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Man sentenced to 65 months in prison over phone 'cloning' scheme
The US is tying loose ends on an elaborate cellphone crime spree. A Florida judge has sentenced Braulio De la Cruz Vasquez to 65 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to charges he worked with four co-conspirators (who've already pleaded guilty) as part of a ring that would 'clone' phones and use them for international calls. De la Cruz would receive identifying information linked to wireless subscribers' accounts and use that to "reprogram" cellphones he controlled. After that, his partners would send international calls to his home internet connection and route them through the hijacked phones, making the unwitting victims pay for others' calls.
T-Mobile add-on gives you unlimited international calls for $5 per month
Calling people outside the US isn't as expensive as it used to be, but the charges can still add up; even the better deals at big American wireless carriers have you paying both a monthly rate and by the minute. T-Mobile thinks it can shake things up a bit. It just revamped its Stateside International Talk plan to offer unlimited international calling to as many as 70 countries at flat rates. You'll pay a relatively modest $5 extra per month if you only need to reach landlines, and $10 per month if your foreign friends use cellphones. And importantly, this covers every line on your account -- your kids can speak to family overseas without racking up huge bills. There are some catches (only "30+" countries qualify for unlimited mobile-to-mobile), but this could still be a solid deal if you frequently chat with people around the globe. [Image credit: John MacDougall/AFP/Getty Images]
Ultra Mobile brings 1,000 international minutes to all plans with Ultra Zero
Phoning abroad just got cheaper thanks to Ultra Mobile pushing free international calling to all of its service plans. With Ultra Zero, even if you're only paying $19 per month, you get 1,000 gratis minutes to call Canada, China, Mexico, Singapore and the UK. If you manage to use that up, it's one cent for each minute thereafter. In addition to that huge chunk of voice time and being contract-free, all of the carrier's plans include at least 50MB of 4G data and unlimited global texting. The company also cut its rates for calling Cuba, Haiti, India, Nepal, Nigeria and Poland by as much as half -- you know people in those countries, right? As long as you're rocking an unlocked GSM phone and slip in an Ultra Mobile SIM card, you should be able to reach out and touch someone for a whole lot less.
Vonage mobile apps get international roaming, let users chat for free on both sides of the border
For the past year or so, Vonage has been adding to its international VoIP game, and the latest new feature is roaming. That's right, the company's iOS and Android apps will soon have Vonage Mobile Roaming, meaning folks can take all their incoming calls over WiFi wherever they go without fear of ringing up a ridiculous cellphone bill. The catch? The service is in its trial phase and you've gotta reside in the UK, Netherlands, Spain or Italy to take advantage of this frugal feature. Those interested (and eligible) can sign up to get in on the action at the source below.
Vonage Mobile app allows free calls and texts worldwide to fellow Android and iOS users
Looking to save some coin on those international calls to your mates in Brussels? Vonage has just rolled out new Android and iOS apps that do just that. The Vonage Mobile app offers free talk and text for corresponding with fellow app users worldwide by way of WiFi or data connection. Need to update app-less Auntie Em while backpacking through the Swiss Alps? The outfit says it'll save you 70% over major carriers and costs 30% less than Skype. For calls to folks without the app, users can add calling credit in either $4.99 or $9.99 increments right from the iTunes store or Android Market. The software also makes use of your existing number and extensive list of contacts without the need to create another username. Right now, calls to any phone in the US of A, Canada or Puerto Rico are free from the app for a limited time -- so long as you stay under 3000 minutes per month, of course. Hit the source link or PR below for more information before heading to your app repository to snag the free download.
Cricket offers global local numbers for $10 per month
There are plenty of ways to call up your personal diaspora on the cheap, but why should it always be you who initiates? So-called "global local" numbers have been around for a while, but now Cricket has decided to offer them as a straightforward $10 per month option to its customers. You get a local number in any one of 40 countries, which your peeps can ring at their local rate and which gets forwarded to your US cell. Mexican numbers are half-price and you'll find full details in the PR after the break. It's local, it's global, it's glocal -- say it often enough and together we'll make it a word. Meanwhile, we're still waiting on Google Voice to take over the planet.
Vonage launches Android app for free international calling, still no service to Brodo Asogi
Just in time for Tante Lulu's birthday in Gstaad, Vonage launched its Extensions app for free long-distance calling from your Android phone. With a quick download, homesick relatives can tap into their existing Vonage VoIP service from a Google-powered phone to call globally without racking up terribly expensive additional mobile charges. The catch? It requires a VoIP international calling plan before you can start dialing friends worldwide. Also, pricing is subject to your existing calling plan and it doesn't support messaging like some other similar apps, including Fring and Viber. For existing Vonage users, it's certainly a sweet added feature, leaving you no excuse but to call Auntie Lulu. [Thanks, Val]
Vonage Extensions makes mobile international calling a free-of-charge affair
Hey Vonage customers, your VoIP service of choice is about to get a bit of a mobile value-add. Announced today, the company's new Extensions service links your existing home internet calling plan to extra phone numbers -- like a cellphone-- for free, so you can make that long-distance call to Tante Lulu in Gstaad on-the-go. Okay, so the feature isn't exactly gratis -- you're still required to sign up for an unlimited international calling plan, but the bucks literally stop there. All it takes to get started with this "virtual calling card" is an access number and some foreign digits. Sound too complicated for you? Don't fret, official iPhone and Android-compatible apps are scheduled to hit their respective markets in the coming weeks. So, go ahead and ring ol' Lu for her 89th birthday. She'll be glad you called.
Vonage offers unlimited VoIP calling to mobile phones in 42 countries
It's been a while since we've heard much from the ever-embattled VoIP provider, but it looks like Vonage might still have a couple tricks up its sleeve. The company's latest service plan, known as World Premium Unlimited, offers unlimited calling to mobile phones in 42 countries -- and landlines in 80 -- for $55 a month. This plan also provides for unlimited local and long distance service in the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico, and requires callers to use a touch tone phone, hooked up to the internet by way of a Vonage adapter, to make calls to places like the UK, Mexico, and Brazil. It may not be an ideal primary calling solution for most, but it could be enough to put Vonage back in our sights. Full PR after the break.
MetroPCS rolls out mega-cheap international calling plan
If you do a lot of calling to other countries and you're on a budget (or, heck, even if you're not on a budget), it's going to be hard not to sit up and take notice of MetroPCS' ridiculously affordable new option. Subscribers to the regional carrier's $40, $45, and $50 service plans will be able to tack on unlimited international calling for just $5 a month, offering access to "over 100" countries representing "over 1,000" destinations at no additional charge -- they're being coy about the exact numbers, but at any rate, "over 100" countries is a lot by our geographically-impaired count. So, you know, don't be shy about ringing up that buddy in Luxembourg a little more often, alright?[Via Phone Scoop]
