Smartphone Service: Line 2 Review

I found a service that was a great concept and decided to give it a try. It is called Line 2 and they offer unlimited Voice over IP calls and text messages from your smart phone namely the iPhone. There is a 1 month free trial and it is $9.95/month thereafter if you decide to keep it.

I must say that overall I am very impressed. I used it over wifi to make a few calls and they were clear like normal calls. I used it in Cambodia to check my voicemail and my girlfriend phoned family for the Thanksgiving holiday. No issues at all!

Features:

• Voice calls: you get a real US Phone number.
• Texting: you can also text to and from this number.
• Forwarding: If you are off wifi or the app is closed it can forward calls to your normal cell number for free.
• Conference calling is also allowed!
• Voicemail: if you chose you can set up voicemail for the second line and it has visual voicemail much like that on the iPhone.
• The application itself strongly resembles the Phone application on the iPhone so it is easy to navigate and use.

I tested all of these features except for voicemail and I am impressed with it. It works very well! The price tag is great for what you get and is definitely a good alternative to the costly AT&T iPhone plans. It is most certainly the cheapest way to use the iPhone while roaming. As long as you have wifi you incur no extra costs!

I would certainly keep this service if I was a heavier phone user. Currently I have the minimum iPhone voice and data plans with AT&T. Paired with 1500 texts I am more than covered for my needs. I will definitely keep Line 2 high on my list if my needs change. For only $9.95 more per month I can save a fortune in overages.

One extra benefit is that this app and it's paired services will also work on iPads and iPod touch. Just add headphones and you are up and running! This can be handy in certain situations such as you are already using your iPhone and need to send a text or handle another call.

You can also use it over 3G cellular data but I have not tried it myself. I have a lot of access to wifi so there is no real need and I am on the low 200MB data plan with AT&T. Every kilobyte counts! I would use it to send texts from the Line 2 app but calls would burn through my data fast! It is nice to have the option though!

I highly recommend this service to anyone trying to lower their iPhone bill. By dropping to the lowest plan with AT&T you more than make up the $9.95 it costs for Line 2. They have a great idea and a product to match and I hope they succeed. Staying connected does not have to cost over $100 per month anymore!