U.S. smartphone users could see a significant drop in their monthly handset bills, if they're willing to switch to Voice over Internet Protocol for phone calls.
Zer01 will offer unlimited calling and data for $70 per month -- plus a one-time, $30 activation fee -- with the help of a proprietary VoIP application for calls. The service will be available initially for Windows Mobile 6 phones, but Zer01 plans to support SIM-unlocked handsets on Android, Blackberry, Symbian and Java. Jailbroken iPhones may also be supported, PC Magazine reports.
The service is actually an application that gets integrated with the phone's hardware, such as the number keys, microphone and earpiece. Zer01's network essentially comes from AT&T -- kind of like the way most cell phones can roam on other providers' networks -- with an agreement that lets the company build a separate IP backbone. Chief Executive Ben Piilani tells PC Magazine that "specific algorithms" keep calls flowing smoothly, even over typically slow EDGE and GPRS networks.
Prospective customers will either be able to purchase a phone, such as the HTC Touch 3G, from Zer01 or bring their own handsets, though it's not clear whether Zer01 will have brick-and-mortar stores or a mail-in service. There are no contracts or credit checks, and an extra $10 per month is good for international calls to 40 countries.
It's a pretty enticing deal compared to the otherwise astronomical phone-plus-data costs in the U.S. Quality of the VoIP network is the big "if," so we'll see if Zer01 can make good on its promises of smooth calls. The service enters closed beta in April.
