Most of us have long-distance calling included in our phone plans. However, few of us actually have plans that include international minutes. Most of us don’t make many international calls, but when we do, the calls can be a bit expensive. But not anymore. I’ve been playing around with the Vonage Time to Call app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch mobile devices. It’s a pretty neat app for making international calls. It’s great for international students, travelers, parents with kids overseas, and frugal dads like me. With the free Apple app, dads and moms can call and talk for up to 15 minutes to 100 countries for $1.99 or less. Read on for more information about the Vonage Time to Call app, how you can get 15 free minutes of international calling, and how you can win $715 in iTunes gift cards (for buying something called the iPad 2 — have you heard of it?).
The Time to Call app is easy to use. You just download the app, select your home country, select the country you want to call, press the Buy button, and then enter your iTunes info (I didn’t actually have to enter any info on my iPod Touch). After that, you can make a call with your address book or by dialing the number directly. In my tests, the calls were clear. And using an Apple iPod Touch to make calls to a real phone number is pretty cool.
For a limited time, Vonage is also offering free international calling (up to 15 minutes) to one hundred countries. All you have to do is download the Time to Call app. No purchase is necessary, but you have to activate the free call before the limited time offer expires (activate it by pressing the “try it for free” button). The free call is limited to 15 minutes, but you have up to one year to use the minutes.
After using the Time to Call app, here’s my take:
Time to Call Positives
- The app is free and easy to use
- No need to set up an account or plan with Vonage — app uses your iTunes account
- Time to Call users do not have to be Vonage home phone service subscribers
- Service works on Wi-Fi worldwide
- Also works on high-quality 3G wireless networks in USA and Canada
- Rates for fifteen-minute calls to 100 countries range from 99¢ to $1.99
- Additional 90 countries can be called for flat rates ranging up to $9.99
- Calls to landlines and mobile phones are the same rate
- Time to Call service is available everywhere
- Unused minutes will be available for up to a year
- For a limited time, if you have less than 5 minutes remaining, your next call can be up to 5 minutes (even if you only have one unused minute left)
- 70% to 90% savings over major mobile carriers (I did not have time to verify this for myself)
Time to Call Negatives
- Works only with iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch wireless devices (Android app coming soon)
- Caller ID shows up as “out of area” because you can’t enter your phone number if you’re using an iPod Touch
- I made multiple free calls, but I can’t find my remaining minutes balance for the free call(s)
- Rates does not include applicable taxes so you don’t really know what the final amount will be
- 3G calls require a data plan with your mobile carrier
- The app is one way, you can call out but you can’t receive calls with the app
- Unused minutes can only be used for the same country or calling region
Apple iPad 2 Giveaway
Thanks to Vonage (Facebook | Twitter), a very lucky reader of my geek dad blog will win two iTunes gift cards. One gift card has a value of $15 and is for testing the Vonage Time to Call app. The other iTunes card is a $700 gift card for purchasing an Apple iPad 2, 32 GB. For $700, you can actually purchase the 64 GB WiFi version if you don’t need the 3G version. If you already have an iPad 2, you can use the iTunes card to purchase something else at the Apple Store. The giveaway is open to all humanoids on the planet Earth (including international life forms). If you don’t have access to Apple in your country, your cash prize will will be sent via Paypal. The winner will be randomly selected. The deadline to enter the giveaway is Sunday, August 14th (Pacific time).
To enter my giveaway, you have to do two things. First task, leave a comment about who and where you would like to call internationally with the Vonage Time to Call app. Second task: you have a choice of either changing my toddler’s poopy diaper or helping me promote the giveaway via Facebook (click on the “like” icon at the top of this page) and/or Twitter (use the retweet button at the top of this page). Let me know in the comments how you will help me out (diaper, Twitter, Facebook).
You can only enter the contest once on my site (no bonus entries). However, feel free to also enter at Geekzone and Small Business Trends. They are also giving away Apple iPads today. There are actually 75 bloggers giving away an iPad 2 over the next several weeks. Check out the contest schedule at Time to call from your smartphone website. And don’t forget to download the new Vonage Time to Call international calling app.
[Update: the winner of my giveaway is Dave (dlposey). Congrats to Dave!]
[Disclosure: The giveaway prize will be provided by Vonage, but they are not the administrators of the giveaway on my blog. I am not liable for the prize. I received an iTunes gift card for testing the Vonage Time to Call app. As always, the opinions expressed are mine and I am not obligated to write a positive review.]
I could call my friend Steven who’s stationed in Japan with the Navy. And facebook it is.
I would call my family in Italy and I helped you on FB :-)
I would call all my friends in El Salvador, where I lived for a year!!
I retweeted on twitter as @GoldfishErin!
I would like to call my relatives who live in London.
brich22 at earthlink dot net
I liked this post
richard hicks
brich22 at earthlink dot net
I would call a friend in Mexico.
wendym at cableone dot net
I would love to be able to call the guys in my old unit that are about to deploy to Afghan.
2nd task….opted for the facebook requirement. Wendy McBride
wendym at cableone dot net
I would call my best friend in Japan (she’s in the Airforce)!
I clicked the like button
I would like to call family that i have in the dominican republic to see how they are doing with the bad weather they have been having.
I’ll call our former foreign exchange student in Kyrgyzstan. Twitter – choochoo428
I would use this to call my dad when he is overseas, he isnt home much so we make a lot of long distance calls!
i would call a lost love in reading,uk
I would call my relatives in Holland. I clicked like on the top of your page!
i really really would like to win the ipad2
will call my family in mexico
I would call my best friend who lives in Canada. I haven’t heard her voice in SO long because it just costs SO much!
I would call the friends I met in Holland on a school trip.
I’d like to call my brother in Japan
I would call a friend in Germany. Twitter
I would call Ireland to get more detailed ancestry info. I ‘liked’ the blog on facebook.
I couldn’t find the like button, so I’ll help change a poopy diaper
I would call my friends who were just stationed in England, or my friends who are stationed in Japan. And I used facebook.
I would call my friend Maria in Spain! :)
i would call my family at korea!!
i would call my grandpa in Ireland, and I will change the poopy diaper.
I would us this app to call my Aunt Sonia in Mexico or some friends that are stationed in Japan with the Navy. I helped you promote this via facebook.
I would call my bff from high school who lives in England. I promoted the giveaway via Facebook by clicking on the “like” icon.
id love to call my friends in GB!
I would call my husband who is in the military when he is traveling over seas!!
Ill change a poopy diaper I have two small children in diapers so whats one more.
Thanks for the giveaway…I have cousins to call in Ireland, and friends to call in Hong Kong & Taiwan !
senorpiero [at] yahoo [dot] com
Tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/brianpiero/status/102985667759448064
I liked you on facebook!
And I would call my mom since I barely get to speak to her since I cant aford long distance calling on my go-phone!
I would call a friend stationed in Germany!
shannon_williamson@aol.com
I would call my sister stationed in germany
I could call my grandma in europe
I would call my sister in Grenada. I would tell all my friends on Facebook.
I would call my friend, Sean, in London
Liked you on Facebook! last minute entry !
I would call some service men and women I know overseas to tell them THANK YOU! I also “liked” the post at the top.
I would call Rod Stewart in England and ask him to brush his hair.
I would use it to call family in Taiwan! I re-tweeted!
I would call my family in Greece and all my college friends who have moved across the country and overseas.
I would call my family in Greece and all my college friends who have moved across the country and overseas… I’ll gladly change diapers, as well as helping you with Twitter and Facebook.
i will call my family in the US
I would call my cousins in Jamaica.
Sorry can’t help you on the toddler diapers. My days of changing diapers are thankfully over! However, I helped promote your site and Vonage app on Facebook.
Who would I call internationally? If service is offered in Africa, I would like to call the girl we sponsor through the Rafiki Foundation.
I’ve never changed a diaper – so I am not sure you want my help! It’d probably involved the use of duct tape and paper towels?
I would use the phone to call my relatives France.