A few months back I was flying out of Long Beach Airport (LGB) in California and decided to test the internet speed when I was there.  I like many others have been known to spend a great deal of time waiting for flights that are sometimes shorter then the time we wait in the airport.  At bigger airports there are airline club rooms that aren’t all that bad to spend some time in, but Long Beach airport isn’t one of them.  It’s as big as some of those more luxurious club rooms but being small is part of it’s advantage.  I can litteraly go from the curb to the furthest gate in under 3 minutes and that’s not even breaking a sweat.

I really like flying in and out of LGB and like most of my readers I tap into the wifi in the airport during the wait to board.  My last two times waiting to fly out of LGB were very different.  One I had reasonable internet at 2.09mbps down and 1.64mbps up.  I want to congratulate the airport on doing this right.  It’s not as fast as I’d like to see but it will sure do when checking email and using Google Docs.

On the other hand my most recent visit to the airport was very different.  I couldn’t find an access point to use to get on the net.  I tried every single AP and none worked.  I checked Boingo which usually gets me on at most airports and no luck there.  I ended up having to use my trusty Nokia phone with JoikuSpot (a program that turns your phone into a wifi hotspot utilizing your networks 3G data) running on it to get on the web.

I’m not sure what happened to Long Beach Airports wifi but I was disappointed to find I couldn’t use it.  Oh well, there’s always next time.

Truphone one of my favorite mobile VOIP providers has announced 2 new flat rate plans.  I have been waiting for this kind of thing for over a year and maybe 2 years now.  They have a plan called TruUnlimited for Landlines at $14.40/month and it includes unlimited calls to landlines in 38 countries and unlimited to mobiles in USA, Canada, China, and Hong Kong.

Their second plan is called TruUnlimited for Mobiles will run you $35/month and it includes unlimited calls to landlines and mobiles in 64 countries.

Here is the Press Release from Truphone and at the bottom are notes on the included countries.

 LONDON (March 30, 2009) – Low cost calling just got lower with TruUnlimited, the most robust, flat rate worry-free calling plan announced today by Truphone. Now, users around the world can call more places, more often — all for one low fixed price with the two new unlimited plans for both landline and mobiles.

Using TruUnlimited, customers now have the freedom to make calls around the world, at any time of the day, and any day of the week without having to worry about mounting call charges. Additionally, the customer is always in control. TruUnlimited plans do not require entering into long-term contracts and can be cancelled at any time.

“Many of our customers have asked us to help simplify their lives by providing the peace of mind that comes with the ability to make unlimited calls to landlines and mobiles and not have to worry about checking balances or fearing bill shock when they receive their statement,” said Geraldine Wilson, CEO Truphone.

Introducing “TruUnlimited for Landlines”…
For people who need to regularly communicate with colleagues, friends and family around the world, the new TruUnlimited for Landlines monthly calling plan gives customers unlimited calls to those landlines in 38 countries for just $4.40 per month. As a bonus, the TruUnlimited for Landlines plan also permits calls to mobile phones in some top destinations such as the USA, Canada, China, and Hong Kong at no extra charge.

…and Presenting “TruUnlimited for Mobiles”
For customers regularly calling mobile phones more frequently, in addition to landlines in many different countries, the TruUnlimited for Mobiles plan provides subscribers with even more savings with unlimited calls to landlines as well as mobile phones placed to 64 countries for just $35.00 per month.

What You Need To Take Advantage of Truphone’s TruUnlimited’s Low Rates
TruUnlimited is available immediately to existing Truphone customers and for new subscribers via the easy installation of the Truphone application software available as a free download for iPhone, iPod touch, Nokia Symbian N & E series capable devices, and for Truphone Anywhere on the Google Android G1 and RIM Blackberry Messenger Smartphones.

Truphone Standard Rate Plans
The new TruUnlimited plans are not replacements for other popular Truphone programs. Customers that do not need a Truphone Unlimited plan can still make great savings using the company’s Truphone Standard rate plan (details available at www.truphone.com).

- XXX -

Notes to editors
Countries included in the TruUnlimited Landlines tariff are landline numbers in: Argentina; Australia; Austria; Belgium; Brazil; Colombia; Cyprus; Denmark; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Japan; Korea (South); Malaysia; Netherlands; Panama; Poland; Portugal; South Africa; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Taiwan; UK; Venezuela

In addition to landline numbers, mobile numbers in the following countries are also included with the TruUnlimited Landlines tariff: Canada; China; Guam; Hong Kong; Macau; Mariana Islands; Singapore; Thailand; USA

Countries included in the TruUnlimited Mobiles tariff are landline and mobile numbers in: American Samoa; Antigua & Barbuda; Argentina; Aruba; Australia; Austria; Bangladesh; Belgium; Brazil; British Virgin Islands; Canada; Cayman Islands; China; Colombia; Cyprus; Cyprus (North); Denmark; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Guam; Guatemala; Hong Kong; Hungary; India; Indonesia; Iran; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Japan; Korea (South); Kuwait; Macau; Malaysia; Mariana Islands; Mayotte; Mexico; Mongolia; Monserrat; Netherlands; Netherlands Antilles; Niger; Nigeria; Pakistan; Panama; Paraguay; Poland; Portugal; Russia; Rwanda; Singapore; South Africa; Spain; Sri Lanka; Sweden; Switzerland; Tajikistan; Taiwan; Thailand; Trinidad & Tobago; Turkmenistan; Uganda; UK; Ukraine; USA; Venezuela; Uzbekistan

Great work Truphone, keep it up!

I was just at a Burger King in Tel Aviv, more specifically in Ramot Tzhala and was I happily surprised to see that they offered free WiFi.  It was a treat I didn’t expect to find.  I didn’t test the speeds but I was able to make a VOIP phone call via DeFi Mobile on an N95-4.  Good job Burger King and I hope this trend spreads.

I have been testing DeFi a Mobile VOIP for a few weeks now on the Nokia N 95-4 . Let me tell you, DeFi has it pegged. I am not an economist and I don’t have a masters in business but I think if they can get DeFi in front of the right people they will have it made. DeFi charges $40 per month for unlimited calling (3,000 min/month fair use policy) on any of the dozen plus Nokia Symbian smart phones that support wifi (mostly the E and N series). It is pretty simple, just go online, register with them, they will send you an sms with the download link. At that point you go to the website in the link and download the app. Within 5 minutes you should be making phone calls around the world.

I have been able to plan an event in China, call Israel to chat with friends, and spend hours talking to my sister, her husband and son in Argentina. All of this is for just $40/month. This may be steep if you only make a few calls internationally a month but keep in mind you can make calls to the US also. The unlimited calls include land line and mobile numbers to. So if you use a lot of minutes calling the US this might be a good deal for you also.

I see DeFi competing directly with other major Mobile VOIP MNOs but also with some of our local operators. For example Metro PCS here in the US offers unlimited calls for $35/month, but your restricted to their small footprint. You can use DeFi anywhere you have access to wifi, anywhere in the world. I also suspect you can use it over 3G. This means you have a roaming free handset, which I forgot to mention also provides a phone number for you.

My only complaint and this may be more a hardware/software restriction is that I can’t have DeFi on the same phone I have Truphone and run both at the same time.

All in all I would suggest DeFi to anybody.Visit www.DeFiMobile.com to get started.
Note after the fact: The DeFi customer service is superb.

As everybody the world over knows Los Angeles has the worst traffic anywhere.  When I give directions to out of towners and they ask how long it will take to get here or there I say x amount of time or all day.  The sky is the limit.  So I was on my way to a meeting and got here a bit early, so what  do I do, whip out the Asus Eee PC 901 I was kindly sent to review.  I figured I would be able to connect via Boingo, an aggregater of wifi hotspots.  Well as my luck usually goes Boingo doesn’t connect right off the bat.  I fiddle with it a bit and use JoikuSpot to get on line to retrieve the Boingo customer service number.

When I call I’m greeted by a very nice women named Bianca.  I won’t go into the harrowing details of her getting me back on track but in short she got me set back up and ready to work.  I can’t tell you how frustrated I would have been talking to me and how grateful I am that she didn’t get pissed and tell me to shove off.

Anyways, many thanks to Bianca and Boingo for being and having such great customer service.

I was in San Jose airport last week waiting to fly home and was told there was free wifi.  I had a few hours to kill and I went to the Bits & Bytes bar, plopped down ordered a Tuna sandwich and a beer expecting to spend a few hours working.  Well, low and behold, don’t fall over anybody, the wifi in the airport was terrible.  I was able to connect on and off for about 30 min, then it went totally dark.  Of course it was in the middle of a Skype chat with Andy Abramson who was in the next terminal over and we were trying to coordinate meeting up.  Well, that never happened and I blame it on the crappy wifi.  I’m learning more and more that free public wifi in airports can’t even be counted on to check email and IM with friends.  I wasn’t expecting to make a video call, but I didn’t think retrieving my email should be so taxing on the airports wifi infrastructure.

Anyways, that’s another airport that gets a big fat zero in my book.

I have used the free wifi in Long Beach, Ca Airport in the past and it was acceptable, but today it’s a no go.  I was not even able to test the speed.  I was expecting to get some work done while waiting in the terminal for my JetBlue flight to San Jose and I was disappointed to find that I wasn’t able to get on the net.  I am able to  see and connect to the “Free Public WiFi” but that’s as far as it goes.  I have read many times previously that LGB has free wifi and I was looking forward to using it.  I could have turned my Nokia E71 into a wifi hotspot by using JoikuSpot but I didn’t want to be bothered.

I’m very disappointed in LGB airports free wifi and give it a big fat zero.

Wow, one of my favorite companies, that I think has enormous potential just took a huge step. I think it’s a good direction, maybe not where I was hoping but still a good direction.

Truphone just launched 1.5cents to the US and Canada. They are offering a monthly plan of $15/month for 1,000 minutes. This is really great for world travelers and people just wanting to make inexpensive high quality phone calls from their mobile phone. I get the feeling that this does not include free incoming minutes (I hope I’m wrong) which is quite disappointing but still movement going the way I would like to see it go. Small baby steps are still step. EDIT, I am happy to be wrong this time. I must be jaded by the big US telcos, I figured, of course they’re going to charge for anything they can. I’m very happy to report I was 100% wrong. In true Truphone class and style, they are keeping with their standards and not charging any differently on this new plan then they have in the past.

If you don’t know what Truphone is, it’s a mobile VOIP service provider. They run off of Nokia N and E series devices over wifi and 3G and on the iPhone over wifi only (let’s not get into Apples/AT&Ts stupidity now). Truphone recently purchased a global roaming sim card company and is selling that service to now.

Truphone keep up the good work and please continue to progress with your plans. I would personally like to see free incoming calls and SMS to start. EDIT, MY MISTAKE, Truphone is so sophisticated and forward thinking they NEVER charge for incoming calls or SMS (except on the iPhone).

My good friends over at Truphone have been working very hard lately to bring the very first and as far as I know ONLY iPhone VOIP application (download it from this link, it will open iTunes). I have been a user of Truphone for a few years now it seems like they are always innovating beyond anyone else. From my basic understnding they have created an application that runs independent of the iPhone GSM software and wholly via WiFi (abiding by Apples silly rules). One of the great benefits is that it shows your GSM # in the outgoing caller ID but uses your Truphone minutes to make the call.

Here is most of one of the releases I got from them. They can say it all much better then I can but do remember to download Truphone if you haven’t already. I use the service every single day and count on them for business critical calling.

Truphone saves you money on iPhone calls by routing calls via Wi-Fi. Why is this great?

Absurdly low rates – particularly great value for calling internationally or when you’re travelling. Eg, 3p/min to anywhere in USA, calls to 40 major countries are just 3p/minute to landlines and 15p/minute to mobiles.
No roaming charges – prices are the same no matter where on the planet you’re calling from.
Make calls in deadspots – Wi-Fi VoIP means your iPhone works even with zero cellular reception
Free to download, no lengthy contracts, no subscriptions. And we give you £2/$4 credit to get going

Starbucks has now started offering 2 free hours of AT&T wifi for customers spending $5 or more or customers who have an activated gift card. I am very excited about this because I have a Starbucks a few hundred yards from my front door and think I will test the wifi sometime in the next week or two on my MacBook and handful of different Nokia devices. This is great for roamers and web workers alike. Good work Starbucks.