Good news guys! Skype on iPhone was been announced by Shape Services. The company released IM+ for Skype for iPhone, the Safari web application for accessing Skype ecosystem from the mobile environment. Designed especially for iPhone’s touch screen, the new version complements the design and interface of the iPhone. And for a limited time, you can use IM+ for free if you’re an iPhone user.
Using your iPhone Safari browser, log onto http://skypeforiphone.com and talk to your friends using Skype contacts. You can also call any landlines and mobiles in a cost-efficient way.
But is it legal? Here’s an extract from AT&T’s terms and conditions for the iPhone and the data plan that specifically says that "Voice over IP" is prohibited:
"PROHIBITED USES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, USING SERVICES: (I) WITH SERVER DEVICES OR WITH HOST COMPUTER APPLICATIONS, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, WEB CAMERA POSTS OR BROADCASTS, CONTINUOUS JPEG FILE TRANSFERS, AUTOMATIC DATA FEEDS, TELEMETRY APPLICATIONS, PEER-TO-PEER (P2P) FILE SHARING, AUTOMATED FUNCTIONS OR ANY OTHER MACHINE-TO-MACHINE APPLICATIONS; (II) AS SUBSTITUTE OR BACKUP FOR PRIVATE LINES OR DEDICATED DATA CONNECTIONS; (III) FOR VOICE OVER IP;"
Last time I checked, Skype was a Voice over IP service. Can AT&T really know you’re using Skype. And if they do, what are they going to do? Cancel your subscription?
What do you think?
Update: Thanks to Phil and Jim from SkypeJournal for a step by step explanation of how this work. The VOiP part of the communication is handled by Shape Services’ servers. This is a call back service to your iPhone. It does save a lot of money on long distance calls, but you still have to pay locally for the minutes you’re using on your mobile phone.
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August 14th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
MyToGo for Skype does the same thing for calls and works for ANY phone including the iPhone and it does NOT require the use of any browser or software on the iPhone. More information here:
http://testing.onlytherightanswers.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=58
August 14th, 2007 at 1:40 pm
IM+ for Skype does not run a VoIP client on the iPhone but rather at the IM+ server where it creates a Skype conference call. Check out my post at http://skypejournal.com/blog/2007/07/skype_and_voip_on_mobile_platf.html to learn how IM+ works on any mobile phone device (Blackberry, Nokia Symbian, iPhone) and makes voice calls (using the underlying wireless/mobile voice service of AT&T, in the case of the iPhone). It is mostly the IM chat sessions that run over the data channel.
What is new here from Shape Services is that they are using web services to run their iPhone application (whereas IM+ for other devices has its own separate application on the device).
August 15th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
i would rather use http://www.iphone.beejive.com, you can log into all your instant messengers and have multiple chats session…only downside they do not have any sound alert function…but all the same It’s still great and dont count against your text messages
March 19th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
This advice is really going to help, thanks.
May 19th, 2009 at 6:46 am
There is obviously a lot to know about this. I think you made some good points in this subject. So, just want to say great job!
October 24th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
The articles here are great. Thanks for having them. I love reading blogs about Voice over IP! It’s such an exciting technology. I don’t comment on many blogs but had to on yours. Thanks again – great site!