A Wolf in VoIP's Clothing

It looks like VoIP, it competes with VoIP, and is frequently mistaken for VoIP, but app developer SmartRoam insists that you understand: ChatTime is not a VoIP service.

Originally only available on iOS, ChatTime is an app that helps users save shockingly large amounts of money on international voice calls. The rates charged through ChatTime are 98 percent lower than the average mobile carrier, and when compared to Skype (News - Alert), who practically made their name on transatlantic call savings, international calls cost 70 percent less. All of these savings are wrapped in an interface that guarantees mobile carrier quality with no communication lag.

The ChatTime website spells it out as crystal clear as their promised voice quality: a call with ChatTime is still a phone call. Call your friend, family member or business contact and the app dials a local access number through which the call is made.

As expected, due to high demand the app is now available for Android (News - Alert) platforms and can be downloaded for free via the Google Play store. To further lower the cost of calling, the Android version of ChatTime offers a system employed by free-to-play mobile and social media games. ChatTime has partnered up with TapJoy to give users the option of interacting with in-app ads in exchange for free services.

Now that Android has access to this app, the makers of ChatTime are confident that it will be the go-to method for international calls. With prices like the rates offered and the ability to waive some of the costs through interactions with advertisements, this is very aggressive move against the VoIP community on what used to be their home turf. It looks like VoIP companies like Vonage (News - Alert) are making the right moves when they make announcements to support video chat features that require the type of networks ChatTime is proud to not touch.