ROK launches ROKViper free mobile VOIP

Throwing the cat amongst the pigeons, ROK has enterted the VOIP market with an interesting offering:

ROK Viper offers free software – available online at www.rokviper.com from Wednesday 6th September – which connects compatible handsets wirelessly to broadband via Bluetooth and, in so doing, uses the internet to carry the call rather than a mobile network.

Initially compatible with several Bluetooth-enabled Nokia handsets, ROK aim to add more than 100 mobile handsets to include Java-powered handsets and Windows devices over the next 3 months. ROK Viper shows the user who, amongst their contacts, are ‘online’ – in the same way that MSN shows who is online at any given time.

As people are increasingly using their mobiles even when at home because of the ease of use and simplicity of the contact lists stored in mobiles, ROK is confident the on-handset display of contacts will prove very useful to Viper customers.

In addition, for those people without Bluetooth on their computers, ROK will be offering a turn-key ‘auto-instal’ Bluetooth adaptor and application-loaded CD-ROM for sale online.

You can check it out at www.rokviper.com — and, if you register, you can enter to win a real Dodge Viper.  Nice!

So this is an interesting take on VOIP.  I’ve downloaded the application and I’ll take some time to have a look at it.  If you fancy doing a test call with me, let me know!