[hayden]

Global mobile network operator Truphone today launched a beta of its mobile Internet telephony service, Truphone Anywhere, for BlackBerry smartphones. Truphone Anywhere brings simple, easy and cheap international calling to up to 40 million BlackBerry users across the world.

Truphone Anywhere works in 33 countries worldwide. It saves BlackBerry users from those countries money on the international calls they make from their home country. The service works alongside domestic service providers, but reduces international call costs to as little as £0.03/$0.06 per minute. Just last week Truphone Anywhere captured the CommNexus GadgetFest Gadget for 2008 capturing both the judges vote and the audience vote ahead of six other companies. Truphone joins previous GadgetFest title winners that include Google’s GrandCentral, Motorola’s Q Phone and Dish Networks Slingbox.

Truphone works with the user to save them money. Instead of requiring the user to remember what to do, Truphone Anywhere simply asks whether he/she wants to make a Truphone call whenever an international number is dialled. The user simply accepts, and Truphone connects the call.

“There’s no GSM business tariff that gets close to the prices we can offer BlackBerry users with Truphone for international calling,” said Geraldine Wilson, new CEO of Truphone. “And in these days of financial belt-tightening, businesses are looking at every means of cutting costs, which is an opportunity for us. Truphone is a genuine alternative carrier for international calls, with the potential to reduce annual mobile bills for the largest companies by many millions of dollars,” continued Wilson.

Aaron Simpson is the BlackBerry-using chief executive of Quintessentially, a private members' club that provides a 24-hour global concierge service and is part of the world's leading luxury lifestyle group. He stated: “Quintessentially has offices all around the world and, as CEO, I’m in constant contact with all of them. I’ve been using Truphone on my Blackberry and its low call rates have enabled me to make those calls at a fraction of the cost of using my mobile provider.”

In technical terms, Truphone Anywhere works by connecting to a local Truphone server, which then connects the long-distance part of the call over the Internet. Because most BlackBerry users are contract customers, the local connection to Truphone is, typically, free because it uses bundled minutes from the customer’s usual cellular service provider.

Truphone for BlackBerry smartphones is available to download for free from www.truphone.com/blackberry. Alternatively, Handango users may also download Truphone from www.handango.com. There are no monthly subscriptions or other charges.

[jonnyxedge]

that's a pretty smart idea

[macallik]

Nice idea

[pamaf2003]

Higher fees if:
"In order for the Truphone Service to be a low cost service we may rely on advertising and marketing supplied through the service and other mechanisms to subsidize the service. We intend that any such marketing services shall be discrete and of targeted interest to you. By agreeing to these terms and conditions you agree to receive such advertising and marketing. If you do not want to receive such services you should notify us in writing. Truphone reserves the right to charge you a higher fee for the service should you choose not to take these marketing services. This higher fee, if applicable, will be posted on the Truphone website"

[vince1]

Anyone get this to work?

[fritsjakma]

Just installed Truphone on my bb8800 with Vodafone carrier.in Spain It tries to load but no response. Too bad

[kkwus74]

Mine gives me a java error too....~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~

[goldenhours]

Just installed on my 8310 but apart from showing a loading screen it doesn't do anything....

~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~

[Jaceh]

Installed on my 8320 but just says loading page please wait....

[thymaster]

Great idea but couldn't get it to work.

[OngTY]

So does anyone able to get it to work with your BB?
~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~

[vince1]

Looks like no one has this working yet.

[SeRViiCiiO]

I download it and also installed it, at the end you get an automated call from truphone...

Check your apn settings! ~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~

[goldenhours]

Yea, thanks for the tip with the APN! For some reason my settings had gone blank after my last OS4.5 update... But once I put them back to my carrier-specific setting, truphone connected fine and brought me through the setup, test call etc. Seems I'm all set now with my 1.00 free call credit - only thing is I'll have to try calling someone tomorrow morning cos it's 2am now here in Europe!

~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~

[kkwus74]

Don't this this works for cdma carriers though....~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~