Best app for multi-platform conference calls? - Android Apps and Games

I often do conference calls with my brothers, one with an iPhone on AT&T, the other with a Bionic on Verizon. I have a Sensation on T-Mobile.
Unfortunately, often one of us drops for some reason or another (bad service, etc) and it's annoying to add them back in (or me). Even worse if the person who started the call drops, then all 3 people get kicked.
- Is there any VoIP app that allows for free conference calling, that works on both Android and iPhone? (And maybe PC while we're at it?)
- Does the Skype app allow for free VoIP conference calling? And does it allow conference calling between Androids and iPhones?

Related

Best VOIP Provider for SIP

I recently signed up with VoipStunt for my SIP calling on WM6, but I'm not terribly impressed with the quality. Some crackling, hissing, and dropped words. Not about to set up my own Asterisk server or get Vonage. Anyone (in the US) really happy with the quality of service of a particular VOIP provider on WM6?
I think VoIP over 3g will become more common in the future. But it's not there yet because I'm constantly searching for a VoIP provider that offers
1. app with push notification (I don't want to give out passwords to 3rd party apps such as acrobits)
2. supports G729 or iLBC codec
3. U.S. based
4. outbound CID spoofing
5. multiple registrations
6. of course in/out calls at a competitive rate
7. full integration with OS
FYI, Vonage Mobile satisfies #1-4 but it cannot receive PSTN calls.
Any new ideas on this, I am looking for a US based sip provider that has cheap outgoing calls without a subscription.
I ended up signing with voip.ms seems like it is good.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Disable Voice/Video Calls over pro

I use Sipdroid on my phone and it can interrogate into the phone so when you make a call it automatically calls with Voip over 3g (or wifi). I would liek to know weather it is possible to completely disable making voice/Video calls and texts over mobile network. As i would like to start giving android phones to my employees with data sims because data sims have much cheaper data rates but if you make a call/text its really expensive. And i wouldnt want an employee to accidentally exit sipdroid so when they make a call it doesn't use voip. also I still want to be able to receive regular calls.
Thanks.

mobile data vs wifi for google voice calls?

i had my thunderbolt set to wifi which i hardly ever do, left my house, and made a phone call using google voice while going for a walk. after i hung up, i noticed i had never turned mobile data back on. so, how did google voice handle my call half a mile from home without the verizon network? did it somehow switch seamlessly from wifi to mobile data without me agreeing to turn mobile data on?, just curious.
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
wrb123 said:
i had my thunderbolt set to wifi which i hardly ever do, left my house, and made a phone call using google voice while going for a walk. after i hung up, i noticed i had never turned mobile data back on. so, how did google voice handle my call half a mile from home without the verizon network? did it somehow switch seamlessly from wifi to mobile data without me agreeing to turn mobile data on?, just curious.
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google voice isnt VOIP... its using your cell signal, not your data. It does use a few packets to initiate the call over a data network, but after that, its using your minutes and your cell connection. The only real benefit for your average user is free text messaging (no mms) and visual voicemail for free. Its the same as using your cellphone otherwise, with far worse call quality.
if it's using cell connection, why would call quality be any different? I have only recently started using voice to dial out on calls and haven't really noticed a difference.
johnchad14 said:
if it's using cell connection, why would call quality be any different? I have only recently started using voice to dial out on calls and haven't really noticed a difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no difference. Whether you are on WiFi or not, it still uses regular Verizon cell network as though you dialed the call normally. It still uses your minutes and doesn't use data.
Sent from my ThunderBolt using Tapatalk
johnchad14 said:
if it's using cell connection, why would call quality be any different?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because you're going through more hops, which means more transcoding and latency.
hmm seems like the quality is fine to me... its not like im calling into a recording studio to lay down the vocals for my next track anyway.
the real question is more about how google voice can just turn my mobile data on without asking me when i turned it off, whereas something like google maps has to prompt me every time to turn gps on. it would be nice if google maps could just remember my preference "yes, its okay to enable gps when i launch maps/navigation or click to show my location" rather than being sent to the location settings from maps every time
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
I'd heard about lower quality on voice calls but just haven't experienced it. Is the call still connecting through a third party between callers these days? My understanding was callers are connected by the service but once connection is established they are directly connected. Would be curious to know the technical details
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA Premium App
You mean you are getting free text messages with GV? It doesnt count towards your text mesaging plan
Most of you are misunderstanding the GV service. Quality is the same, because you your "voice" is not being re-encoded, altered, or even rerouted in any way. All the Google voice service does is accept/make calls then hand them off. Just like calling a secretary and them transferring you to another office. Your GV number is the secretary, when someone calls it it informs all your phones that someone wants to talk to you and when you pick one up it "transfers" the call to you on that phone. Just as if they directly called you. Absolutely no difference. This is not voip, like skype, vonage, etc.
trikotret said:
You mean you are getting free text messages with GV? It doesnt count towards your text mesaging plan
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yep, but google voice can't handle picture messaging. i just told everyone, hey... can't get picture messages anymore. post stuff on facebook or email it to me. awesome to be able to save $10 or so a month doing this on verizon. on sprint they don't let you decline text messaging on a smartphone plan that im aware of, so it doesn't matter on sprint. very happy with verizon on this issue!
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
TsaiKimon said:
Most of you are misunderstanding the GV service. Quality is the same, because you your "voice" is not being re-encoded, altered, or even rerouted in any way. All the Google voice service does is accept/make calls then hand them off. Just like calling a secretary and them transferring you to another office. Your GV number is the secretary, when someone calls it it informs all your phones that someone wants to talk to you and when you pick one up it "transfers" the call to you on that phone. Just as if they directly called you. Absolutely no difference. This is not voip, like skype, vonage, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for the explanation - good to know.
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
TsaiKimon said:
Most of you are misunderstanding the GV service.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Especially you.
When a secretary transfers a call, it's to another DN on the same PBX, the connection is simply rerouted within the same system. If they "hand you off to another office," then they are adding a hop, and possibly transcoding, unless the PBXs are in a common VoIP domain, or in very specific cases, are coordinated to do anti-tromboning (e.g. all calls enter the main office, which then trunks them to remote sites - if a call is then transferred back to the main site or to another office, anti-tromboning may be used).
With GV, when you call out, your phone calls a special number belonging to GV (you can see this if you have detailed billing). From that point, the number you dialed is in turn connected. GV can't reach into the carrier's system and reroute the call there. So, it's another hop of latency and transcoding. It wouldn't surprise me if Google had SIP trunks, since they tend to be cheaper at scale.
It's similar in reverse, someone calls your GV number, they're connected to a Google site, which in turn forwards the call to your cell number (or whatever number you define). Again, another hop.
the call quality is fine
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
My call quality actually went down after starting to use GV on my Thunderbolt. I have a severe 2-3 second lag with almost all my calls I start. I have no problem when receiving a call, there's no lag. Anyone else in the same boat?
Sent from my Thunderbolt.
yes to lag when starting calls, but that is due to the connection method certainly. Has to connect to voice, then voice connects both parties.
But haven't noticed any call quality degradation from switching (yet?)

[Q] Is there a VOIP app for WP?

Does anyone know of an app that uses internet connection for calling purposes?
I am on AT&T and have a limited minutes plan, and am not left with much at the end of the month.
There are such apps on other platforms like talkatone app in ios devices, which allow users to call using cellular data or wifi, thus not using the valuable minutes of the plan.
I was just wondering if anyone know about any such app on WP devices, or anyone interested in making one.
Thanks
Search for Govoice - it uses google voice.
Also Tango.me (it does video and voice and is also available to android and iphone although it is currently only phone to phone or phone to pc communication)
Thanks for replying,
I already use Govoice and tango. Govoice uses the google voice number, but makes the call through your cellular network which uses the minutes on your plan.
Tango on the other hand uses data or wifi to make the call which is what I want, but it can only call other tango users which is very limiting.
I want an app which dials whatever number I give it, and instead of using the cellular network, uses data or wifi.
I personally dont have access to ios or android device, but there is an app called "Talkatone" on both these platforms (i think, but am sure about ios) which calls every number in the directory using only data or wifi.
An app like that is what I am looking for.
Haven't tried this one but search the marketplace for mobilevoip . You have to use a headset with it and it's beta
Also MS confirmed Skype is coming soon
I use MobileVoiP, best program for me, because I am a customer of Poivy.
You can talk in almost every country for free
greetz

T-Mobile Wifi Calling Alternatives?

This has been a work in progress over on the N4 forums, with little progress. I have zero cell reception in certain parts of my home with T-Mobile USA. What can I use as an alternative? Without using a different phone number (i.e Google Voice). Does Hangouts send SMS over Wifi or Cellular? What are you guys using?
Have you ever called tmobile about this. They have given people cell boosters for similar problems
Sent from my GT-N5110 using xda app-developers app
I'm having the same issue with T-Mobile. I have full LTE signal all around my city but the second I walk into my apartment I have absolutely no service. It's quite frustrating and I'm trying to find an alternative. I tried calling T-Mobile about it but they said their cell boosters are "only for stand alone homes and won't work in an apartment complex", which seems ridiculous but whatever.
I'd be willing to switch to Google Voice but I haven't been able to confirm whether or not Google Voice makes/receives calls and texts via Wifi, or if I'll need a separate app to make it work. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
The typical method these days is Google Voice (since that's not specifically an SIP/VoIP thing itself) + either GrooveIP or Talkatone (which ARE those things) and you can then do SIP/VoIP calling from the Google Voice number, but as noted in the T-Mobile $30 plan thread multiple times (and other places as well) Google is removing the ability for third party apps to interact with GV at the end of April 2014 so that's when we (people that GV + third-party apps) will be forced to find other solutions to make SIP/VoIP calls).
And the other thing is that T-Mobile Wi-Fi calling setup uses minutes from your service plan - most people don't know this and it's not a big hassle on a 1500 minute or unlimited calling plan, but for those of us with the $30 plan it's basically pointless to use it when other alternatives (such as those I just described, at least for another 5 months or so) exist.
Skype is another option but you could be looking at some money involved based on what/who/where you're calling, and then there's stuff like Vonage if you use that service but that's an expenditure as well.
Google Voice for the Home via ObiTalk
sn0warmy said:
I'm having the same issue with T-Mobile. I have full LTE signal all around my city but the second I walk into my apartment I have absolutely no service. It's quite frustrating and I'm trying to find an alternative. I tried calling T-Mobile about it but they said their cell boosters are "only for stand alone homes and won't work in an apartment complex", which seems ridiculous but whatever.
I'd be willing to switch to Google Voice but I haven't been able to confirm whether or not Google Voice makes/receives calls and texts via Wifi, or if I'll need a separate app to make it work. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just FYI; I told AT&T to go fly a kite about 8 months ago for my home phone and have been using Google Voice on my home line as well as my cell phone for FREE. Yes; that's FREE incoming and outgoing calls.
I am using a small VoIP phone adapter found on Amazon called OBi202 from ObiTalk.com
Costs about $80 bucks and there is even a wifi adapter for $25 if you can't plug it in via Cat5 to your internet connection at home.
Anyway; you configure the phone adapter to use Google Voice and voila! You can connect 2 separate lines. I have mine and my wife's hooked up to cordless phones so I now have free home phone service.
Down side? The caller ID is a numer and not a name. I read about services available for a subscription that will give you the Name on Caller ID but if this is so important to you I guess you are OK with paying $60+ for phone service. (Yea right)
When you get a call it will ring simultaneously on your home phone and your mobile.
Free service; I LIKE THAT. And if you get bad reception at home from your mobile the nice part is that this could solve your issue because you give out your Google Voice number out and the phone will automatically start be ringing on your cordless when you are home.
Hope this helps you!!:good:
---------- Post added at 08:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:50 PM ----------
sn0warmy said:
I'm having the same issue with T-Mobile. I have full LTE signal all around my city but the second I walk into my apartment I have absolutely no service. It's quite frustrating and I'm trying to find an alternative. I tried calling T-Mobile about it but they said their cell boosters are "only for stand alone homes and won't work in an apartment complex", which seems ridiculous but whatever.
I'd be willing to switch to Google Voice but I haven't been able to confirm whether or not Google Voice makes/receives calls and texts via Wifi, or if I'll need a separate app to make it work. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh; to answer your question I sent myself and back texts using Google Voice over Wifi only and it worked. I have called with it via Wifi also when traveling.
So it does.
You can use MagicJack. They also have a android app. I heard it pretty good, however to use the android app, you need to register your phone. Once you register your phone, you can't unregister it. This is info I pulled about a year ago. Look into it though.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Port your number to Google Voice.
Get a VoIP account at a provider that has good latency for your location (I use voip.ms, costs $0.014/min outgoing, ~$0.01/min incoming).
Set up CSIPSimple on your phone (use g729a for good quality on slower connections, PCMU on faster connections; be prepared to fiddle with settings to get it down right)
Make calls using CSIPSimple from your voip.ms account
Set up Google Voice to ring both your voip.ms number when you receive calls, as well as your T-Mobile number (in case you don't have WiFi or data when the call comes through).

Categories

Resources