A San Diego-based telecom provider has launched the public beta of a web-based service VoxOx, which it is calling the first universal communicator providing free VoIP, video chat, SMS, file sharing, fax and IM/social network/e-mail aggregation for both Macs ad PCs.
The design is very much like the homepage of an iPhone, and coincidentally, while a mobile web-based version already exists, an iPhone app is set to be released in the next 60 days.
The IM/e-mail/social network functionality is nothing new as programs like Digsby, Pidgin, or Adium have been offering this for a while. But VoxOx is one of the first to combine this service with free voice, and also to give out free phone numbers.
The VoIP service is similar to Skype in that calls are free between other VoxOx users, but what makes VoxOx really unique is the part of their business model where outside calls are also free and will continue to be such as long as a user is willing to frequently view video ads to rack up points for minutes (Each point equals one minute of call time, which are added to the initial 2 hours of free calling you get at sign-up.)
Users can also get minutes every time they recommend the service to a friend.
There are lots of interesting features with its call management, including various call forwarding capabilities, SMS triggered call connecting for cheaper international rates, the ability to upload your own hold music and integrated soundboards for prank calling.
TelCentris, the company that founded VoxOx, initially built the platform with businesses in mind and also provides enterprise voice services. It says that they expect most of their revenues to come not from ads, but from a small percentage of users who either pay a penny a minute or 20 bucks a month for unlimited use.
“We’ve added the advertising in there because right now with the whole economic crunch going on a lot of people would appreciate that they could fire their phone company and not have to replace it with one that charges them a bunch of money,” said CEO Bryan Hertz.
Only a few social networks will be available at launch, including
Facebook, but there are plans to incorporate many more including
Twitter.
If you want to give the service a try, the first 500 people to sign up here will receive 1200 minutes of free call time to the U.S. and Canada.
