T-Mobile shuts down home VOIP

T-Mobile in the US has decided to gradually shut down its HotSpot@Home service, which allows consumers to make unlimited free wireless voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) calls over their home WiFi connection, states Brighthand.com.

Current HotSpot@Home subscribers will still be able to use this service until their contracts run out, but T-Mobile will stop taking new subscriptions in the near future.

However, T-Mobile says this change is not ending its support for making voice calls at its WiFi hotspots in public places.

Skype has revealed that Panasonic's line of 2010 Viera Cast-enabled HD TVs and LG's new LCD and plasma HDTVs with NetCast Entertainment Access will have Skype preloaded on them, allowing users to make high-definition video calls, says IT Pro Portal.

In addition, Skype has rolled out the latest version of Skype for Windows, which will allow users to make high-definition video calls at 1280x720 pixels at 30 frames per second.

However, users will need a new HD Web cam, a PC with a 1.8GHz dual-core processor and a high-speed broadband connection to enjoy Skype's HD video.

Clearwire plans to release a WiMax-powered smartphone, but says the device won't be available until the end of the year, reports Mobile Burn.

Clearwire says its first phone would be able to make phone calls over Sprint's CDMA network or using VOIP applications.

Last year, Samsung unveiled its Windows Mobile powered Mondi mobile Internet device that ran on the Clear WiMax network; which was able to make VOIP calls using the Fring application.