(Submit Articles) VoIP (Voice over IP) started as a technology, which enabled users to make free or low cost local or international calls over the Internet. This required users to install a piece of software on their personal computers using popular applications like Skype. Applications like Skype enabled users to make free VoIP calls to other Skype users, bypassing the traditional telephone and mobile networks for local and international calls.

With the surge in smart phone sales and the popularity of mobile applications or “apps“ as they are commonly referred to, it was only a matter of time before mobile apps enabled mobile users to take advantage of low VoIP rates. Mobile apps offered from Fring, MO-Call or Skype essentially allows users to make local or international calls for free or for the fraction of the price of a normal call using any internet or Wi-Fi connection. For frequent travellers who wish to take the low VoIP rates with them, installing mobile VoIP apps like Skype or MO-Call seems like the sensible choice.

So should mobile network operators be worried? Simple answer is yes, as “12% of international calls now go via Skype“ (BBC News, 2010), which means mobile operators have already lost 12% of the potential revenue generated from the lower VoIP rates offered by VoIP providers. And with the popularity of smart phones and mobile apps, mobile network operators stand to lose more ground to cheaper mobile VoIP alternatives.

Another big worry is Google recently launched Google Voice, which is integrated with their e-mail service, Gmail. With Google Voice, Gmail users can make free calls to land lines and mobiles. At the time of writing, calls to the US and Canada are free, while calls to other countries will cost about 2 cents a minute. It has been reported that within the first 24 hours of the launch, over 1 million calls were made using Google Voice so no wonder why traditional telephone and mobile network operators are wary of VoIP providers.

The future? The likely tread is more and more people are likely to utilize VoIP or VoIP on their mobiles to minimise their calling costs, therefore cutting out the telephone and mobile network operators altogether.

For cheaper international call rates or low VoIP rates, install MO-Call, which is a Mobile VoIP App that can save you up to 90% on international roaming calls.

Visit the Author's website: http://www.mo-call.com