The methods describe here will not by pass your local wireless company to make a call. Instead, it will simulate a call via Data Connection (3G or 1XRTT/EVDO). So this method works when Internet Data Connection is available. The Top 3 Method that I use constantly is the same old technique that I already mentioned before. The only difference with this time is that these are the top 3 that I prefer and mostly used and there’s pros and cons to each of the app. Just remember, they are all VOIP Base apps from the app store. This is a good way to make your iPad into an VOIP Phone. It is not in anyway a replacement for your cellphone or convert your iPad to be like Samsung Galaxy Tab. Beside, it’s silly to make calls with your iPad and holding your iPad against your ear during a call. Just silly. 
So what are the 3 Apps? They are Skype, Talkatone and Viber.
Skype – The adoption is that almost everyone has them, and if they don’t, well, it’s time to be more social, especially with Video Calls.
Pros:
- Video Call is clear, compared with Fring
- Audio Quality is clear, sometime too clear where my friends thought I was on their front yard
- Video Call with the iPhone 4 or iPad 2 can easily switch the camera to the front or back
- Make Audio or Video Call through 3G
- Refill your credit with Paypal
- In-Bound Calls to your real number provided by Skype (Not Free)
Cons:
- Call outside Skype is not Free
- Video Call is limited to Android, iPhone and Nokia with Symbian
- BlackBerry still left out on Skype
Talkatone – An app specifically for GTalk, and you can make calls with it as well as chat with GTalk. Works with Google Voice to receive in-bound calls.
Pros:
- Calls are free anywhere in the US
- Instant Message with GTalk
- Call quality is clear, although Skype is clearer
- Refill your Credit easily with Google Pay
- Works with Google Voice for Forwarding your Calls to GTalk
- Receive your in-bound Call anywhere in the world as long as you have Data Connection in combination with Google Voice
Cons:
- The GTalk interface is wonky, hard to navigate to
- Not a Universal App, but will work on the iPad at 2X the Resolution
- Free Calls are only up to the year 2011 to the US only
- Calls to other Country outside the US will cost your GTalk Credit
Viber – This one is another VOIP type of apps, except this one requires you to have a 3G iPad to make use of the SMS and Voice Calls
Pros:
- Calls from Viber to Viber is Free, much like Skype to Skype Calls
- Send SMS to your Viber friend for free and unlimited
- No Ads or Add-On to buy, the App is Free
Cons:
- Hard to Setup
- Requires a code to approve the app you use on your iPad. The iPad can’t receive SMS, so you have to put your SIM Card to your iPhone or any phone just to accept the code sent to you for approval. But your iPad need to have a SIM Card in there too in order for Viber to send the code to your SIM Card that you are going to use on your iPad. It’s complicated and if you have Verizon, it might not work.
- After all that setup, you can only make calls from Viber to Viber, not Viber to any outbound call. I might as well use Skype.
- Defeats the purpose of having this app is you still need Skype or Talkatone to complete your VOIP apps.
- Sending SMS also works from Viber to Viber.
Overall, there is no perfect setup to have your VOIP in your iPad. I would prefer to somehow use the iPad to make a call in-case of an emergency or something, but we’re not too far. If you have the 3G iPad and it’s jailbroken, you can download SwirlySMS, a paid app from Cydia. But that’s only to receive and send SMS.
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Chris
September 30, 2011 at 12:45 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I have been enjoying my time with iPad. I keep downloading apps every now and then and the latest one in this list is Freephoo which is a free voip. I really appreciate its call clarity and connectivity. I heard that Freephoo has extended their Premium service to Pakistan, Russia and Kuwait.
Joel
September 18, 2011 at 12:34 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Has any one tried Freephoo. I did and am very pleased with it. Its a free voip app which allows you to talk to your loved ones on the network for free. It works on both WiFi and 3G which means you are always connected. You can even dial up land or mobile numbers and you are garrenteed top quality clarity.
Norman
September 27, 2011 at 2:26 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Yes Joel, I too have started using Freephoo and agree with you on its quality. The fact that its so simple and user friendly, anyone can give it a try. I have got many of my friends on this network and keep calling them up every now and then, I am happy that it does not cost me anything.
Eberhard
September 27, 2011 at 3:00 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Thanks guys for the feedback, however, Freephoo is not available in the US App Store. Only in Sweden App Store. I wouldn’t mind giving it a try, however, I have to create a new account in Sweden just to try. Maybe in the future they will release it for the US Store.
Viber
May 28, 2011 at 2:26 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
We simply googled it
Yes, you did answer my question, and we’re glad you’re finding Viber useful now.
We are working hard these days in order to make viber 100% compatible with iPod-Touch and iPad, but it’ll take some time, because our focus right now is on other devices (Android devices).
Thank you again for writing about us, we appreciate it!
Viber Media.
Viber
May 26, 2011 at 3:16 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Hi,
This is a member of the Viber Development Team!
Thanks for putting Viber on your list. We are very happy that so many people worldwide are interested in our application.
Regarding your complaint that Viber’s setup is difficult – please explain what you mean so we can assist and further explain just how simple we see the installation process.
If you have any question about Viber – please feel free to ask.
Thank you,
the Viber Team.
Eberhard
May 26, 2011 at 7:32 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Hi, interesting how you found my little blog site. To answer your question, Viber isn’t difficult to install on the iPhone. It’s quiet a breeze actually, download, register my phone number, enter in the SMS Code and run Viber after all that. Pretty straight forward, and it’s a different process than with Skype, Fring or Talkatone. The original title is for the iPad, and even know Viber state a warning about not compatible with iPod Touch and iPad, I was making a post about Viber on the 3G iPad and making it work. It’s not as easy as installing it on the iPhone since the iPad can’t receive SMS. So there’s a back and forth switching the GSM between the iPhone and iPad in order to install Viber properly. In any case, I wasn’t giving Viber a negative review. It was just simply not an easy task to install on the iPad.
I’m actually using Viber on my iPad 2 3G as well on my iPod Touch 4. Now with iPod Touch 4, that’s a different story about making it work there. I simply registered a phone number that belongs to my BlackBerry and that’s how I use it to make calls to my friends who has Viber. My suggestion is you should register an email as the phone number rather than the actual phone number itself. The SMS verification just cost too much for you guys. Facetime did it right with the ability to register with an email. I have Facetime and I use it on three of my iPad 2, two iPhone 4, and one iPod Touch 4. Each has different email and I use them, sometime, for baby monitor. Expensive baby monitor to use the iPod Touch with, but it works.
Thanks for visiting and commenting, I hope I answered your question.