[playboldbook]

Just saw this over at NerdBerry. Have not tried it myself to confirm.

Breaking: BBM Voice Works Without SIM/Blackberry Data Plan | NerdBerry.net

Pretty cool.

Is RIM going to use BBM to make a run at Skype??

[chrysaurora]

Amazing! great feature.
I always wanted the ability to use my phone without SIM Card as well. Like browser, facebook. So, this is a welcome feature for me!

[W Hoa]

Pretty cool.

Is RIM going to use BBM to make a run at Skype??

That would be interesting. Microsoft payed $8 billion for Skype at a cost of $1000 per user! If RIM has 79 million users with a competitive product RIM would be worth....a lot.

[Acumenight]

Is there any techies here that can comment on feasibility/difficulty in turning BBM into a Skype-like product??

[LazyEvul]

I don't know about the technical point of view, but the possibility of a cross-platform BBM has been discussed by RIM in the past. I believe Thorsten Heins said that it just wasn't a good time for it right now, but that doesn't mean we won't see it in the future.

[TheScionicMan]

How did they get to the /BlackBerry Data Plan part of their conclusion?

[Sqoon]

That would be interesting. Microsoft payed $8 billion for Skype at a cost of $1000 per user! If RIM has 79 million users with a competitive product RIM would be worth....a lot.

The general consensus is that Microsoft grossly overpaid for Skype. I would expect a bump if BBM was revealed to be a full Skype competitor but no where near that magnitude.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

The general consensus is that Microsoft grossly overpaid for Skype. I would expect a bump if BBM was revealed to be a full Skype competitor but no where near that magnitude.

long way from having a product that does the same basic functions one one platform. and having a product that will work on other mobile devices and even desktop computers.

[playboldbook]

Fair enough scalemaster, at least I hope this means it will be easily implemented on the playbook, or now ready for playbook, as other posts have suggested.

[shupor]

Was a bit skeptical at first but it really does work; tried it out myself. Conventional BBM doesn't work though and it makes me wonder if BBM voice functionality with the absence of a BIS data plan is a feature that slipped through the cracks or if it was intentionally done that way by RIM

[playboldbook]

Hey shupor, when you look on RIM's website, concerning OS7.1 it says WiFi calling is a feature of that OS build, but I never could get that to work. So maybe this is their way of doing it.

[shupor]

Hey shupor, when you look on RIM's website, concerning OS7.1 it says WiFi calling is a feature of that OS build, but I never could get that to work. So maybe this is their way of doing it.

WIFI or UMA calling is a feature available on even OS5 but is carrier restricted. It's quite different from BBM Voice as UMA calling basically connects you to your carrier network via WIFI. Not sure who your carrier is but Tmobile USA is the only US carrier i know for sure offers UMA calling. ATT definitely does not and i'm not sure if any of the other US carriers do