Truphone has enhanced its service to enable customers make mobile calls across the internet even when they’re on the move and thus not connected to the internet. Truphone Anywhere benefits customers while they are in ordinary mobile reception by automatically sending the long-distance part of their call over the internet.

When an international number is dialled, the Truphone software detects what is happening and takes over automatically. Truphone Anywhere will then make a domestic call to local Truphone server and sends to the server the international number being called. The Truphone server then makes an internet call to that number and connects that long-distance internet call with the domestic call
the customer pays only for the call to the local Truphone server. Other than your local minutes, Truphone will charge for the cost of making internet calls, which is said to be as little as £0.03/minute [US$0.06/min] to call any regular landline in more than 40 countries

in some instances, such as when using Truphone Anywhere abroad, the handset sends an initial SMS to the Truphone server instead of calling it. The Truphone server then calls back to the handset and simultaneously makes an internet call to the called party, connecting the calls together at Truphone’s server; however this all remains transparent to the mobile user.

James Tagg, Truphone’s chief executive officer, said: “The days of having to pay through the nose to make international calls are no longer just numbered, they are gone; international calls from mobile phones are easier and more affordable than ever. People can now make a Truphone call globally and the cost will be close to that of a local call, even if they’re not in Wi-Fi. Of course, if they are in Wi-Fi and they make a Truphone call, it can cost even less.”

via [truphone]