones in addition to PCs.

For Symbian OS/S60 smartphones, Fring is the best mobile VoIP product we have seen so far. Its installation is straightforward. You have to enter the login information for your Skype, or other Fring-compatible VoIP account during the installation. We find Fring easy to use, and its integration with Skype is excellent.

Some Fring messages, such as "Call terminated," don't mean a thing to an average user when she fails to make a phone call. Although it's none of our business to worry about how Fring is making its money, it would help us to be mentally prepared if, for example, advertisements start pouring in one day. In any case, Fring is ringing on our Symbian OS/S60 smartphone from now on.

Product reviews:

surjeet 08.05.2007 09:27

this is very good

vincy 05.09.2007 23:47

crazy going

samer 01.04.2008 04:11

c'est magnifique

rhollu smith 11.06.2008 12:57

it is compartible for me

sabeer 23.09.2008 05:53

nice

edris 16.02.2009 06:51 ---

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ram kumar sitoula 18.08.2009 10:32

its nice

dhruval 01.09.2009 06:12 yahoo

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