iNum – “One number for the world” – has a beautifully simple ring to it, but some iNum users have shared the well intentioned observation that its actually 15 numbers!
Well, here is a tip for sparing your digits when using the network of iNum Access Numbers: Once you reach the voice prompt, leave out the the +883 510 and just dial the 0-xxxx-xxxx.
This will result in the full number 8835100-xxxx-xxxx being called.
——UPDATE: VoIP expert and iNum user Jeff Bourgeois recently posted additional speed-dialing suggestions for calling iNums for those using Cisco/Linksys IP Phones & ATA and Callcentric services, including a 2-digit method. Check out his blog for the details. Thanks Jeff!
Gmail team announced today they will support phone calls from within the Gmail web interface.
We did a few test calls to see if iNum was supported and if it would be free or paid, but it appears the A-Z termination providers they are using for this service are not yet connected with the project.
Its only “Day One” however, and we hope to work with Google to integrate free iNum calling into the new service soon.
Meanwhile, you can still add iNum numbers in the format 8835100xxxxxxxx@inum.net as contacts and call them from Gmail for free!
San Diego, CA based VoxOxannounced a new virtual number offer that includes free iNum numbers.
VoxOx plans to enable SMS, Fax in addition to Voice on the service and also allow their customers to do a “vanity number” search to find complimentary digits.
Check out this video of VoxOx CTO Kevin Hertz demonstrating the new features and showing how to add iNum numbers to a VoxOx account in the section from 3:07 – 4:11.
Vonage subscribers – at least in the USA – can directly call iNum numbers. Currently this is free. This short video gives a basic overview of iNum numbers and demonstrates the ease of calling iNums from Vonage.
Pleased to share news today that Rebtel has launched a new iPhone application that will facilitate calling iNum numbers for their customers. Rebtel enables a one-click call by allowing users to generate a local phone number that will map to an iNum for any contact in their address book directly from their handset. As a result, people will be able to call iNums – with no access number or PIN to remember – by clicking on a contact icon from over 50 countries for the cost of a local call.
“Here at Rebtel, we immediately bought into Voxbone’s concept of an ‘area code for Earth,’ as it clearly matches our own vision of making all phone calls local, turning the world into a friendlier place and bringing people closer together,” commented Andreas Bernstrom, CEO of Rebtel. “We’re proud to be an active member of the iNum community and to be providing a hassle-free way of dialing an iNum for the cost of a local call.”
Localphone already provides incoming phone numbers from 45 countries, and charges a monthly fee per number for this service. You can take your local phone number anywhere with you, by forwarding the incoming calls to your existing landline or mobile, your VoIP account, or your voicemail.
Now you can also get a free iNum number from Localphone and benefit from all the features that come with the other DID numbers, such as:
- forwarding calls received on your iNum to your existing mobile or landline
- receiving calls on your PC, laptop or VoIP-enabled device
After introducing SMS support it seemed clear that we will need to work on an SMS reach list, in order to publicly display which wireless carriers support sending SMS to iNum. We are now preparing this reach list, and it will soon be added to the iNum website.
The UK is already well supported, with the three major wireless carriers (Orange, Vodafone, T-Mobile) supporting SMS to iNum.
Here is the situation in the US and Canada as we currently know it:
Confirmed to be working are: T-Mobile (USA), Nextel (USA), Rogers (Canada)
Tested and not working for the moment: AT&T (USA), Telus (Canada)
We would love to get more feedback from users in the USA and Canada, especially for tests made from other carriers.
In order to test whether SMS (text messaging) works from your phone, please send a text message to +883 510 000 000 094 and include your email address in the body of the SMS. If the test is successful you will receive an email confirmation. If +883 510 000 000 094 does not work you can also try 011 883 510 000 000 094.
Thanks again for all the help in testing this.
UPDATE: in order to receive the email confirmation after you send the test SMS, your email address should be the first word in the body of the sms…
UPDATE 2: successfully tested from Bell Mobility and Fido (both in Canada) as well !
We’re happy to annonce that something many thought would never happen, did happen
Incumbent telcos start opening their network to iNum, making it possible to natively dial iNum numbers from their fixed networks.
The first three to make the move are Belgacom, BT and Verizon.
Others are currently in the works. How fast this will go depends on how much users ask for this capability to their local telco.
We are asking for everyone’s help. Wherever you are in the world, please try and make test calls to iNum numbers and contact your local telco if it does not work. The more users ask their local telco to support this, the faster it will happen. The following test number can be used: +883 510 000 000 091 (it terminates on an echo test)
