SmallBizResource Blog -- Networking & Communications

Jaxtr: Another Option For Low-Cost Calling

Posted by Gayle Kesten Tuesday, Jun 24, 2008, 11:47 AM ET

Two months after Skype debuted a trio of inexpensive plans for calling abroad comes a new option from VoIP provider Jaxtr that lets callers dial out of network for a handful of pennies per minute.

Jaxtr is headed by Konstantin Guericke, who founded LinkedIn. Fueled by $10 million in venture capital from Lehman Brothers, Menlo Park, Calif.-based Jaxtr first came on the scene in March 2007 with a free international mobile calling service (member to member), a voice-based "talk network" called Café Jaxtr, and a text-messaging service. Its key differentiator: a widget for users to post on their blogs or social network pages. "The reader puts in their phone number, and then Jaxtr calls both parties and connects them," explained an article back in December 2006 when the service was still in beta.

With its latest announcement, Jaxtr lets users place calls on their mobile phones without first connecting to the Internet. The service (version 1.5) is fee-based, but low-cost. For example, calls to China, the United Kingdom and China cost 1 cent per minute, while calls to India cost 6 cents per minute. (Click here for a full price list for A-Z destinations.) To call out-of-network, customers dial a central Jaxtr number that provides the connection and saves the number for future calls.

Webware explains how it works: "In order to make out-of-network calls, you call a central Jaxtr number that's local to you, and then tell it who you want to reach. Then it calls you back and connects you--the typical dial-around procedure."

The call is then routed via VoIP. Payment is made via "Jax credits," which the company says costs less than most calling cards. Those can be bought online by credit card or PayPal. (Pay attention to step 3, which gives Jaxtr permission to automatically refill your account unless you uncheck the box.)

I signed up for Jaxtr two months ago, but haven't done much in the way of the experimenting. If you're interested in testing it out with me, send me an e-mail and we'll give it a go.

Mobility | Networking & Communications