We have all been waiting on an iPhone VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) solution, since we heard that Apple would allow VoIP application access while connected to WiFi. Fring has finally made our dream a reality -- and it's a reality that's available today!

Fring is a new, free iPhone application that integrates with Fring's network and allows access to the following IM/presence services:

• Fring
• Skype
• AIM
• Yahoo
• Twitter
• ICQ
• MSN

In addition to simply chatting with buddies from the above services, you can place VoIP calls to other fring users, or using Skype/SkypeOut or another SIP provider (Gizmo, Vonage, etc.). We'll take a more in-depth look/review this weekend -- so be sure to stay tuned to TUAW. In a quick test, I was able to call Skype users from my iPhone and carry on a (slightly echo-y, but perfectly audible) conversation.

You can download this application today by visiting the iTunes App Store. The application weighs in at 3.0 MB. You can also get more information about this service and the application on the Fring website.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

Thilo Salmon, CEO of sipgate, Inc., wrote in to say that T-Mobile Germany has asked his company to cease and desist offering the company's flagship VoIP software.

In the letter from its lawyers, T-Mobile claims that sipgate is making the jailbreak process appear more attractive, which could lead customers to breaching their contracts.

According to Salmon, T-Mobile disallows jailbreaking, running VoIP, instant messaging, and VPN applications as part of its subscriber contract. Salmon notes, however, that sipgate only works via WiFi (and not GPRS or EDGE), and therefore does not run on T-Mobile's network. He says, "for the time being our users are safe."

sipgate doubts the legal veracity of the argument, and said it does not plan to comply with the order. Salmon said "we may need to fight this all the way through the courts." He also suggests that it's largely a government policy issue for Germany, and wants to lobby for a net-neutral environment for telecom carriers.

Tempest in a teacup? Apparently, it's a big deal in Germany. What, if any, "chilling effect" this will have on other VoIP software providers remains to be seen.

We covered a number of iPhone VOIP applications, but iCall looks particularly impressive. As you can see in the above video, it allows you to seamlessly transfer a regular inbound cell phone calls to VOIP. This means you can save your minutes any time your iPhone is connected via wifi. As of right now calls are free in the US and Canada, and there is an iCall Pro account that lets you make international calls for a fee. Unfortunately, the iCall application is only available for Windows at the moment but they're promising a Mac version soon. Nonetheless, it's clearly the iPhone application that's most exciting and the company is apparently part of the iPhone Developer Program.

Thanks, Ryan!

San Francisco-based sipgate, Inc. is offering software for your jailbroken iPhone to make and receive VoIP calls using any SIP-compatible VoIP service. The service appears to be similar to those offered by Fring and PhoneGnome.

The service is in early beta stage, with several caveats mentioned on its FAQ page. You won't be alerted to incoming calls unless the software is running, which drains the battery with some quickness. The company also promises revisions for the upcoming App Store. It's unclear if the setup suffers the same kind of delay and echo problems that other VoIP solutions do.

Plus, it may eat your firstborn. Seriously. It says it right there.

If you're interested in testing out the product, sipgate is also throwing in 111 free minutes if you sign up for their own VoIP service.

The software is free, and requires iPhone firmware 1.1.4.

Thanks, Martin!

This morning, TUAW reader Matt dropped a note in our inbox saying that Fring has delivered VoIP on the iPhone. Sure enough, their blog claims integration with Skype and more. So does Fring deliver the WiFi VoIP solution for iPhone we've all been hoping for? This morning, I give it a try -- live! Here's our TUAW Labs liveblog. Put on your white coats and get ready to give the software a spin.

A recent eWeek article states that Apple will not limit VoIP on the iPhone while the phone is connected to a Wi-Fi access point. During a a Q&A session after the SDK announcement on Thursday Steve Jobs said, "We'll limit [VOIP applications] over the cellular network." He went on to say that Apple would not be opposed to VOIP apps that work on a Wi-Fi connection, which is welcome news to AT&T we are sure.

According to the article, SightSpeed is at least one VoIP provider that is lined up to make a VoIP solution for the iPhone. Of course, the big question is: will we see Skype on our iPhones come June (the smart money is on yes)?

iPhone hacker eok writes to let me know that he and Samuel have gotten SIP registration and signalization working. They took a few mobile terminal shots, but the real work is being done via ssh. Samuel is working on connecting the audio in/out to the pjSIP. If you have iPhone or iPod touch coding skills and want to get involved in the project, connect to #touchmods on irc.undernet.org. It looks like most of the work will be done on European time.

Oh, and if anyone is giving away free iPods to worthy developers? eok recommends that Samuel gets one first. He writes that Samuel has been the driving force behind the compilation.

Remember Marian, the guy who's building a preamped mic mike for the iPod touch? Today he writes that touch hacker eok has ported Samuel's SvSIP to the iPod. SvSIP uses the SIP protocol to connect to other participants and to allow you to talk over WiFi. I tried porting SIP myself and didn't get very far.

Marian writes that eok has been able to both send and receive calls and promises screen shots as soon as possible.

12:57:57.091 pjsua_app.c Call 0 state changed to INCOMING
 12:57:57.092 pjsua_app.c Incoming call for account 0!
 From: "Cxxxxxxx Txxxx" xxxxxxxx@xx.xxx.xx.xx>
 To: xxxx@xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx>
 Press a to answer or h to reject call
 
 You have 1 active call

More information as this develops.

It's not the first time we've heard the idea (SoonR Talk), but it does look like a true, calls-over-WiFi VoIP client for the iPhone could be just around the corner. Over at Blognation they've had a demo of one such solution from TruPhone.

Whilst the application still requires heavy use of the Terminal (and is strictly alpha-quality), TruPhone is promising a release that "includes simplifying the activation and adding seamless switching back and forth between VoIP when open WiFi is available and the use of the SIM card when out of WiFi range. It is important to note that it is NOT NECESSARY to break the SIM lock to use TruPhone's iPhone VoIP application."

If you've always wanted to use a SIP-compatible VoIP solution on your iPhone, it appears your wish is about to be granted.

One of the very first questions that popped into my head after hearing, during the liveblog last week, that the iPod Touch had wireless capability was how soon the hackers would get wifi VOIP running on it. Michael over at the Apple Gazette had the same thought, and he's even got a plan on how to do it-- if the iPhone's mic-enabled headphones work in the iPod Touch, we're golden.

Unfortunately, I agree with what Erica said on the last Talkcast-- it's probably not that easy. But even she agreed that if someone can hook the dock connection up to a microphone, then we might be in business. Skype is already working (in some form) on the iPhone, and considering the iPod Touch and the iPhone are as similar as Apple says they are, the software shouldn't be a problem. Getting the audio in and out to the right places is where the trouble lies.

But after everything we've seen come down on the iPhone, you won't catch me betting against the hackers. If there's a will, there's a way, and so if you really want to get your iPod Touch running wifi VOIP (like some kind of psuedo iPhone clone), my guess is that you'll eventually be able to do it.

[ via Macenstein ]

Ok, so the title may be a bit of a stretch. iSoftPhone is a VoIP service that combines inexpensive rates with a very familiar user interface. It uses the SIP protocol, integrates with Address Book and sends SMS messages.

For full information look here. I haven't tried it - because I have no one to call - so I won't give you any real world information. If you try it out, let us know how it goes. Maybe it'll even satisfy your iPhone lust until June.

[Via Macworld UK]

Our favorite podcasting VoIP app has a new beta out today. Beta 2.5.0.38 has a long changelog, but the most notable, in my opinion, is the addition of SMS (short message service) and better handling of audio outputs.

if you want to take it for a spin, download the beta and let us know how it works out for you.

I'm not an expert on VoIP (that's Voice over IP) technology, but I do know an interesting way of distributing software when I see it. 4S newcom GmbH has developed a new software based IP PBX (that's telephone switch to you, put simply). Normally, this wouldn't be something we discuss on TUAW, but they are distributing this software PBX on an iPod Shuffle (from the looks of it, it is the old style Shuffle). The press release says that even on the 512meg version (which will soon cease to be produced) there is room enough for the software and 4 hours of music.

The system also includes a Mac mini, which gets booted off the iPod Shuffle, after which you can install the software on the Mac mini.

2,999.00 Euros is how much you'll need to get this system when it ships on November 6th.

[via GigaOM]

Best known for their mice for obvious reasons, MacMice has taken a crack at the VoIP industry (Voice over IP) with the Danger Phone. This strange looking gadget is a low-cost, USB-powered VoIP phone that works on both Mac and PC and is compatible with Skype and any other VoIP service capable of recognizing standard USB phone devices. At a mere $30, it would be hard to go wrong with the Danger Phone to satisfy your VoIP urge.

[via Engadget]

Calling all Skype users - if you haven't updated to the latest version, you really should. Version 1.5.0.80 (Mac OS X), released on Tuesday, "solves a 'highly critical' vulnerability that could lead to the remote execution of arbitrary code." So says Secunia, an IT Security news company. The flaw was caused by a malformed URL and could potentially lead to your system being compromised. Oops! No need to panic, though. Just update now and you'll be covered. If you're using Skype for Mac Beta 2.x I don't believe this affects you, so don't go downgrading just yet! UPDATE: Mac Beta 2.x was updated to 2.0.0.3 yesterday. and has the same fix. Thanks Sejuru!