“We
are rolling out a voice calling beta test to a small number of people, but we
don't have anything more to share right now”
WhatsApp spokesperson commenting
on reports of Persons being able to make WhatsApp Calls
WhatsApp,
which Facebook purchased back in February 2014 for some US$19 billion as note
in my blog
article entitled “Facebook
acquires WhatsApp for US$19 Billion - CEO Jan Koum Revelry will fade once faced
with BBM and Google+, Guardians of the Galaxy of Mobile Social Networks” is gearing up to make either Easter or the Summer of 2015 the Year of Free VoIP Calling
went mainstream over 3G and 4G LTE Networks.
This
as they’ve begun rolling out WhatsApp
Voice Calling on Monday February 23rd 2015 in an apparent invitation
based test as reported in the article “WhatsApp
voice calling feature appears on Android handsets for few hours”, published
February 23, 2015 by Nicole Fernandes , Deccan Chronicle.
 |
WhatsApp hasn't officially mentioned this
feature on their WhatsApp blog as
they'd done the recent rollout of WhatsApp
for Desktop called WhatsApp Web computers as noted in my blog article
entitled “WhatsApp
comes to the Desktop via the Browser - Why Desktop on Laptop and PC is Mobile
Social Network's Last Frontier”.
WhatsApp Calling for
Free – Selected Beta Testers calling a small invite-only list for Free
Apparently
activated since Friday February 20th 2015 as reported in the article
“WhatsApp
starts rolling out voice calling feature to Android users”, published Feb
20, 2015, 11.54PM IST by Anupam Saxena, Times of India, it seems to work
on the basis of seeding a select few users with the ability to make Voice Calls
to a small number of other people.
On
receiving the feature, these selected persons, basically beta testers, can call
a select number of friends within WhatsApp
for free. If you receive a call from someone who has WhatsApp Calling feature activated, you're
prompted to update your WhatsApp to the
latest version, which happens to be WhatsApp build (2.11.508).
You
can only call other WhatsApp users and
not Local or International Landline or Mobile numbers, even for a price or even
free, in a manner similar to MagicApp and Call+ as reported in my MICO Wars Blog article
entitled “How
to make Free International Calls to Landlines and Mobiles Anywhere in the World”,
as that' not being offered.
Interestingly,
though, those WhatsApp-only call to
other users via 3G or 4G are free and even then, only a limited number of WhatsApp users that have updated the
latest version of WhatsApp.
For
the rest of us unlucky souls, WhatsApp Calling
is a feature inside of the latest build of WhatsApp.
It's just disabled as WhatsApp hasn't
announced widespread availability of this feature as yet on their WhatsApp blog
WhatsApp Voice Call
Testing – Reddit user enables it by accident on Google Android Lollipop
Their
much promised Voice Calling capability is currently being tested based on a
report send by Reddit user Pradnesh Patil aka pradnesh07, apparently based in
India, as reported in the article WhatsApp
starts rolling out calling feature, published January 31st, 2015, 17:08 by
Prasad, GSM Arena and “WhatsApp begins rollout of voice call functionality”,
published February 2, 2015 4:45 PM PST by Nic Healey, CNET News.
Using
a sideloaded version of WhatsApp build
(2.11.508) on a Nexus 5 running Google Android 5.0 Lollipop, he was able to accidentally
evoke the Voice Calling Functionality, even taking a few screenshots.
 |
He
also posted a video as proof that he’d encountered WhatsApp Calling in the
Wild!
Other
Reddit users, also based in India, have duplicated his efforts and have stumbled
across Screens that show a new tab for Calls next to the tabs for Chats and
Contacts as shown in the picture below.
 |
WhatsApp Testing Voice
Calling – Basic Features that need tweaking
This
appeared to be an initial test by WhatsApp
that's evoked by sideloading the latest build of WhatsApp onto a smartphone running Google Android
5.0 Lollipop. Possibly the functionality is already built into the latest
update of WhatsApp, but only activated
if you have a Google Android 5.0 Lollipop smartphone?
Google
Android 5.0 Lollipop, the latest version of Google Android coming to a Samsung,
LG, Sony, OnePlus, Asus, Nvidia, Android One, Motorola, Google Nexus and Google
Play Editions smartphones near you as reported in the article “ANDROID
5.0 LOLLIPOP UPDATE ARRIVES ON THE T-MOBILE SAMSUNG GALAXY S5”, published
February 18, 2015 By Andy Boxall, Digitaltrends.
So
far the sporadic reports suggest that WhatsApp
Voice Calling offers several Standard Call handling features:
1.
Speakerphone setting
2.
Mute button
3.
Texting while on a Call (Not sure how
that's possible)
WhatsApp hasn’t sorted out all the kinks
as yet. But they’re close.
WhatsApp has now begun
Testing Voice Calling – 3G and 4G LTE Voice Calling is possible
Pradnesh
Patil claims the feature gets switched on when a user that has it tries to call
another user.
However,
the WhatsApp calling feature is
apparently being rolled on a Test Basis, with a select few possibly receiving
invitations to become Beta-testers for WhatsApp
since.
So
far, individuals have reported trying to use WhatsApp
Calling only for calls to go unanswered as it may not be enable for everyone,
even if they have the latest version of WhatsApp.
It also appears that you can only call other WhatsApp
users and not Local or International Landlines
or Mobile numbers.
If
WhatsApp is eventually allowed to make
calls to landlines and Mobile Numbers, they'd have to compete against such
established juggernauts like Google Voice or Google Hangouts that allow users
to make International calls for mere pennies as noted in my blog article
entitled “Google
merges Google Voice into Google+ Hangouts - How to make Free US and Canada Calls
with Google Voice in Hangouts App”.
WhatsApp Calling
unlikely over 4G LTE – Digicel and LIME now have the right to block
unregistered VoIP
That
would be interesting, as it’s unlikely that Telecom Provider in the US of A and
anywhere in the world would allow WhatsApp
to do that for Free.
Most
likely, American Telecom Providers and the FCC (Federal Communications
Commission) would have to force WhatsApp
and all other VoIP IM (Instant Messaging) apps with VoIP capability to register
as Telecom Providers.
This
is once they reach a certain critical mass and account for a significant amount
of traffic on their 4G LTE Network as was the case in Jamaica recently with Digicel
and LIME.
Both
Telecom Provider used this argument along with the fact that VoIP Apps Viber
and Nimbuzz were terminating Voice Calls without paying Interconnection Toll
charges and thus promptly blocked them in July 2014 as reported in my blog article
entitled “LIME
and Digicel blocking all VoIP Services - How Telecom Providers can make money
from Regularizing Paid VoIP Services”
This
as WhatsApp would be basically
functioning like a MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator).
WhatsApp Calling to
Local or International Landlines or Mobile numbers – VoLTE competitor needed
In
doing so, they’d be following on the lead of Telecom Provider Digicel and
Telecom Provider LIME who’d recently won the right in December 2014 to block
VoIP Calling on their Network as reported in my blog article
entitled “Minister
Paulwell says VoIP Providers must Register to Terminate - Why WhatsApp may no
longer be Free as IXP by January 2015, MNP by May 2015”.
And
as my article suggests, this would mean that any such WhatsApp Calling Feature, be it from WhatsApp to WhatsApp or WhatsApp to Local or International
Landlines or Mobile numbers, would only be possible if WhatsApp is a registered Telecom Provider
in Jamaica!
Our
American counterparts would most likely follow suit, as potentially, such a
large VoIP Network with almost 700 million Actively Monthly users as reported
in my blog
article entitled “WhatsApp
reaches 700 million Active Monthly Users - Double Blue Checkmarks from China,
Japan and South Korea and Russia with Love” would result in them losing
significant revenue!
Facing
such resistance, WhatsApp may be
initially told that they can only make VoIP Calls over Wi-Fi and not 3G and 4G
Networks!
But
as VoLTE (Voice Over LTE) is now active on Telecom Networks such as Verizon and
AT&T as noted in my blog article
entitled “Digicel
and LIME going VoLTE - Why GSM extinct and Spectrum reused for M2M Services in
HD Audio and Video Caribbean VoLTE-Age” many Americans may soon be
clamoring for HD Voice and Video Calling alternatives to those offered by the
Telecom Provider.
Especially
now that they have the choice to unlock their smartphones and move to whichever
of the five (5) Carriers and the myriad of other registered MVNO’s that operate
in the US of A as noted in my blog article
entitled “US
Carriers must Carrier Unlock smartphones as of Wednesday February 11th 2015 –
How Americans can get their smartphones Carrier unlocked”.
WhatsApp Voice Calling with Video Calling
capability over 3G and 4G LTE Networks with the capability to call Local or International
Landlines or Mobile numbers, albeit facing initial resistance, will eventually
be accepted. This as the FCC will not stand-by and watch Telecom Provider
create another monopoly, this time based on 4G LTE Networks!
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