M-VoIP - Vonage is offering inclusive calls to 60 countries for USD 26 per month

[zdnet] Vonage’s international calling plan is stepping up to be a more affordable and flexible option as the service extends to mobile.

The new Vonage World plan is as follows: Subscribers can call land-line numbers in over 60 countries from either their own land-line or mobile phone using the VoIP service for $25.99 per month. Users can also call mobile numbers in up to 10 countries on the same plan.

Vonage suggests that anyone who already conducts international phone calls for a little as an hour a week could save up to $250 with this option.

Mike Tempora, senior vice president of product management for Vonage, said that the mobile option was in high demand from its customers, citing that “70 percent said they make international calls while their away from home either by using a calling card or paying high carrier rates.”

Additionally, the revamped plan includes the new Extensions feature, which enables customers to add any U.S. phone number (mobile, home or office) as another number on the plan. (Note that fax numbers as well as 800/887 and virtual numbers are not supported). That number can then double as a virtual calling card to re-route calls over the Vonage’s network.

For example, this makes the most sense if a subscriber has Vonage World at home or work, and wants to add his or her cell phone number to the plan, or vice versa.

The process to take advantage of this might seem a bit complicated on paper, but it’s rather straightforward. Once the user registers the number on his or her online account page, the user will then have to select a PIN number for validating the subscriber and the phone line later on. From there, when the user wants to make an international call, he or she just dials an access number, the PIN number and then the international phone number he or she is calling.

Tempora added that customers who use virtual numbers and/or international calling cards will find the process to be quite similar and intuitive.

Although this service is supported by any mobile device, there will be apps for iOS and Android in the coming weeks with a one-touch solution to streamline this process.

Vonage offering unlimited international calling via mobile phones