Using your mobile phone for free

Although yesterday's NseriesUS news linked to some disheartening news about AT&T cancelling its data plan, I am forging ahead with my perfect phone idea. See, the idea is to use the power of your mobile phone without relying on the carrier networks like AT&T and Verizon. This means using the Wi-fi capabilities in the phone to use VOIP whenever possible.

There are many ways to use VOIP on your phone. Matthew Bennett has been trying out Truphone, which I have been meaning to give a real workout, and S60Tips recently did a thorough VOIP roundup that I definitely recommend before getting started. But personally, I have been using Gizmo5 (or just Gizmo), and that is what this post will focus on.


The reason I chose Gizmo is because they are a SIP-based VOIP service. This means that their service not only works with the wide variety of software they provide, but you can use any other SIP software or hardware to interact with their service, even so far as using Asterisk. So, Gizmo is as easy to get started as Skype, gives you free credit to get started without risk, and can be used in many different ways for the very advanced user.

I'm excited, are you excited? Let's get started:


Head on over to Gizmo5's website and sign up for an account.
You can also download a number of clients. There is one for your desktop (yes, Windows, Linux, and Mac are covered), one for your Internet tablet, and one for your mobile phone. Be Careful!, however, because if you have an advanced smartphone like a Nokia Nseries or Eseries, it is even easier! You want to open up your Download application, go into the Communication folder, and install Gizmo. That's it!
(If you do not see it in point that hotrod in your hands on over to GizmoVOIP.com and install from there)

Installation is a breeze, and it will ask you to install Gizmo, as well as a couple helper applications. You ought to see the following on your phone:

Straight from download or gizmovoip.com, the program and its helpers will be installed for you.

You should have nothing to worry about, but it will take a few minutes, depending on how fast your connection is. If you are near a wireless network, I suggest using it.


Just keep clicking continue and OK, it will all be over soon. A painless process, I promise. Once installed, Gizmo actually integrates itself within your contacts application, kind of like Nokia Chat, creating a new tab in contacts. To get there, go to your contacts and press the right button on your directional pad.

And you should see this. Click Go Online and enter your account information. Now you are logged in, and the application has setup all that nasty VOIP information for you (trust me, it is very nasty. I had to set it up by hand one time and it gave me a thumb cramp!)

You can use your data network from your mobile phone company as the provider. This was a fun idea back when AT&T was offering an inexpensive and reasonable service for their pre-paid customers. Now, you should try to use the wi-fi whenever possible.

Now, making an Internet call is as simple as typing in the number as usually, then instead of clicking the little green button, click Options on the lower left of your screen and choose Internet Call.

Gizmo offers free 1-800 calling, so call a credit card company, check your balance to give it a test. If it works fine, then give a friend a call using that free 15 or so minutes they give you.

Going Further With Gizmo
Now that you have the basics working, let me tell you why I use Gizmo5. After signing up, I added $10 worth of call out time, which translates to something like 500minutes of talk in the US. I then added a Call-In number using the free Area 775 service. This was a test, and now I pay a mere $3.95 to have a call in number with the area code of my choice (my phone has an Austin, TX number, but I live in Florida, so this is a good way to have a local number if you have recently moved), voice mail that is sent to the email account of my choice, and a number that, when called, rings both Gizmo and a number of my choice.

Since I got my E71 the other day, I have been using my N82 as a pure VOIP phone. I keep it running Gizmo5 all day long using the home wi-fi network, no SIM card at all. Because of the call-in number, if someone dials that, both the Gizmo phone (my N82) and my E71 with my AT&T SIM inserted will ring. I can answer either one.

Let me know how you have been using VOIP and if you have any other ideas about what to do with it or questions about my setup!
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