Free Wifi phone service with iPod Touch and Talkatone
Posted by markhwebster on December 10th, 2013 • 0 Comments • Full Article
After years of whining I finally ditched my smartphone. I’m using a brand new iPod Touch with Talkatone running over the top of Google Voice. Both are free apps, as is the google voice phone number. I told everyone my primary number is now the free google voice number. When they call that, I pick up on the Touch, or if I’m out of wifi range, I pick up on the $8 a month AT&T dumb phone. Google Voice allows me to forward calls to my dumb phone, so both ring. I have to spend $25 every three months to keep the dumb phone alive. For that I get 250 minutes. But the wifi phone works for free anywhere there is wifi, which means all large stores and businesses, and at home and work. Some corporations block VOIP, including my job. But texting still works, even with blocked Voice Over IP.
I’ve been enjoying the sophistication of IOS 7. It’s a very mature operating system. It’s much faster than my old Droid RAZR. I really feel like I have a free iphone. Of course, I can’t talk on my cell phone in the car. I simply don’t have enough minutes on my dumbphone to do that anymore. I wait until I can get in wifi range to talk. This takes a little more planning, but I’m a safer driver because of it. What’s not to like?
For navigation, I have a dash mounted GPS from Garmin. Like the Touch,it’s free once you buy it. My only contract is the dumbphone, and it’s a prepaid, no contract phone. So far I like it a lot.
I’ve written up the process here. I like to make cases from leather and metal.
http://websterart.com/html/dumbphone-wifi-phone-case.html