Vonage iPhone app makes sense for new customers, not existing

When it comes to Vonage’s mobile iPhone app, there are two camps.

In one, you might find AT&T customers who have been waiting for a low-cost mobile option to make international calls. In the other, you’ll find current Vonage customers who will install Vonage Mobile for iPhone only to find their existing account won’t work. Instead, they’ll need to re-register and link their account to their phone, putting a minimum of $5 worth of minutes into the app to make a phone call.

Both camps have merit. For new Vonage adopters, it’s hard to disagree with their enthusiasm for an app whose call clarity over Wi-Fi exceeds AT&T’s cellular network. In my experience, Vonage Mobile was better than the cordless land-line in my apartment. For someone who makes international calls, the Vonage Mobile app seems almost too good.

The app includes a built-in price guide for each country you can call. A 5 minute call to Canada will cost 1 cent per minute.

If you already have a Vonage account, your feelings might be different. Using Vonage to make domestic calls provides no advantage and you will need to keep a separate account open just to do it. If you’re a frequent user of Vonage, it’s hard to recommend the added cost for keeping two accounts.

If Vonage does manage to link standard accounts to this mobile app, it’d be an easy sell for everyone. As it stands, only new customers should pick up the phone on this call. 

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