BMAX-Choose lowest cost Betamax provider to minimize your Call Rates [Review]

If you have been following the VoIP space for some time, you would surely have accumulated a few Betamax accounts. I for one have over 5 accounts, including Jumblo, Nonoh, SmartVoIP, Rynga, and ActionVoIP. As you would have noticed, Betamax has different rates for the same destination across its services. This implies that, as a user, you need to keep track of all the services and use the service which is the cheapest for the destination that you want to call. Not anymore, Iologue offers some help!!

Iologue offers a smartphone application – BMAX – that allows you to automatically select the lowest cost provider and initiate a call between the two numbers. BMAX application is available for most of the major smartphone platforms – Android, Blackberry, iPhone, and Windows Mobile. For this post, however, I will use the iPhone version, but the same holds for the other platforms.

BMAX is basically a lowest cost router. What it does is basically compares the call rates between the two numbers across all your accounts and selects the provider with the lowest call rates and then initiates the call. Let’s see how it works…

Step 1: Install BMAX

To start, you need to install BMAX on your smartphone. If you are an iPhone user, you could use iTunes (iTunes link). For other platforms, please visit the respective app stores. The app itself costs $4.99. After you start the app, you will see the home screen (dialer). But before you can start making calls, you need to set a password so that your account details are protected (Smart!!). See the screen shots below for details:

Step 2: Setup Accounts

After you have set up a password, you can start entering your Betamax accounts. You do not have to enter the Betamax SIP settings, the app does it for you. BMAX provides with a list of accounts that you can use (and only these accounts will work) with the app. Just enter the login details and you are all set to make calls. You will see all your accounts in the accounts summary page. Here, you can enable or disable certain accounts that you want to use or not use.

Step 3: Make Calls!!

After you have entered your account details, you can enter the two numbers that you want to connect. BMAX will automatically choose the account which has the lowest rates between the two numbers and connect you. You can enter the number manually or you can choose a number from your address book. Whichever method you use, you need to ensure that the number is entered in the international format, i.e., + (Country Code) (Area Code) (Number). After you have entered both the numbers, press the call button. BMAX will then login to the cheapest call provider and initiate a call.

You will receive an incoming call that you need to answer and then you will be connected to the destination number. That’s it, you are all set to make calls at cheapest rates

Key Points: Although, I am impressed with the app, here are some points that you need to keep in mind before you take the plunge:

1. BMAX is not a SIP client, so you need to have at least one account to use BMAX.
2. As you would have figured out, this is not a SIP call. You receive an incoming call and then you are connected to the other party. Which means, you can use it over any network – 3G, EDGE, WiFi, etc. The flip side is you will use your local cell phone minutes.
3. While BMAX allows almost all the Betamax accounts, some do not work, e.g., Freecall. The developer confirmed that the problem is not with BMAX but with Betamax’s outdated SSL certificates. However, I would argue that BMAX should provide a status to the user so that the user is aware of the problem. The developer mentioned that they should be able to solve this problem in the next update.
4. Finally, and most important, for most calls there is a connection fee of 5 cents per call (charged by Betamax) if you use the call back service. So you will have to pay an extra 5 cents per call.

Once again I am very impressed with the innovative app. The developers have tried to solve an important and relevant problem. However, I would caution that this app is not for everyone. If you only make calls to one or two countries, it is easy to remember the cheapest calling option and so you do not have to pay extra for the app and the connection fee. Also, if you have only one or two Betamax accounts, this app is not going to add much value. Finally, if you do not use Betamax, this is of no use to you.

But, if you are like me – multiple accounts, multiple destinations – this is a great application and I would recommend you all to give it a try.