Mobile Phone Companies Will Shit Bricks - WhatsApp Phone

[Omollo]

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They fleece the youth. Now Whatsapp has launched a free phone service.

[vooke]

On whose data?

They fleece the youth. Now Whatsapp has launched a free phone service.

[Omollo]

Wifi and of course mobile data

[vooke]

Omorlo,
Here data is just about as expensive as voice and it is horribly slow. So this innovation has to overcome that hurdle first

Wifi and of course mobile data

[Georgesoros]

unless whatsapp can bypass the 3g or 4g mobile companies will always be king.

[RV Pundit]

Maybe they have figure out a super compression algorithm so you get billed less in your data bundle.

[Omollo]

I must confess ignorance. Where I operate from you have WIFI virtually everywhere and the price(s) for data remain low and affordable.

However I think if I pay for data or as they call it "Bundles", I can save a lot on international calls. Since yesterday people who could never dream of placing a call outside the borders of the country have been calling me. They say it is affordable.

[jakoyo]

Expect those unnecessary irritating calls from idle kenyans. I prefer it when phone calls are expensive , It keeps time wasters on check. At least texts can be easily ignored.

[Omollo]

Pole. You have a problem. You may have to block people or get a new number and refuse to install WhatsApp. If you have an iPhone you can rest for a while as it has not be launched (except on jailbreak iPhones).

I still say WhatsApp will lick mobile companies. Here is how they have already licked them in texting (which used to earn them most cash from the youth):

Messaging apps have exploded in popularity over the last few years thanks to the growth of smartphones and 3G and 4G allowing fast internet connection.
But the move is predicted to hit telecoms firms hard.
Research company Ovum found that the decline in the use of traditional text messages in favour of messaging apps was estimated to cost mobile network providers $54 billion by 2016.
Last year, WhatsApp, which was only founded in 2009, was bought by Facebook for $19 billion - the most ever paid for a venture-capital-backed company. It was the social networking giant's biggest acquisition to date.
In a statement announcing the deal, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg described WhatsApp's services as 'incredibly valuable'.
WhatsApp has more than 450 million monthly users and claims it is currently registering one million new users a day.
It makes money by charging users a subscription fee of $1 per year, although it offers a free model as well.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3019986/WhatsApp-Calls-feature-finally-rolled-iPhone-users-wait-couple-weeks-use-it.html#ixzz3WET5qIrp

Expect those unnecessary irritating calls from idle kenyans. I prefer it when phone calls are expensive , It keeps time wasters on check. At least texts can be easily ignored.

[vooke]

Omorlo,
I tested the data usage on whatsapp call and I was shocked, a 2 minute call left my 21MB intact. I did another two minutes just to confirm. Those was local calls. I will be calling you  just to test international calls are any different.


PS:
I noted a small lag but shorter than international cellular calls

[Omollo]

I told you. I am inudated by cals from The Fatherland. People who would previously "flash" now place calls and demand to be spoken to on equal basis.

The mobile companies have an option to reduce prices or face death. Already most of the calls are local mostly between the young people with smart phones. I can't see how the mobile companies can compete. They can try to raise the price of the so called "data bundles" but they would then create a ready market for competitors who offer cable and broadband connections.

Lets wait for pundit to give us the expert view. My knowledge is rusted.

I am missing your views on the Garissa Attack.

 Bandika thread.

Omorlo,
I tested the data usage on whatsapp call and I was shocked, a 2 minute call left my 21MB intact. I did another two minutes just to confirm. Those was local calls. I will be calling you  just to test international calls are any different.


PS:
I noted a small lag but shorter than international cellular calls