PC no longer required

VoIP telephony firm Jajah has launched Jajah Direct allowing users to make VoIP calls to any destination around the world without the need for a PC.

The company claimed that anyone with a phone can now make use of its services even if they do not have access to the internet.

"Jajah Direct eliminates complicated VoIP solutions and archaic offline pre-paid calling cards single-handedly," said Roman Scharf, cofounder of Jajah.

"Over-complicated and overpriced solutions are now old school. The 21st century of telecommunication knows no boundaries."

The only time a user may require an internet connection is to look up the local number they have to dial to access the service. Once they have this, they dial the number to connect to the service and then dial the number they want to contact.

At the end of the conversation the user is sent a text to their mobile phone with a local number which they can use to directly dial that person again.

Daniel Mattes, cofounder of Jajah, said: "We have built a simple user experience, removing the internet from internet calling."

He explained that callers will pay for the local part of the call as normal, which is free if they are on a suitable call plan or using free mobile minutes.

The user's Jajah account is charged for the company's services and for the last local mile which is routed over normal carrier services.

According to Mattes, users can save up to 95 per cent of the cost of making a direct international call.

Callers do not need a Jajah account to begin using the service, but an account will be created automatically after connecting for the first time.

Jajah will initially offer the local number facility in 10 cities in the US, nine cities in Europe, including London and Birmingham in the UK, as well as Tel Aviv.

Jajah Direct calls can be made at anytime to any one of 122 countries worldwide. The company plans to add more local numbers in the coming weeks and months.