Betamax Launches VoipZoom with Free International Calls to 40 countries

Betamax has finally moved in the direction of what some of us have been advocating for some time now. I have said several times that instead of following the unethical business model of changing call rates suddenly and removing free destinations from one application only for them to show up in another application forcing users to buy another 10 euros credit to enjoy free calls, they could just charge a small amount per month for free calls to these popular destinations which i believe is more sustainable.
Recently they launched VoipZoom which gives users free international calls to 40 countries for just 2.5 euros ( $3.19 ) per month. Rates to other destinations are quite low too, for example calls to India costs just 2 cents per minute plus tax and calls to landline in Nigeria cost just 1.5 cents. It seems with this approach we will see less variation in the number of the free destinations. 2.5 euros per month to call 40 countries free is a good deal from all indications but they still have the fair use policy in place which limit the free calls to 300 minutes per week. Personally i believe they should do away with the fair use policy now that they are charging monthly fee, this will really encourage more people to use VoipZoom.
To use VoipZoom you have to download the application from their web site http://www.voipzoom.com/en/download.html . Its easy to install, setup and use like any other betamax products. The audio quality is great and calls are connected without delay. Also i believe VoipZoom can be used with SIP based hardwares but they are yet to release the required SIP settings. You can check out http://www.voipzoom.com for more information and to download VoipZoom.

FierceVoIP Names Truphone as One of the “Fierce 15" VoIP Companies of 2008

Truphone announced today that it has been named to the annual FierceVoIP “Fierce 15” list, designating it as one of the top IP communications companies of the year. FierceVoIP editors evaluated hundreds of organizations, and found Truphone to be amongst the “fiercest,” proven by their creativity and innovations in the marketplace.
FierceVoIP, an internationally recognized twice-weekly email newsletter reaching more than 45,000 senior IP communications industry executives, provides readers in more than 100 countries with a quick, authoritative briefing on the day’s top VoIP stories, including new trends and technologies.
The first true mobile Internet network operator, Truphone allows users of Wi-Fi-enabled mobile phones to make and receive regular telephone calls, and to send and receive SMS (text) messages, using only a Wi-Fi connection and the Internet. It has a user base in 149 countries.
“We are thrilled to be recognized by FierceVoIP, the industry’s must-read news leader,” said Truphone CEO Geraldine Wilson. “The IP communications community depends on FierceVoIP to provide the most up-to-date news along with analysis of major industry trends. It is an honor to be recognized by such a well-regarded news outlet.
The FierceVoIP “Fierce 15” celebrates the spirit of being “fierce”—championing innovation and creativity, even in the face of intense competition. The complete list of winning companies is available today on the FierceVoIP Web site at http://www.fiercevoip.com/.