IS-VoIS better and cheaper than Skype

Internet Solutions (IS) recently launched its VoIS Anywhere mobile softphone application, enabling subscribers to make and receive voice calls with the use of a hand- or head-set and the IS softphone client installed on their laptop.

"The softphone connects to a corporate account and therefore incurs local corporate VoIP rates, even if the user is overseas. This has a huge cost implication for businesses that either deal with international clients or who have a workforce that travels extensively. Local telecommuters will enjoy this service too," said Greg Hatfield, VoIS Business Unit Manager at IS.

A question mark hung over whether IS's solution could compete effectively on price when compared to services such as Skype, but feedback from IS suggests that its VoIP product is certainly much cheaper than many current competitors.

"VoIS Anywhere is significantly cheaper than Skype. Skype charges €0.055 (approx. R0.68 excl. VAT) to call an SA fixed line destination, whereas the VoIS Anywhere rates range from approximately R0.35 to R0.55, depending on the destination called," says Hatfield.

"Skype's rate to a mobile phone is €0.189 (approxomately R2.30 excluding VAT), whereas the VoIS Anywhere rate starts at R1.25. Aside from Skype-to-Skype calls which are obviously free, their off-net prices are exorbitant."

Hatfield points out that the service is part of "the corporate bundle", which means that discounts on call rates apply based on total company usage volumes. "With Skype there is no room to negotiate - you are treated as an individual," said Hatfield.

Better usability
Hatfield points out that the difference between VoIS Anywhere and Skype is not only focused on the cost of the call, but also on the ease of use and administration. "The VoIS Anywhere software is treated as an extension of the corporate office, and as such it is billed as part of the integrated voice and data invoicing that IS provides."

"With Skype, users have to pre-pay for airtime with their own credit card online, and then submit expense claims for their usage a month later, and probably only receive their reimbursement a month after that. Skype's fixed monthly subscription service is not available in South Africa."

According to Hatfield Skype is a consumer service while VoIS Anywhere is a corporate service in "its technical design, its pricing, and critically, the service wrap."

The initial software cost starts at R250 per client, but this price drops rapidly based on the number of licenses purchased, usage volumes, and corporate discounts. "Even without discounts, R250 is rapidly recovered out of the savings on the minutes," says Hatfield.