Free voice and video firm plans April 1 UK launch

New UK service Voixio is to offer free national or international phone and video calls to internet users. The catch? For every call you first have to watch an ad or commercial. Voixio was set up by London-based Requestec, which specialises in web 2.0 communication applications, including high definition video calling from …

[Anonymous Coward]

Oh god

Cyberstalker's paradise again.

[Andy Taylor]

I wonder if

This will bring back the adverts that used to be run in cinemas advertising local businesses - "Just 200 yards from this cinema" could become "Only 50m from this mobile phone".

[Dan Maudsley]

Re: Oh God

Explain

[Steve]

Watch?

How are they going to force people to *watch* the ad? What about the "initiate the call, go for a pee, come back in time to chat" approach?

[Joseph Haig]

Oh yes?

April 1st? Oh yes?

Tell me again on April 2nd and I'll believe you.

[David Perry]

Erm

Early April Fool? A smack of the author is in order if so :@

[Viktor]

awesome..

if it's free, i'm not complaining. don't even mind paying if it's like Skype but with video calls too.

[Matt Thornton]

999 calls?

Probably wouldn't want it as your primary voice line in case you have a heart attack and have to sit through a minutes worth of adverts before being connected to the emergency services...

[Anonymous Coward]

It could be a double bluff April Fool

It could be a double bluff April Fool.

It really does work. I was just able to register and start using the service. Took all of 8 seconds to get working and be making a call.

So maybe, the joke is to make you believe that it's an April Fool.

You can't of course make a call to an email address. Although if that email address is registered to an account holder, it will call them. Otherwise it will send them an invite.

[Shane Bryan]

RE: My own 'Maybe It's A Double Bluff' Comment

OK, well, it *was* working.

I made three calls, but now it is telling me that it wont make new calls and that Voixio will be live on 1 April 2008.

Maybe I slipped through their net :)

[Gordon Lawrie]

I tried this earlier...

...and was able to make a voice call and a video call to my mobile, all be it after watching a stupid advert for Silverjet. That said, now when I try again it just tells me that it launches April 1st.

Looks like you're going to get 15 minutes to a landline, 2 minutes to a mobile and 1 minute of video calling per ad, and it does look like it's real.

[Anonymous Coward]

Assuming it's not an April fool...

I give it six months before they start charging/go bust.

[Viktor]

Voip & 999?!

I see a lot about this written but it's silly, no one removes their landline when making internet calls via a PC! You don't relinquish access to your phone when you use MSN or Skype. I checked this out, it's cool as there is nothing to download to your system, it's all virtual.

[TeeCee]

@Viktor

".....no one removes their landline when making internet calls...."

I did. Not by choice, mind you, but since I'm not paying for something I don't want, I've left it this way.

I've deliberately left out the "via a PC" bit, cos I don't. Use a PC for VOIP I mean. No M$N of Skhype here, just standard SIP using a SIP-capable DSL router with a DECT base unit plugged into it. Just like having a "real" phone, but without that Pelican feeling*.

*Blackadder: "I feel like a Pelican. Everywhere I look, there's a huge bill in front of me."

[Viktor]

trial

right, turns out you can still use it now in a limited capacity until it launches (free mode). It wasn't clear before, basically this is a better version of skype with the option of having it free if you watch an ad - or you can pay and it's still cheaper than skype. all the pc to email calls are free, as is the messaging service anyway, it's only landline and mobile calls you pay for. this may be the only service that you can make 3g video calls from i think.

[Karl Dallas]

This is an April fool - right?

Does anyone seriously believe this will work?

[TimM]

Re: Voip & 999?!

"no one removes their landline when making internet calls via a PC"

Most people on cable would be happy to, as they don't need a landline to get broadband. Different physical cable.

I'm on ADSL via a BT line however (because NTL/Virgin are utter crap but that's another issue), and I cannot have broadband without the line. Hence I don't get rid of the landline. If I could, and VoIP was reliable enough (it's not), then I would.

However, as I don't make international calls, and I have a landline that I have to pay for and calls within the UK are now practically free, I don't bother with VoIP. Though I'm not interested in calling from my PC anyway. Much prefer a separate handset without powering up a PC, though my mobile can VoIP anyway.

VoIP would be great on mobiles with WLAN, but it's just plain useless on most hotspots. At home it's fine, except for the battery drain using WLAN. Otherwise I'd again be happy to ditch the landline if I could.

But anyway, isn't the 999 issue being dealt with? i.e. requirement by regulators for VoIP operators to provide a 999 service ?

[Dave]

This is better!

A reason for adverts! I find it perfectly acceptable to hand over personal data (i lie when filling in forms anyway) for a FREE server.

No problem, adverts to subsidise a service? No problem.

Adverts on a pay for service where there were no adverts before (*Cough* Phorm) no way.

Anyone remember LibertySurf in the UK? (plus other similar ISPs) £20 for a year of unlimite off-peak dialup with ad-banner on the screen, it was great.

[Ben Weekes]

Fools we are not (we hope)

this was no easy delivery and the business model (on paper) works.

We'll be there on the 1st with adverts that will appeal to the caller and a big thanks to all those who have toiled to make this work. Flash telephony is so exciting, the two way YouTube for all.

Ben

[Anonymous Coward]

Flash and Javascript needed??

Mmmmmm

I don't know if this one is for me. I usually have Flash disabled because I just don't trust what it can be hiding. Even the website does not work without javascript.

Advertisers checking cookies? I always block cookies.

And that is all I can say about it.