Some of the Points Chris and Craig Discussed

Pingo EZ Dial is for U.S. smartphone users calling abroad:

International calling from smartphones is complicated and expensive. Separate apps to open, hidden fees, additional plans -- it's confusing if you need to use your smartphone to dial abroad. Our goal with Pingo EZ Dial was to simplify this process and lower the cost to the consumer. We can do this because Pingo EZ Dial is a service offered by the phone company’s phone company -- iBasis. For over 12 years, we've been the middleman for leading communications providers such as Verizon, Vodafone, Qwest and Skype, carrying their long-distance calls internationally and terminating them with other carriers.

No special codes or gear with Pingo EZ Dial. U.S. smartphone users who place international calls can use Pingo EZ Dial to save without having to change their wireless plan or provider. All then need to do is set up a Pingo account and download the EZ Dial app. The application runs in the background of the device to automatically recognizing international calls placed from user's address books.

Other smartphone calling apps require Wi-Fi. While useful in their own ways, other smartphone calling apps, like Skype for the iPhone and Blackberry, tie users to a Wi-Fi hotspot, which have the potential to introduce their own sets of fees and security concerns. They aren't truly mobile because they won't work in conjunction with your wireless carrier's network like Pingo EZ Dial will.

Pingo EZ Dial leverages VoIP. That’s "voice over IP" -- a communications protocol for sending voice data over the Internet. iBasis has a distinct advantage here. We've been delivering high quality international voice services over IP since 1998, combined with our own proprietary call-routing and quality-assurance technologies. With the Internet, our coverage area is vast and we don’t have to pay huge amounts to maintain a costly infrastructure.

  The savings to consumers is significant. In many cases the cost of Pingo EZ Dial is pennies per minute vs. the 30 – 50 cent-per-minute and higher fees which traditionally accompany long-distance calls made on mobile devices.

  No hidden fees. Pingo EZ Dial allows consumers to purchase calling minutes online at wholesale rates on an as-needed basis with no hidden fees, surcharges or further contractual obligation and it runs on hundreds of popular smartphone platforms.

International travel tips for mobile calling

Find out if your phone works on GSM or CDMA networks before you get there. GSM is the predominant system for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, while CDMA is the standard most commonly used in the U.S. (except for T-Mobile and AT&T, which use GSM). These technologies are incompatible, so if you have a CDMA-based phone, for example, it will not work in Europe. Before leaving, contact your service provider to find out if your cell phone will work where you’ll be visiting. Many wireless providers, such as AT&T and Verizon, have Web sites where consumers can check for country compatibility with their particular handset: for Wireless ATT and for Verizon Wireless.  

Consider buying a SIM card when you arrive. Even if your phone is compatible with a network overseas, using your cell phone will entail roaming which means you’ll pay at least $1 to $2 per minute no matter where you call. Consider purchasing a SIM card from a local prepaid mobile telephone service once you arrive at your destination. They’re not expensive, often costing less than $10, and there are no forms to be filled out. Once you buy a SIM, simply slip it into the phone and you’re ready to call. A phone must be “unlocked” to accept a SIM card. Many mobile providers digitally lock their phones so consumers are unable to insert a new SIM to use another provider. Talk to your service provider about unlocking your phone. To avoid roaming charges, you may need to buy a new SIM in each country that you visit.

Don’t rent a mobile phone while abroad. Renting a cell phone and the accompanying service can actually be very expensive. If your own cell phone will not work where you’re traveling, it is likely to be cheaper to just buy a new one.

Don’t use a hotel phone to call internationally. Hotels can add calling surcharges which can be very expensive and toll-free lines are often not exempt. Know your hotel calling rates before dialing.

  If you have a prepaid local SIM card use Pingo's local access numbers to save even more. Dial local iBasis VoIP gateways in over 35 countries to send calls internationally. Local calling will extend the life of your prepaid SIM card.

About Chris

Chris helped launch iBasis as a public company in 1999 and has helped it grow into one of the top three carriers of international phone calls in the world. He also launched the company’s online Pingo service in 2003. Prior to joining iBasis, Ward held senior marketing communications management positions at NMS Communications, a leading global provider of communications technology for developers of computer telephony and other telecommunications solutions; at Xyplex Networks, a worldwide provider of routers and remote access products; and at Corporate Software Inc., a leading international software reseller and support services provider.  He also worked at leading public relations agencies Creamer Dickson, Basford; Hill & Knowlton; and Cunningham Communications. Ward began his professional career teaching English and coaching football, basketball and track in Houston, Texas. Ward holds a B.A. from Boston College and a M.S. from Boston University.

About iBasis

iBasis is one of the three largest carriers of international voice traffic in the world and a global leader in VoIP. In October 2007, iBasis acquired KPN Global Carrier Services, the international voice business of Royal KPN N.V., the national carrier of the Netherlands, creating a new iBasis with unsurpassed strength in the fastest-growing segments of global telecommunications—VoIP and mobile.

In addition to global voice termination, iBasis provides innovative mobile data services in its Mobile Matrix portfolio and prepaid calling services, including calling cards sold through distributors and its online Pingo offering.

The iBasis Network™ includes our highly efficient global Voice over IP infrastructure and extensive TDM assets obtained in the acquisition of KPN Global Carrier Services. In the worldwide migration to "All-IP" networks, iBasis has a distinct advantage—we've been delivering high quality international voice services over IP since 1998.