Tovo - Unified Communications

Tovo (pronounced Toevo) are taking unified communications to the next stage. Tovo provides a free to download communications client that allows users to

*talk for free to other users of the network
*instant message via Tovo, MSN, AOL/ICQ, Jabber
*watch online TV and listen to radio channels

Tovo allows users to make telephone calls from their computer to other Tovo users free of charge, or to landlines and cell phones for a fee. Additional features include file transfer, video conferencing and a user searchable Directory.

Tovo can IM across platforms and is fully compatible with IM clients provided by MSN, AOL and Jabber. Tovo users can IM other platform users instantly and without logging on any other platform.

Tovo is based in Basingstoke, Hampshire, UK

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Features

Tovo Talk and Chat

Talk and Chat allows users to call traditional telephone numbers, including mobile telephones as well as to talk to any other Tovo customer. Unlike other VoIP providers Tovo users get both and incoming and outgoing service as a single bundle. There are no additional charges for making outgoing calls. Tovo provide a standard UK telephone number.

Tovo Watch and Listen

Users can access about 150 free channels of internet TV and radio via the Tovo software. It includes most of the standard UK channels as well as a good choice of international ones.

Tovo Surf and Pay

Tovo users can also create their own web portals (Mash ups via Tovo’s open source application interfaces. In many cases this is as easy as drag and drop installation of pre-coded applications Widgets. All uses have a tovo account which can be used to pay for telephone calls, content downloads and internet transactions.

Prices

Users can choose on of 3 usage bundles.

Pay as you go
The simplest is the pay as you go (PAYG) package. There are no monthly fees or contracts. Customers simply download the Tovo software and add credit to their account. Calls start from as little as 1.5p a minute. Incoming calls are free.

UK Freedom
The UK Freedom Package gives users free calls to all UK landline numbers. Packages come in two “flavors” - Pro and Lite. Pro packages give 5,000 minutes of use. Lite give 3,000 minutes. UK Freedom package costs about £50 for 3,000 minutes or about £80 for 5,000 minutes. There are no connection charges or minimum calls charges. Calls to international destinations are priced in three simple bands. Tier 1 calls – the most commonly called destinations are between 1.5 and 2p minute. Calls to Tier 2 are 5p minute. Calls to more exotic destinations are priced on an individual basis. Full rates can be seen at http://www.tovo.com/rates.php.

International Freedom
The International Freedom package extends the range of numbers that can be called within the bundle. These packages allow free calls to all UK landline and international Tier 1 destinations. International Pro costs about £85; International Lite about £55.

Same Price Globally
An interesting effect of Tovo’s pricing policy is that once installed on a laptop or computer the prices are identical from anywhere in the World. So, for example, a user in Hong Kong can call back to the UK for free (within the constraints of the Pro and Lite packages).

Quality of service is not guaranteed. Dropouts, broken connections and compression distortion are occasionally observed by users.

Tovo Mobile
Perhaps the most fascinating part of the Tovo service is that it works on a variety of mobile phones. Users can buy WiFi enabled phones from Tovo or from places such as Tesco (The UK’s largest retailer). No software download is required as the phones already have the Tovo service pre-installed.

These phones work wherever there is WiFi. Phones log in automatically (once passwords have been installed) and allow users to benefit from Tovo calling rates. Again calls to and from Tovo customers are free and calls to UK and international numbers are substantially less than those normally associated with mobile phone calls. Tovo mobile users get the same calling rates as laptop and PC users. These tariffs are applicable anywhere in the World. So a Tovo mobile user can call from anywhere at the same rates. One big benefit is that calls to Tovo mobiles do not incur roaming charges.

Tovo PC and laptop users get a lot more than cheap calls and IM. The software gives access to a whole range of features.

Operating systems
Tovo currently only supports XP and Windows Vista. Tovo report Mac OS X and GNU/Linux versions are under development.

Tovo protocol
The main difference between Tovo and Skype clients is that Tovo uses industry standard SIP.

Tovo clients do not need to support other users and it much less dependant on local bandwidth and processor speeds

Tovo Limited (corporate)
Tovo (Europe) Ltd, the main holding company was formed in July 2007 and the main shares holders are its founders – Martin Heath, Richard Newsome and Ashley Warden. There are a number of smaller shareholders.

Criticisms
The Tovo client is largish – about 15 Mbytes but is relatively easy to install. There is little information on security.

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See Also

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