Skype For Your iPhone Over 3G Network
February 15, 2010 5 Comments
by Elias Shams
I thought Skype or any other type of VoIP over the 3G network was a forbidden thing. I just found this clip on youtube from last week when David Ponsford from Skype explained the pipeline for Skype on iPhone:
This means we should be able to use Skype over 3G with our Smathphones soon starting with iPhone 
Skype currently works on iPhone only via Wi-Fi, but using it on 3G network is just another awesome and cost effective feature – for us, the user of course, but not for the wireless carriers.
If you are trying to figure out whose ass to kiss for this, I would say Apple first, Skype next. Don’t bother with the carriers. The way Apple orchestrated the entire process, they left no choice for AT&T and soon other carriers to bow. Here is a little bit of history to back this up:
Shortly after the launch of Skype iPhone application over Wi-Fi in early 2009, Apple allowed users to also run Skype over AT&T 3G network with their beta 3.0 firmware 
till AT&T requested Apple to kill the functionality. That short period of time was long enough for the iPhone users to taste how gloriously delicious VoIP over 3G was. Once the news about disabling such functionality on iPhone by AT&T’s request went out, it lead to a firestorm of iPhone user protests, which put pressure on AT&T to change their position on this. They ended up releasing a statement in October of last year showing their willingness to consider VoIP over their 3G network. Bravo Apple! Smooth… very smooth!
The VoIP over 3G network is not really something the wireless carriers were looking forward to. However, to stay competitive, they have no other choice but bending over. Given iPhone 3G did most of the stress test and billing methods for the carriers including ensuring them their networks could survive intact even under heavy use conditions, I am sure they should be able to live with that. The 3G over VoIP adds only a negligible amount of load to the 3G network which will now be billable (Thanks again to Apple effort). Considering there has been a big drop on the fee for unlimited regular old calls past year or so, carriers won’t be able to make that much money on it anyway. They can, however, make money on 3G data, especially in roaming.
Anyway, the good News is the 3G-capable version of the application will make Skype for iPhone fully mobile. Power to the users. The Skype for iPhone team is also asserting the call quality for Skype-to-Skype. The application will also maintain the call quality indicator, which will be either be green, yellow or red depending on your 3G network coverage.
Given iPad is just an XXL version of iPhone, I assume this is also good News for iPad users.
Till the release of such feature, you can still run Skype over 3G, but only with Jailbreaking iPhones and following the installation steps below if you are a little bit tech savvy:
Requirements: Jailbreaking, VoIPover3G, OpenSSH or DiskAid, and MobileSubstrate
Note: You do not need to install Intelliscreen to ensure your modified VoIPover3G.plist file works. The latest MobileSubstrate makes sure that VoIPover3G is enabled and working properly. Previously, you needed to install Intelliscreen as a workaround, but no more.
1. Jailbreak via QuickPwn.
2. Open Cydia. Search for and install VoIPover3G. This enables you to truck apps that “require” WiFi to also work over your 3G data connection
3. While in Cydia install OpenSSH which will allow you to transfer files from/to the iPhone.
4. Install the latest Mobile Substrate.
5. After all these apps are installed, you should reboot your iPhone.
6. Next, connect your iPhone to your home WiFi network and get the IP address the iPhone was assigned. Click on Settings>WiFi>circuluar blue arrow
7. Pick either DiskAir (option a) or OpenSSH (option b) to modify the iPhone file.
a) DiskAid instructions: (a tool for PCs and Macs which enables to use your iPhone or iPod Touch as external Disk.)
1) Download & install DiskAid
2) Connect iPhone to PC or Mac using USB cable.
3) Drag the /Library/MobileSubstrate/DynamicLibraries/VoIPover3G.plist file to your PC or Mac
4) goto Step 8)
b) OpenSSH (more advanced, but techies love SSH/SCP.
1) Download a SSH/SCP program. For PC users I recommend WinSCP.
2) In WinSCP, make sure to select “SFTP” and enter in this info:
- Server: your iPhone’s IP address
- Username: root
- Password: alpine
- Port: 22
3) Click on “Connect”, which might take a few seconds to connect to your iPhone.
4) Navigate to: /Library/MobileSubstrate/DynamicLibraries
5) Continue to next step (8.)
8. Double-click VoIPover3G.plist which will open the file.
9. You will likely see the following text within “VoIPover3G.plist”or something very similar:
Filter = {Bundles = (“com.Fringland.Fring”, “com.apple.AppStore”, “com.audiofile.Interstate”, “com.apple.MobileStore”);};
Append “com.skype.skype” to the text (with a comma) which will then look like this:
Filter = {Bundles = (“com.Fringland.Fring”, “com.apple.AppStore”, “com.audiofile.Interstate”, “com.apple.MobileStore”, “com.skype.skype”);};
10. Now save the modified file. If using WinSCP, it will automatically upload back to your iPhone. If using DiskAid, just drag-and-drop the file back onto the iPhone overwriting the old one.
11. Uninstall the Skype app & reboot your iPhone.
12. Reinstall the Skype app from the Apple App Store
//
About Elias Shams
Elias Shams
Kamran Abdi
Tatiana Sorabi
Personally – and I have no special information about this – I see a not-too-distant future where there’s no distinction between voice and data service. I am reminded of something I remember from (of all places) high school social studies class. I forget the specifics but the gist of it was that the railroad companies had largely died out because they saw themselves as railroad companies rather than as transportation companies. This allowed innovations like the automobile and air travel to gain a stronger foothold. I see a parallel with today’s telelcom companies; they see themselves as voice and data companies, not as communications companies. A communication company would make no distinction between voice and data (or video or any other kind of information). It’s all just data on the network, after all. I believe the first telecom company to adapt this philosophy to everyday use will be the one who prospers the most. I can envision a company offering a simple three-tiered pricing structure for low, high, and unlimited usage, offering “x” gigs of thruput per month or, more likely, unlimited but bandwidth-restricted tiers of service not unlike the “fast/faster/fastest” tiers that companies like Comcast and Verizon offer for home internet.
The thing is at some point these carriers have to put more focus on where they can generate more revenue which in this case, it looks like it is from data.
Without a doubt this is a very interesting break through and benefit for many users. Forget about Skype for your Iphone over 3G. That misses the point completely.
I do not use an IP Carrier such as Skype but I do have sister companies in Taiwan, China, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. These companies have our TransTel telephone switches with an IP based interface card. I use a soft client on my Iphone from a company called Acrobits. I am located in South Florida.
This client allows me to register with each of these locations independently. So in a nutshell my IPhone is sitting here ready to accept calls from ANY of these locations as if I were an extension off their telephone system!
Now that I can do all this over 3G is really cool because of the time differences! Instead of being locked into a wifi spot to make these VOIP calls now I can freely be driving down the road and call any extension user in any of these countries. I also did go the extra nine miles and call AT&T to confirm this time is charged to my data plan which is unlimited.
So in essence I have a remote extension off any one of 6 systems in 6 different countries! All from a single Iphone device!
I’ve been waiting for a long, long to be able to communicate like this!
Alas!
So basically to answer your question…….does this make IPhone more attractive…………I would have to say yes. Why? Because the product is certified and well developed and incredibly easy to use and seamlessly integrates with an interface that is second to none. You can find other SIP based clients out there and I have used some but they do not work like this one. The multiple registrations is a big benefit and allows you to be available and accessible to multiple customers at the same time. There is even PUSH notification if you happen to be in another app. and a call comes in. Yes….I suppose some carriers will lose revenue where they were charging for minutes and now it becomes data usage. But that’s the technology change this industry is embracing…………gotta roll along with it!
It’s all good!
Right on. I just hope I’ll be able to do this with my Android soon. I don’t have an iPhone
I am certain this is high on the agenda of Google!
There guys want to aggressively get into the telecom space……..and they should.