Taking the telcos out of your communication plan

This article inspired me to think whether is it possible to remove the telco entirely just by using iPhones or Android phones. It may not be entirely possible in Singapore, given that our telcos are also ISPs. But If you can make do with the free Wireless@SG, then it is achievable!

We will need an iPhone or Android phone, and a few apps: namely, Viber or Skype (for making VoIP calls) and WhatsApp (SMS & MMS replacement). These apps are available for both iOS and Android platforms and they can work over 3G or WiFi.

If we restrict ourselves to use the phone only at places with the free Wireless@SG, and we communicate only with like-minded folks, we can don’t subscribe to a mobile plan! If we have enough people doing this, the telcos may have to re-evaluate their expensive offerings to avoid losing customers.

Granted this may not be so feasible as not all of us can have Wireless@SG access easily, but in such scenarios, a land line may not be far from you to make that urgent phone call or you could have Internet access to use the IM.