Vonage targets the unwired world

VoIP giant Vonage has announced a new World Premium Unlimited calling plan, enabling unlimited calling to 80 countries, including unlimited calling to mobile phones in 42 countries.

The new plan, priced at $54.99 per month, expands on Vonage’s existing World plan, which has offered unlimited calling mostly to landlines in about 60 countries. Mike Tempora, senior vice president of product management for Vonage, said the new plan was developed more with mobile users in mind, as well as in response to the high per-minute rates callers from the U.S. to many countries still pay.

“What we have seen is that more of our customers are calling to reach a person, not a location, but typically, calling rates remain very high-priced,” he said. “In the U.S., you see companies with unlimited voice plans, but with international calling, consumers are still frustrated paying high per-minute prices.”

Tempora suggested that users of the new plan who call as little as one hour per week to mobile phones in countries like Mexico and the UK will save as much as $400 or more a year over the rates charged by many major mobile carriers.

International calling to mobile phones is becoming fertile ground for new VoIP partnerships and calling plans. Last week, Jajah and Voxbone began offering O2 mobile customers in the U.K. a virtual local number to help them save on overseas calls. Sprint and Google Voice also announced a partnership with potential international calling implications at last month’s CTIA Wireless trade show.