Vietnam's MobiFone has become the first operator in the nation to introduce Wi-Fi calling services.
The operator's new WiTalk service supports Wi-Fi calling on Android smartphones via an app downloadable on the Google Play store.
The app uses SDN-based networking vendor Taqua's Virtual Mobile Core and Mobile Client platforms to enable Wi-Fi calling on handsets that lack native dialer support for Wi-Fi calling.
Customers roaming outside of Vietnam will be able to place calls using WiTalk at local rather than international rates, and will not be charged for receiving international calls while abroad.
MobiFone is commercializing the service after a successful trial. The installation and testing period took less than 90 days.
“MobiFone always uses creativity to provide our subscribers with effective solutions in order to help them with ‘Connecting values, Evoking potential',” MobiFone deputy managing director Nam Bui Son commented.
“With the completion of this trial, we have now begun to roll out the commercial service offering to our subscriber base. In the near future we hope to extend WiTalk to overseas Vietnamese.”
MobiFone was founded in 1993. It is currently the second largest telecom provider in Vietnam. It is owned by state-owned operator VNPT, which also operates MobiFone's fellow mobile operator Vinaphone.