Making a call from your cellphone is probably one of the least employed features of your mobile, as call costs have remained high, whilst IM apps such as Mxit and Whatsapp are a far more cost effective method of staying in touch. For businesses with suppliers and clients abroad, as well as people with overseas-based family and friends, nothing comes close to the personal connection of a call though.

This is where the goava VoIP (voice over IP) service comes in, as it is a complete internet-based telephony software solution that allows users to make low-cost phone calls to both local and international telephone numbers. Unlike conventional internet-based VoIP services, goava provides customers with a telephone number, which is reachable from traditional fixed-line telephones and mobile networks from anywhere around the globe.

The software works on a wide range of devices, ranging from your home or work PC, through to smartphones (Android, iOS, Symbian), IP (internet protocol) desk phones and IP PABX devices. It is well suited to a home user, always-on-the-go smartphone user, small to medium businesses and business PABX customers, who need to make a lot of low-cost local and international VoIP calls from any of these devices. Enterprise grade leased line VoIP services are also available for business customers.

How does it work?

goava VoIP is a pre-paid service that offers call rates from as little as R0.08 per minute to other goava users as well as selected international destinations. Furthermore, this software also enables some advanced telephony features such as a voice mailbox, an online address book, call forwarding, conference calling, real time account balance query, and number blocking.

You receive your own dedicated telephone number that is contactable from a landline or cellphone worldwide, and in order to make calls, users simply need to keep their account balance topped up via iTunes, PayPal, or by buying international calling cards ranging from R50 to R500.

To the point

The goava VoIP service will assist locals to stay in touch with family and friends across the globe, whilst also helping local firms to keep their international business communications  needs met for much less.

goava works on your smartphone from anywhere in the world where you have Internet access either through WiFi or Mobile Internet Data. This provides international travellers with the benefit of not incurring expensive roaming charges when making or receiving calls while abroad. You can use a SIM card from a local mobile operator in the country where you are travelling for Internet access and still receive calls on your South African goava telephone number.

Article first appeared in TechSmart 110, available to read or download here.