Christmas is nearly upon us and as well as all the presents and delicious nosh, 'tis the season to be phoning up relatives you never bother speaking to for the rest of the year and having a good chinwag. Now, this could involve starting the new year with a phone bill from hell - particularly if your rellies all emigrated years ago to get away from you - but if you own a Nokia phone and have access to the Nokia Ovi Store you may be able to save yourself a packet with one of these free and cheap call apps.
Vopium
Size: 0.59 MB
Price: Free
Vopium offers a Voice over IP solution using the Vopium network to make cheap international calls. With the Vopium app running in the background you can dial normally and Vopium will only launch when you try to make a long distance call that you could get cheaper over its servers. The app comes with 30 minutes of talk time and 30 free international text messages - you can buy more of both at reasonable rates. You can also back up your contacts and calendar online, which is handy.
LowCaller
Size: 0.15 MB
Price: Free
LowCaller uses a special local number to route your call through its network. The LowCall system will place an international call for you, but you just pay a local rate. Unlike some of the other apps here LowCaller can make international calls without the need for a fast wifi data connection - if you can place a normal call you are in.
Mo-Call
Size: 0.08 MB
Price: Free
Mo-Call is a hybrid system that offers Voice over IP (where you have a fast enough wifi connection) or a choice of calling a local number or automatically sending an SMS to the Mo-Call server, which will then call you back to connect your call (charging you at a suitable rate). You can also make free calls to other Mo-Call users, which could be quite teh incentve to get your friends to sign up too.
Fring
Size: 1.06 MB
Price: Free
Fring will get you chatting through its own VoIP service or by connecting you to the mighty Skype. Calls to other Skype or Fring users are free, and you can 'Skype out' to a real phone line by buying credits. Fring also supports all the popular instant messaging services such as MSN, Google Talk and AIM and you can even access Twitter, Facebook and Last.fm.
Truphone
Size: 0.34 MB
Price: Free
Free and cheap calls via VoIP over wifi or use the 'Truphone Anywhere' local number for low-cost international calls when out and about. You can call other Truphoners for nothing, of course. Just diala number normally and Truphone will pop up and ensure your call gets routed however is cheapest for you.