Why do things the old fashion way? Today’s new VoIP startups are going mobil

The rules of engagement in Internet voice are shifting again as five startups take the bull’s eye off fixed-line phone companies and place it squarely on the backs of mobile operators. Jajah, RebTel, MINO, Switch-Mobile, and MobileSphere all offer ways for mobile phone users to bypass expensive mobile calling plans and route international calls to the Internet, where they can cost just a few cents.

VoIP had long been an option for fixed-line subscribers, but cell phone operators had previously existed in an unassailable cocoon where they competed only with each other. Now mobile VoIP is attracting partners and making waves.

MINO is building relationships with service providers in much of Asia, particularly in China. Jajah, RebTel, and Switch-Mobile have targeted Europe and the United States; though because of size and resource limitations, they are unlikely to begin competing with each other for at least another year or so. It is a brand-new market with a lot of moving parts. But it is a market with immense pent-up demand, particularly among the world’s expatriate populations…. Source: Red Herring