purpose of mobile voip app

[christcorp]

This question is basically for the majority of people who have a cell phone with unlimited minutes/text and a shared data plan. (Basically the way verizon and at&t cellular are set up)

Question: Do any of you have a SIP mobile voip app on your smartphone? If so; why?

Caveats:
1. If you travel out of the country or often in areas where your "Cell Phone" is useless, but you can get a WIFI connection, a VOIP softphone app would be convenient
2. If you are on an old cell plan or a pay as you go type plan where you don't have unlimited talk minutes, but you can get a WIFI connection, a VOIP softphone app would be convenient

So, the question is for anyone who has the more commonly used "Family" type or similar cell phone plans where you share data, and you have UNLIMITED talk and text. Do you use a voip mobile app either on your smart phone or tablet? And if so, WHY - if you have a cell phone, with coverage, and unlimited minutes.

Just curious. Thanks. Mike.....

[tritch]

Good point. I also have unlimited talk/text with Verizon, so use of the mobile app is hardly needed or used.

1) Primary purpose - backup communication. There are building/coverage areas where the cell signal may be too weak or non-existent, but I may have a Wifi connection and can use the mobile app to make a call if needed.
2) Secondary purpose - out of the country communication. I haven't tested this yet to see if this works.....see explanation below.

The softphone apps simply do not work outside the country. I found this out recently when I went to Europe (Paris) a few months ago. I was logged onto the hotel's free Wifi and could not register my Bria softphone app to Voipo. I couldn't even access vPanel at secure.voipo.com. They were all blocked, I could only access www.voipo.com. I opened a support ticket via email and the response was that they block all IP addresses outside the USA as noted below. I was pretty teed at the time because I was unaware that Voipo blocked IP's outside the USA from registering, even for the BYOD SIP servers . So, no calls could be made back to the USA. My particuliar Verizon smartphone model was not global capable (no GSM ability, only CDMA), so I had no cell service either.

Ticket ID #BFQ-XXXXXX
Q:I'm currently in France and am unable to register my softphone or access vPanel. Are you blocking these from working when outside the USA?
A:Yes, unfortunately access to Vpanel and websites for VOIPo have been restricted to outside IP addresses. This is to fight against the rising volume of fraud attempts made on VOIPo.
We may remove the restriction from a static IP address assigned by your ISP from your location. If you can acquire one, we will have our development group review to unblock access.

BTW, I was in Canada about a month ago and it appears they don't block IP's from this country, so I was able to use my softphone app there.

So for anyone traveling outside Canada/USA, beware of no Voipo ability using softphone apps or possibly other mobile apps.

I'm hoping since the mobile app registers to an Acrobits SIP server not Voipo's SIP servers, that these IP restrictions don't apply. I'll give it try on my next trip overseas.....

[Ansextra]

I telework and my Voipo number is the number I give out for work so I can keep my home phone private. I use the SIP app when I need to contact someone from work and need the caller ID to show that phone number. I don't use it often but it's there when I need it.

[christcorp]

Definite good use of a softphone. I'm assuming you mean you give out the voipo number because you want to keep the "Cell Phone" number private. That was my main question. In earlier days, I used the softphone a lot more. My cell phone was on a plan that didn't have unlimited minutes. So I would use the sip app; especially if it was going to be a long duration call, and I didn't want to use up so many minutes. With "Most" cell plans now having "Unlimited" Talk&Text, I was simply curious if softphones were used as much anymore as an app. But to keep your cell phone number private would be a good use.