Parsing through the app store recently I went looking for good reliable VOIP/SIP applications. I have found my fair share of applications which allow you to use voip for making phone calls over wifi. But whether or not these applications were any good was questionable. Fring and icall to name a few are sort of good. But I had to turn outside of the app store to find something that truly satisfied me. Cydia has an application (not approved by apple) called siphon, probably a play on the words SIP and Phone. This app does everything you would want it to do with a few minor bugs.
Such bugs are listed below.
Bugs
1. When you receive a phone call over the cellular network, siphon will close. So that means if you were on a wifi call you will rudely be disconnected.
2. Does not work in the background and understandably so it will murder your battery if it did. Using the program “backgrounder” works to solve this problem but I noticed that I do not stay logged in for long. Might be a memory allocation bug.
3. Bluetooth does not work with this app which kinda sucks if you planned on using a bluetooth headset for making or receiving phone calls.
4. After placing a call on hold and then trying to retrieve the call you are no longer able to hear the person. Might be better to just mute the call instead of placing them on hold.
Benefits.
1. Familiar iphone interface. It uses your favs and phonebook.
2. Wi-fi phones are not cheap but this saves you money on purchasing new hardware.
3. Wi-fi calls are cheap save tons of money by having friends call you when you get free incoming from companies such as Gizmo5.
Other than these bugs or issues siphon is unique application and provides you with all or more of the features of some of the pay apps in the app store. And also it gives you a chance to save money on your phone bill. Plus it works over 3G just don’t think about edge it’s just too slow. An added bonus is that the said application works not only on the iphone but on the ipod touch as well. You will just need to spring for the hardware mic from apple. I use Gizmo5 as my SIP/VOIP provider. Other than their unreliable technical support they have pretty much all their solutions available on their site and great prices. Also you get a real incoming DID number. Once you pay for it you get unlimited incoming. Its OK you get it for the whole year. Just don’t think of speaking to a person for help.
Hi
To keep your siphon up and running at all times you just need to install insomnia – so your wifi does not turn off when phone sleeps. does not use too much battery in my opinion
Thank you I will definitely try this out.
A couple comments and questions.
1) how do I toggle from keypad to the audio preferences (mute/hold/speaker) I have no button to do this and tried everything to engage this switch. I can go the other way, just not back.
2) I use VYLmedia.com for all my voip products. The consumer site is link removed I get very good customer service and the price is right. They also have a business solution including auto attendant. Cool stuff if you want a virtual office. (i dont work for them and this is not a paid endoresement as you can see on my personal site, I’m a web strategist with no afinity with anyone)
One other issue. If I call out, how do I end the call? The “end call” does not appear.
This app needs some polish…. But still better than the last app I used, Siax.
I has a similar interface to the iphone call interface. Even more so now after this latest version. Which now included a voicemail tab if you have voicemail provided by your sip account. As for how to end a call on siphon there is 100% a large red end call button. If you are not seeing this please tell me what version you are using?
To change any preferences you cannot do it from within the program. You must go to your iphone settings and scroll down to siphon and select that to change settings.
Guys I need a username And password so pls can u email it to srikanth_06@hotmail.com and guys pls do it
Not sure what your talking about?
Hey ok well i looked up how to use this but no ones that clear how to set it up how to i choose my # and call bac # what should i muser name be is it the # you want and what do the pass word do?
is the pass word your #?
sorry about he grammer =p
HELP ME
Ok I will make a more detailed post on how to set up siphon.
I, for one, would be greatly appreciative if you did post a detailed Siphon setup article. I have been beating my brain over this, and I’m not even trying to do anything crazy (Google Voice, etc.). I just simply want to do call out with my Gizmo5 account over wifi (the areas I deploy to have no cell service). The settings on Siphon’s page don’t match what Gizmo’s setup says, and it’s just driving me crazy, and has been for about 6 months. Thanks in advance!