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www.voip-news.comBy Robert Poe
Yet another supposed Skype killer has arrived. This one is from Nimbuzz BV, a company that focuses on mobile VoIP solutions. The Rotterdam, Netherlands-based startup tries to be all things to all callers and goes well beyond VoIP, offering a variety of additional features. The company particularly targets online communities and social networks. But one important component is missing: PSTN (public switched telephone network) connectivity.
To start using the service, you download Nimbuzz's software to a mobile handset. The software consolidates various capabilities across multiple services, including, VoIP calling, conference calling, chat, photo sharing and file sharing. And it works with AIM, Google Talk, ICQ, Jabber, MSN Messenger, Skype and Yahoo! Messenger, making them all accessible through a single log-in, contact-list and presence-detection function. Nimbuzz also has desktop software that offers VoIP, chat and text messaging, though it is available only for Windows users (Mac users are stuck with a rudimentary Web portal). The service also works with social networks such as Facebook and MySpace.com through widgets.
Mobile VoIP calls can happen in two ways. Pure VoIP connections are possible for those with Nokia Symbian Series 60 phones (Windows Mobile software is coming in June) and 3G or wifi connections. The calls travel over the cellular data network and are thus free except for data charges. For that reason, Nimbuzz recommends that users purchase unlimited data packages from their carriers. Users with Java-capable phones and/or slower GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) or EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) connections can make "hybrid" VoIP calls. That means the local portion of the call travels over the cellular voice network, and users pay for local minutes.
Nimbuzz's main claim to fame will be its ability to do much more than just VoIP, or to "[go] beyond Skype," as its announcement claims. Even so, the company will face plenty of competition. Fring and Truphone, for example, allow free calling over wifi or cellular data networks. EQO Communications Inc., iSkoot, JAJAH Inc. and Rebtel use the cellular voice network for the local connection. And Raketu offers both options. Many other companies also offer multiservice IM (instant message) compatibility, file transfers and other features.
But Nimbuzz's main weakness at present is that users can't make or receive calls to or from regular phones. That restricts its use to closed user groups, however large those groups may be. So for the moment, the service hardly lives up to its billing of going Skype Ltd. one better. But if and when the marketplace starts hearing about services like NimbuzzIn and NimbuzzOut, it will be clear that Skype has a serious competitor on its hands.
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