Truphone Gets an Upgrade – Dial and Save

Truphone moved one step further forward today with a major upgrade that effectively puts Jajah Direct type capabilities onto the mobile without you having to remember all those local numbers. In fact perhaps that’s a simple way to explain it. Imagine an invisible Jajah, something that just exists in the software. The software manages all the dial around numbers, and enables the call backs when necessary. All you need to know is the number you already have in your contact list. That seems pretty simple to me. It also suggests a fairly complex software program and integration.

In terms of where Truphone is going this looks like a smart play (MVNO) although all the communication remains on price. Ultimately we want low cost telephony and a better experience. I don’t think the real future in telephony is here. It’s a smart package and will appeal to globe trotters with a huge need for international calling. I still want more pictures of who’s calling, more presence information, more integration with my address book etc. There are also other things Truphone could do to make their web page and account more dynamic. They recently saw a large investment. I’ll assume more good stuff will be coming.

While Truphone 4.0 makes the dial arounds all invisible there remain benefits to programs that are less “invasive”. I found it almost impossible to remove version 3.3 completely from my Nokia N95 before trying to install 4.0. I removed all the setting etc. Still can’t delete the icon. So I began the install anyway. It seems to have installed. Oh no it didn’t. Won’t repair account either. I refuse to reformat the phone right now back to zero. Ah.. about the sixth try. It is removed. So many clicks to approve etc. After installing stuff on the iPhone this is painful. I still miss so many features on the N95 and yet each time I go back to using it… I feel it is dated – just a piece of history. At the end of the install I get a blank screen – should I close it? I launch Truphone. It says no setting found. Repair account. I try again and again.

Truphone is broken! It doesn’t work and I’ve given up. It’s sad, it’s also perhaps full circle. Truphone had the best WiFi audio codec I’ve used on a mobile when in low bandwidth environments. It really did work when Skype and Gizmo etc could not. While it doesn’t have the elegance I’m using SkypeToGo now for making the frequent international calls from my iPhone It’s not integrated but that’s not been a big problem. In 2006 and 2007 when I was in India seemingly all the time Truphone was simply the best. It was also free.

Now, I’ll wait for the iPhone version. The install and ease of use should be better. I’ll also bet I get better battery life.

How it works behind the scenes

If you dial an international number, the call is redirected at the handset to a Truphone access number in your country, which connects to our server which in turn automatically completes your call to the international destination. (We play you audio prompts so you know how the call is progressing, and we make sure the handset call log shows the originally dialled number.) Truphone

In the end I think there is more to communication and conversation. What we want is solutions that are more multi-modal. The pleading for iPhone apps includes IM type clients, video etc. Skype on the iPhone would be a killer; particularly if it came with video. Then again maybe something else will fill the gap… when it isn’t just about price.

James Tagg, Truphone’s chief executive officer, said:

 

·        “Saving money on mobile phone calls can be extremely complex; there are many solutions and services available, but often they address only one type of calling scenario. The Truphone philosophy is different and we believe that people should be able simply to dial and save.”

·        “To deliver this we have integrated two clever and sophisticated solutions into a single, easy-to-use service.”

·        “With our friends and business contacts scattered everywhere and often only snatched time in which to call them, low-cost international calls – on the go, and without having to think about how to make them – become very attractive.”

 

Tagged as: freecalling, jajah, mobile, truphone, VoIP, wifi