Truphone: Wi-Fi Plus VoIP Equals Savings? Depends…

A free app called Truphone promises to make cheap local and international calls.  The trick, though, is where YOU make those calls from.

Originally designed to utilize Wi-Fi hotspots, Truphone can now use your standard carrier to initialize a call, then route it through a voice-over-IP connection to the recepient's local phone network.  As a f'rinstance, calling a land line in the United Kingdom can cost as little as 6 cents a minute.  Wanna hit up Doctor Who's mobile phone?  Only 30 cents a minute, via Truphone.  (AT&T's regular rates, by comparison, are US$1.49 and US$1.69/minute, respectively.)

Even better, if you're in a Wi-Fi hotspot, you can call another Truphone user absolutely free; the app will even tell you which users are connected?

Now, for the cloud to go along with the silver lining: if you're actually TRAVELLING abroad, and aren't near a Wi-Fi hotspot, Truphone may not save you any money — in fact, it may cost you more.  Reason?  AT&T still charges roaming rates to connect directly to someone else's network.  In which case you might be better off ponying up the $5.99 monthly international roaming plan and still paying the per-minute charges.

[Via Cnet]