Mobile VoIP Hardware or Software Based - Packet8 MobileTalk vs. Yeigo

As the VoIP industry is pretty settled with fixed phones, providing seamless and Rosetta Stone software cheap mobile VoIP service has become the new challenge. The easiest came first, i.e. softphone applications that can be installed on mobile phones and that use data networks to place and receive calls. Examples of the most prominent ones are Yeigo, Fring, PeerMe and Truphone. Then came hardware-based service providers with mobile service; something closer to what mobile users are used to. In this piece of content, I make a comparison between Packet8's Mobile Talk and Yeigo, which are respectively hardware-based and software-based services. I chose Packet8's Mobile Talk because at the time I am writing this, there is nothing else to choose from, since I found none of the prominent VoIP service providers offering something of the like; and I chose Yeigo because at the time I am writing this, I find Yeigo the best application and service for VoIP on mobile phones. How They Rosetta Stone Greek WorkThe things in common between the two services are: they both operate on mobile phones (obviously!); they both use VoIP; and they both have a small application to install. The last one will make you ask why I still call MobileTalk hardware-based. This is because the calls are routed to the same system that manages their hardware-based service. With MobileTalk, once you dial an international prefix (starting with 011, Boxed Art There or 1), your call is redirected to the Packet8 phone service, whose network is used to channel your call to its destination. Yeigo, on the other hand, uses a data network to route your calls, in the form of packets. So for this, you will require a data connection through either Wi-Fi, GPRS/EDGE or 3G/HSDPA.CostsMobileTalk's international rates are very interesting. On average, they are two to three times cheaper than Yeigo (and other services of the like) to most destinations. So, a MobileTalk subscriber who makes many international calls to landline and mobile phones is likely to save a real lot (90Boxed Art There as claimed by Packet8). However, there is no free service with MobileTalk like with Yeigo. If you have Yeigo on your mobile phone and your correspondent has the same too, you two can talk for free. You need to buy credit with Yeigo only when calling landline phones or mobile phones not running Yeigo. In a way, the higher rates are compensated by this free range. You should however not forget to add the cost of the data network required by Yeigo to your calculations. This can be quite important in certain contexts. MobileTalk charges a one-time activation fee of $10 for subscribers ($5 for subscribers who Rosetta Stone Hindi V3 already are its customers). Yeigo has no activation fee. Here are links to MobileTalk rates and Yeigo rates. RequirementsBesides the cell phone and the small application to be installed on it, you require only the subscription before starting to make international calls with MobileTalk. Yeigo requires a data network (Wi-Fi, GPRS/EDGE or 3G/HSDPA), which is often costly.MobileTalk works through your mobile carrier, so subscribing to the service requires you to give your mobile number and quite some other information, before actually being able to download and install the software. Yeigo only requires you to install the application and register, and buy credits when and if needed. Compatibility of the phone you use is an issue to consider as well. I skimmed through the list of compatible phones and found that most I know are listed, but this check is important before subscribing, or you might have to buy a new phone. Here are the links for the cell phones compatible with MobileTalk and Yeigo (look on the right-hand side frame for Compatibility Check). Countries and Areas They CoverMobileTalk has two important limitations here: it is available only in the US, and offers cheap rates only for international rates. For mobile calls within the US, the price goes up to $1.5, instead of the $0.02 or so for international calls. In a word, MobileTalk is a service for US citizens to make international calls. Yeigo offers the same service worldwide, to anyone in any country [ Rosetta Stone Software ] that has the necessary requirements. Also, calls within a country can be cheaper, depending on the cost of the data network. Bottom Line I see the typical MobileTalk user as being a person running a business (whether big or small), who has to make many international calls, and to people that will not bother about what phones they use or what they install on them. MobileTalk is ideal for heavy international communication to many callees of different nature. The typical Yeigo user would be an individual with a network of frequent correspondents. Friends, relatives, colleagues, peers etc. If they all install Yeigo, they can talk for free.