Cambodia Calling: Gizmo5

There's a new VOIP mobile service on the block, Gizmo5, which enables calling from your Cambodia mobile phone to anywhere in the world at reasonable rates. Not as cheap as calling from an internet cafe, but about $.21 a minute to the US. You download the Gizmo client to your mobile and pc, and buy some Gizmo Call Out time as you would with a Skype account (be forewarned it's not instantly credited). To make a call you load Gizmo on the mobile, dial the number you want to reach, and wait for the Gizmo service to ring your phone. You accept the call and are then connected to your party. You're billed both for Gizmo's call to you ($.19/min for Cambodia) as well as the Gizmo rate to your party ($.02 to the US) which is why it's not as cheap as a computer initiated call.

I called my Mom this morning and it does work as advertised. Call quality is decent -- not as good as a good Skype connection but close, certainly better than many calling card calls. And you have the convenience of making the call anywhere, anytime. US call in numbers are available as well if you want a Gizmo local US number someone can call which would ring your mobile and pc. Skype for Mobile has never been available for more than a couple of handhelds so this is quite a nice offerinng.

You can download the Gizmo software here.