Fongo makes a very public bid for control of Wind Mobile

Wind Mobile store

Canadian carrier Wind Mobile has faced no small amount of tumult in recent months, culminating in direct control by Orascom and talk of shopping the provider around to the highest bidder. We didn’t entirely anticipate just who would take up the offer, however: Fongo, best known for its former Dell Voice initiative, has made an overt bid for Wind. The VoIP provider wants to extend Wind’s network network across the country while moving subscribers over to Fongo within the space of a year, theoretically creating a perfect match between cheap cellular access and free internet calling. Before anyone pops champagne corks, we’d warn that there’s heavy amounts of publicity and symbolism involved in the acquisition attempt. Fongo is offering $1 and a 49 percent stake in its own venture — that draws attention to its service, but might not hold up in a fierce bidding war. There may be more involved, but we’ll have to wait before we know just how serious the move could be. Wind’s parent Globalive has declined comment, while Fongo tells us it’s waiting on a formal response before putting more of its cards on the table.

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Source: Fongo

T-Mobile’s iPhone will not ship with WiFi Calling enabled, but it’ll probably come in time

TMobile's iPhone will not ship with WiFi Calling enabled, but it'll probably come in time

For jetsetters hoping to utilize T-Mobile’s iPhone for all of their international jaunts, we’ve a bit of bad news for you: WiFi Calling isn’t going to hit the carrier’s iPhone initially. Here at today’s T-Mobile UnCarrier event in New York City, the company’s chief marketing officer Michael Sievert told me that “it’s not coming” at launch, but when pressed, he confessed that T-Mob “loves its WiFi Calling feature, and I’ll have to leave it at that.” I then asked if it’s on the roadmap, and if the company would like to have it included in an ideal world, which garnered a smile that I can safely assume means something positive for the future.

Of course, WiFi Calling — which enables travelers to make and receive calls from their US phone number while latched onto a WiFi hotspot anywhere in the known universe — works today on Android, but iOS fanatics aren’t being given a clear date as to when they’ll be brought up to speed. That said, at least T-Mob will sell you an iPhone unlocked, assuming you pay the full MSRP up front. Sievert affirmed to me that if a customer rolls into a T-Mobile store and pays the full price for iPhone, the reps onsite will be empowered to unlock it “on the spot.” Oh, and as for that MSRP? It’ll be the one(s) set by Apple, so you won’t be facing any carrier-induced premiums either.

In fact, you could actually come out a bit cheaper if you’re willing to wait a month. Sievert explained to me that if you picked up a baseline iPhone 5 for $99 with a new T-Mobile agreement, and then paid the first $20 towards its total cost after your first month of service, you could then pay the thing off in full at the amortized rate… meaning that a $649 phone would cost you just $579. And it’d be unlocked for use on any carrier in the world after just a month with T-Mob. Not bad!

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France investigates Skype after it doesn’t register as a telecom provider (update: Skype response)

France investigates Skype after it doesn't register as a telecom provider

You can’t completely pigeonhole Skype when it serves both as a partial substitute for traditional phone service and an instant messaging service with voice and video on top. Unfortunately, French telecom regulator ARCEP doesn’t trade in ambiguities. It’s launching an investigation into Skype after the Microsoft-owned division reportedly ignored requests to register itself as a telecom provider in the country. The authority is concerned that Skype is offering phone service without following local laws, including requirements to offer emergency calls and avenues for legal wiretaps. We’ve reached out to Skype for its side of the story, although there’s no certainty that ARCEP will have to take action, regardless — Skype has long disclaimed that it’s not a full phone replacement and won’t work for true emergencies. If France asks for compliance, however, Skype may have to either solve a seemingly unsolvable problem or face withdrawing at least some of its services. We wouldn’t count on always having VoIP in Versailles.

Update: A Skype spokesperson answered back, and the company’s view is clear: it doesn’t believe that its service fits the definition of a communication provider under French law and thus doesn’t have to be registered. Skype adds that it’s been talking with ARCEP and plans to keep that up in a “constructive” fashion, although there clearly hasn’t been much progress on that front. Read the full response after the break.

[Image credit: Alexandre Vialle, Flickr]

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Via: New York Times

Source: ARCEP (translated)

France wants to tax Skype

Arcep, a French regulator, has been demanding Microsoft to register Skype as a telecommunications operator in order to comply with local law. The regulator believes that the VoIP service needs to comply with the obligations of a normal telecommunications operator, such as the need to route emergency calls and integrate a system that would allow legal wiretapping on its service. Arcep has been trying to get Skype to become a telecommunications operator since April 2012.

France wants to tax Skype

Arcep contacted local prosecutors in Paris today in order to enforce its demands. Jean Francois Hernandez, an Arcep spokesperson, said, “It’s about the fact that when you act as a French operator that you have to register as an operator.” He also stated that “when” Skype becomes a local operator, it will be required to declare its earnings in France to tax authorities and be subjected to the local taxes.

Some telecommunication operators have chimed in with their own opinions as well. Stéphane Richard, chief executive of France Télécom, believes that Skype, and several other VoIP companies have an unfair advantage over regular telecommunications companies, where they are able to perform the same types of services without having to share the revenue. He said that by making Skype a local operator, the telecommunications industry would be a more “balanced regulatory environment”.

Microsoft has spoken with the French authorities and has stated that Skype is not “a provider of electronic communications services under French law”, and that they will work with Arcep in a “constructive fashion”. It should be noted that European Union law does not consider Skype or other VoIP services to be telecommunications companies, an issue that Arcep is currently questioning as well.

[via Forbes]


France wants to tax Skype is written by Brian Sin & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Phone Service Kills Roaming Charges With Virtual Local Numbers

Phone Service Kills Roaming Charges With Virtual Local Numbers

Save your international friends money with a local number. Because everyone needs a local number in Sweden.

Skype 4.6 rolls out for iPad and iPhone, offers calling redesign

Skype has rolled out version 4.6 of its iPad and iPhone app, bringing with it several improvements, fixes, and a newly redesigned calling “experience.” General improvements and fixes aside, users will find that some common complaints have been corrected as well, including the issue with dial pad/in-call buttons displaying incorrectly during a call.

ipad skype logo

The updated call screen features a more polished design that is easy on the eyes and appealing while the functionality is mostly the same as what users are familiar with. Those who have used the app regularly will notice the change immediately, while others who haven’t used it for awhile will notice that things “feel” cleaner and more modern.

The redesign aside, there have been a number of problems solved, such as conversations now showing up in the correct order. Messages in conversations won’t be listed as edited unless they actually have been when the save button is pressed, making it easier to keeps tabs on things. In addition, the popover being dismissed from the incoming call screen, and cursor focus has been fixed for text editing in the profile.

VoiceOver is now applicable for reading more than before, including unread message labels (only for the iPad, however), as well as the “+” button, the “Show side bar” button, and “Skype Terms of Use.” Another nice tweak deals with picture preview with file transfer; the image will be displayed in the proper rotation for both incoming and outgoing.

There are a few issues, however, two with conversations and three with VoiceOver. In conversations, the last scroll position isn’t saved and users have to log in again to see the Chat/SMS button if the contact added a phone number to its profile during a chat. With VoiceOver, there are problems with incorrect readings of chat text labels, background items can be selected when the left side bar is at the top, and unread messages can’t be read on the iPhone. Fixes are in progress for all of them.

[via Skype]


Skype 4.6 rolls out for iPad and iPhone, offers calling redesign is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Skype scores an iOS update with improved calling UI and some bug fixes

Skype scores an iOS update with improved calling UI and some bug fixes

Not every update from the Microsoft-owned VoIP service needs to be high-profile. Every so often a nice subtle tweak is all it takes to add a lovely layer of polish to an already beloved app. Both the iPad and iPhone versions of Skype were bumped to version 4.6 today. There are, of course, a number of bug fixes included in the update. But the most immediately visible change is to the UI for actually placing calls. The new look is a bit cleaner and more modern, though not very different functionally. There’s also a new way to mark conversations as read with “just a few taps.” Though, if you ask us “a few” is probably still too many. Hit up the iTunes app store now for your update and check out the source for a complete changelog.

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Via: 9to5Mac

Source: Skype

Facebook updates Messenger for Android, adds VoIP for Canadian users

Facebook has updated its Messenger for Android app, adding VoIP calls for its Canadian users. This is a further rollout of the feature we saw back in January, with iOS users in the United States currently having access to the feature. In addition, version 2.3 also brings with it some other updates, including the ability to name a group from a conversation.

facebook messenger icon

With this update, Android users in Canada can make free VoIP calls via Messenger to other other users in Canada, as well as iOS users in the US. This is performed by using your smartphone’s data plan, meaning users won’t be gobbling up their plan minutes, something that will be especially appealing to those who barely use up their minutes every month, or who’s most frequent conversations take place with others who use Facebook.

In addition, other updates for Messenger for Android include updates to its group conversation feature. Aside from the newly added ability to name a group from a conversation, users can also pull up group chats easily now by swiping left across the screen to see them in the app’s sidebar. Finally, group convos can also be accessed by searching for a friend who is part of them, or by searching for the groups’ names.

Aside from that, Facebook lists “other improvements and bug fixes” on the Google Play Store’s “What’s New” page, but doesn’t specify what those changes and improvements are. Messenger for Android is available for Android versions 2.2 and higher, coming in at a reasonable 9.5MB in size. You can grab it now from your computer or handset from the Play Store.

[via TechCrunch]


Facebook updates Messenger for Android, adds VoIP for Canadian users is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Facebook Messenger on Android loaded with free voice calls for Canadian users

Facebook Messenger on Android loaded with free voice calls for Canadian users

Android’s flavor of Facebook Messenger has just been updated with VoIP functionality for the social network’s Canadian users. There’s no word when Android faithful in the US will snag the functionality, but Canucks can at least ring their American counterparts who wield the iOS app. Version 2.3 of the mobile messenger also makes group conversations accessible in the sidebar, allows them to be named from the top of a talk and makes them searchable by name and friends. Hit the neighboring source link to grab the revamped software.

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Via: TechCrunch

Source: Facebook Messenger (Google Play)

O2’s TU Go software spreads your phone number across multiple devices

O2's TU Go software spreads your phone number across multiple devices

Between Skype, Google Voice, Viber and several smaller players, there are plenty of platform-agnostic services vying to put your voice through their IP (get it?), and now UK carrier O2 is introducing us to its twist on multi-device communication with TU Go. It’s like a marriage of the traditional phone service with the idea of making calls on your laptop, or sending messages from your tablet. An evolution of parent company Telefonica’s similar TU Me apps, the TU Go software spreads your phone number across up to five devices simultaneously. You can make and receive calls / texts and manage your voicemail from compatible kit with a cellular or data connection, with all activity aggregated into one “timeline.” You can’t hook your smartphone up to WiFi, or gab away on another device to avoid eating into your plan’s allowance, though — all usage is treated as if it originated from your phone. TU Go is now available to all O2 customers on a monthly contract, and if you want your whole house to ring at once, head to the link below to find apps for iOS, Android, and a beta for Windows 7 (note: it really is 7-specific, and won’t run in Windows 8).

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Source: O2