Fring enables free mobile calls
By Vivek Puri | September 14th, 2006 at 01:04 am ET
fring has developed an amazing 3G mobile application that allows its users to make free mobile calls, as well as call and chat with their Skype and Google Talk buddies for free. fring works on both 3G and GPRS connections and does NOT require any Wi-Fi connection.
The fring â„¢ Mobile VoIP solution is designed to optimize the embedded internet capabilities within the subscriber handset. The fring â„¢ solution establishes a Peer-To-Peer VoIP connection between calling parties, enabling true VoIP sessions between fring enabled handsets and also between handsets and PCs.
fring utilizes the 3G mobile internet connections and VoIP technologies, which are already embedded in mobile handset to provide the free calling. In order to use Fring you are required to have a 3G handset, optimized for 3G networks, and a data plan. Currently supported devices are Nokia 6630, 6680, 6681, 6682, N70, N72, and N90. Once you have this in place, install Fring application on your mobile and start calling for free.
You can also talk to your Skype and Google Talk buddies wherever you are as long as they are online because fring integrates seamlessly with Skype and Google Talk. Other Skype-on-mobile handsets/tools require you to make calls using Wi-Fi or use up SkypeOut credit(SoonR). fring lets you talk to your Skype buddies anywhere and with your regular mobile phone without incurring any charges.
According to fring , data usage will depend on the length of call but fifteen minutes of live talk time will typically use 1 MB. fring users can also call people in other countries for free as long as they have fring on their mobile.
Currently fring is in private beta and yet to announce a launch date. Suddenly, with the release of fring, future of apps like SoonR Soonr Skype Integration, eqo, and others seems very uncertain. Personally i am desperately waiting to get a Nokia with fring and start calling for free!
Links:
fring
Tags: StartupSquad, VoIP, fring, Nokia, SoonR
on September 14th, 2006 at 11:01 pm
Hello, first let me mention that I am affilliated with SoonR. I wanted to comment on this entry because I think there may be some confusion as to what is being accomplished and how. Also I’d like to mention that connecting users through Skype is ONE FEATURE of SoonR. SoonR is a complete platform for delivering PC based data and applications to mobile phones. But I digress…
1) SoonR uses SkypeOut - this means that it uses NO data connection during the phone call. So even people who have slow data connections can make calls anywhere. SkypeOut calls your mobile phone via a voice channel so you are not hindered by connection speed dependent voice quality.
2) SoonR requires NO software on the phone - this opens up the capabilty up to far more phones. If your phone has a WAP browser, it can use SoonR’s Talk feature.
For the vast majority of people in the world who do not have smartphones or phones that can readily accept applications (Think RazR, LG VX9800, other music phones), SoonR still works for them.
If you add desktop file access and rendering (over 90 files types including all MS Office files), Outlook integration (contact, calendar, inbox), Desktop Search integration (Google, X1, Yahoo, WDS, and Spotlight) on top of that; I think you can see that competition in one feature area doesn’t really jeapordize the future of a platform like SoonR.
on September 20th, 2006 at 11:13 am
Nice one, This company emerged from UsefulApps recently. There is another one - go directly to download page (m.tivi.com) for a SIP client on Nokias and some other 3G phones. And yet another one is TruPhone (www.truphone.com), Looks like competition for 3G VoIP is on.
on September 20th, 2006 at 12:18 pm
Thanks for the info. I also had discovered Truphone few days. Truphone works over Wi-Fi, so will be great for metropolitan areas like Mountainview or you can use it at home. But wi-fi access in other places is still an issue in US, unless FON catches up.
on October 10th, 2006 at 10:26 pm
[…]          Currently GTalk2VoIP has more than 14000 users. GTalk2VoIP team is working on developing GoogleTalk-like J2ME client for mobiles with voice enabled features which might be similar to what Fring or Jajah are providing. Till now Ruslan and Eugeny have bootstrapped the company but are on lookout for venture deals. They are also in talks with few US based companies that are interested in integrating GTalk2VoIP technology into to their networks and services. […]
on October 24th, 2006 at 9:35 pm
[…] Talkster has a fresh outlook on providing cheap calls and reducing the complexities in contact list management. Talkster is coming into an area dominated by startups like Jajah, Rebtel, Mino, Fring, and Gtalk2VoIP, with each of them having their own unique ideas and implementation. Talkster’s own plan is to enable people to communicate using their existing devices in a much more efficient manner. Using Talkster people can call from their mobile phone to their instant messaging buddies on AOL, MSN, Google Talk, and Gizmo, for free. Talkster also enables call from mobile phones to PSTN, VoIP, and mobile numbers for cheap rates. […]
on December 29th, 2006 at 10:37 am
[…] We have already seen startups like Fring, SoonR, EQO offering Skype calling from mobile. However each of them have seen limited uptake ’cause of one or more reasons. Fring requires a data plan to enable calls over the data network that are really pricey in US, while SoonR and EQO want you to be near your PC when you are making your calls. Skype plans to counter these issues by offering a Skype mobile client that is powered by WiFi connection. In terms of feature set, Skype is looking to go a step further by integrating the Skype and phone contacts(I wish Google did this for Gtalk on BB). […]
on November 25th, 2007 at 5:05 am
Hey, fring is not working on any network of India.
on January 4th, 2008 at 10:33 am
Hi,i have samsung U 700 and unfortunately cant download fring,plz help me thanks beforehand
on January 9th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
how to download ….. ahhhhh help me !
on January 30th, 2008 at 8:12 am
Vodafone india is it support fring or not
on April 5th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
hi, i request you please privide us the sip phone rate per minuts for country wise to understand before calling.
Thaks.