Free Phone Calls With iPod Touch

How to Make Phone Calls With an iPod Touch

You're right... the iPhone and iPod Touch devices are virtually indistinguishable, except the iPod Touch can't make phone calls. But that can be fixed if you're patient and follow instructions. Even better: you won't have to pay an extra $100 for an iPhone or $60/month to AT&T for phone service!

The solutions described below rely on the iPod Touch's WiFi capability. Once you're connected to the Internet, you can use any of several Voice-over-IP (VoIP) applications to make phone calls without paying carrier fees. You can accomplish this thrifty feat either officially or unofficially as far as Apple is concerned.

Truphone is one official way to make phone calls on an iPod Touch; not for free, but for a fraction of AT&T's cost if you aren't yakking all day. The Truphone application can be downloaded from the Apple iStore directly to your iPod Touch or to your Mac or PC; there's a download link on the Truphone Web site in the iPod Touch category. You also need to buy an iPod headset or a Microphone Adapter for the iPod Touch.Truphone sells those through its Web site.

Just install the Truphone app and you can import all your friends' contact info from Truphone and Google Talk. Plug in the headset, snuggle up to some WiFi, and call! But whoa, it does cost money! Truphone's non-subscriber rate is 5.1 cents per minute; absurd for domestic calls but favorable for international calls. Sign up for just $4.00 per month and U. S. landline or mobile calls are only 1.8 cents per minute. You can cancel at any time.

Free Calling With Your iPod Touch

Fring is totally free. There's free software to download and no per-minute or monthly charges, other than your cost of WiFi access. It works with the original iPhone, iPhone 3G & the iPhone 3GS or iPod touch, and with some Nokia smartphones. You will need to sign up with Skype or another free VoIP service, and you will get what you pay for. The highest quality VoIP services cost money, though not nearly as much as cellular carrier services.

Then there are unofficial ways to make completely free calls on your iPod Touch. You should understand that "unofficial" means "voids your warranty and may be illegal in some jurisdictions." With low-cost and totally free options like Truphone and Fring available, it's really not worth the trouble to thumb your nose at The Man. If you're curious, do some Googling for extra credit.

So how do AT&T and Apple keep selling those pricey subscription plans and iPhones with these cheaper iPod Touch solutions on the market? First, there's the mobility and convenience factor. WiFi is concentrated in hotspots, and you may want or need to make phone calls on the move; for that, you need cellular service and AT&T is the only game in town. Second, VoIP services like Skype - especially the totally free service levels - may not be up to the sound quality standards you expect. You get what you pay for.

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