Ringo, an app that lets you to make international calls without Internet launched in India

An international calling app Ringo, which provides low-cost calling without the use of the Internet, has launched in India. The app is already available in 16 countries,  and claims to offer 90 percent savings on international calling. The app caters to those looking for a cost-effective method of making high-quality international calls. These could include families trying to keep in touch or companies conducting business meetings with international clients. “We believe our app will change the way India communicates with the world,” said Bhavin Turakhia, CEO of Ringo. “In this country, reliable internet connectivity that can support VOIP calling is still far away. Ringo provides the perfect solution for Indian consumers who want to stay in touch with their family, friends and colleagues abroad reliably and at a low-cost,” he added. Unlike other OTT voice apps, Ringo calls does not rely on the Internet, Wi-fi, data or carrier minutes. The app works just like making a call through your local carrier with the same kind of voice quality, claims Ringo. Also the calls will cost approximately 70 percent lower than standard rates offered by most telecom players says Ringo CEO. It uses a unique call-flow to convert international calls into local calls. For example, when a Ringo user from India contacts someone in the United Kingdom, Ringo will automatically dial out a local call to the Indian user and another local call to the UK user and connect the two over reliable carrier circuits. The app offers prices that are 70 percent cheaper than Vodafone or Airtel’s and 20  percent cheaper than Skype or Viber’s for most destinations. Ringo users would need to pay Rs 1.08 per min to call mobiles or landlines in US, China and Canada. Call rates to Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia are Rs 2.69 per min. “The app is a result of significant technology investments, global carrier partnerships and strategic relationships,” said Turakhia. “We believe that communication should be easy and inexpensive. We envision a world where cost is not even a criteria for communication with anyone anywhere around the globe,” he added. The Ringo app has launched at the time when there are heavy debates surrounding the use of VOIP in over-the-top mobile services (OTTs) and their adverse effects on the revenues of mobile service providers. Amidst these arguments, Ringo can provide a cheaper international-calling solution that does not use VOIP. The app is available for free on iOS, Android and Windows Phone app stores.