iPhone becomes a SIP phone with Fring
By Matt, on Thursday, October 9 2008 13:29 dans Software
Today, with a simple Internet connection, you can call anywhere in the world at very competitive rates with voice over IP (VoIP). A possibility which is also present on some mobile phones via SIP, the open standard of IP telephony, but which was sorely lacking on the iPhone. There were few VoIP applications on the App Store, but they were all using proprietary protocols or were restricted to certain providers. Arrived on the App Store last week, Fring brings what was missing: a real SIP implementation, working on any SIP provider!
Fring is a multi-protocol communication tool supporting the most popular messaging networks, but also the SIP with a totally free choice of the provider. The supported protocols are for now: Skype (text and voice, including Skype Out), MSN Messenger (text and voice), ICQ (text and voice), SIP (voice), Google Talk (text and voice), Twitter (text), Yahoo! Messenger (text) and AOL Instant Messenger (text). It is possible to participate in several simultaneous text conversations, including different protocols, but only one can be displayed on the screen, and it you will have to switch from one to another.
Contact management is relatively well made, and contact from the iPhone directory are accessible directly, with all the details (multiple numbers, e-mail, etc...). We still regret the fact that Fring interface does not distinguish contacts according to the protocol. Only contacts from the iPhone directory are identified differently (no status icon). For contacts from a messaging protocols, a click on the name allows you to initiate a conversation with the choice between text and voice when the protocol permits. For contacts from the iPhone, a first click provides access to the list of phone numbers and e-mail addresses, and then, by clicking on a number, you can call it with the protocol of your choice (SIP, Skype Out or cellular, the latest corresponding to a classic call through your mobile operator).
For SIP and Skype Out calls, Fringe offers a virtual keypad similar to that from the phone, allowing you to dial a number and then choose one of the three phone protocols. There are probably some that are wondering if they could take advantage of their unlimited 3G data plan for unlimited calls without exploding their bill. Sorry for you, but Apple has imposed a strict rule for the application providing VoIP: they must operate only over a Wi-Fi network. And this is the case of Fringe, which rejects the call when connected in 3G (but on the Fring forum, you can find all the requirements to take this restriction away, provided that you have a jailbroken iPhone...).
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Tested version: 1.0.1.4 Source: App Store / Social networks Price: free
Comments
Wednesday, December 3 2008 | 02:35
I have used Skype with Fringe and it works great. But it lacks the keypad after you make the call to enter number/options that 1-800 number require you to do