The Cell Phone Junkie

T-Mobile Tuesday announced that the Bobsled VoIP service on Facebook will now operate on Android and iOS-based devices. The app lets you make calls to phone numbers in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico for free via a data connection.  Users can also send free text messages through the service.  T-Mobile does not charge for the service.

Press Release:

Bringing Amazing Service Experiences to Life, Introducing Bobsled Messaging:

T-Mobile is making mobile data approachable, particularly for first-time smartphone users, by offering additional value, making it simple for customers to find, try, and buy compelling applications and services. T-Mobile estimates that customers purchasing a data plan get over $150 worth of free applications, content and services on select devices. T-Mobile customers can choose to use free apps or upgrade to a premium experience anytime. On many devices, customers can easily access this content out of the box directly through the Bonus Apps widget, or by accessing the T-Mobile Mall, our mobile digital storefront. T-Mobile TV, GameBase, MobileLife Album and MobileLife Family Organizer, Bonus Apps, Zinio, Google Music, among others, are part of the “freemium” experience.

“Our goal is to deliver amazing 4G experiences at a great price. We deliver these compelling and optimized 4G experiences by bringing together a fast network, smart devices and leading innovative applications and services,” said Brad Duea, senior vice president, T-Mobile USA.  “Our ‘freemium’ approach to applications, content and services provides our customers with a great out-of-the-box experience at a value unmatched by our leading competitors.”

T-Mobile has seen the rapid adoption of certain services, noting that adoption of its T-Mobile TV premium service has increased over 700% with T-Mobile customers using tablets twice as likely to upgrade from the free to paid service.

In addition to mobile applications, T-Mobile discussed its latest cloud-based services, promoting partner solutions and T-Mobile branded services that provide a seamless customer experience, regardless of where or how they’re connecting. T-Mobile demonstrated its enhanced MobileLife Album service that offers customers a way to automatically upload, backup and store for free on a private website the photos and videos they take on their smartphone or tablet.

At CES, T-Mobile announced expanded messaging and enhanced calling functionality for its Bobsled^™ by T-Mobile^® service, which provides consumers with effortless communication for free across devices, countries, social networks and mobile carriers. Available today through the Android Market^™, Bobsled Messaging is a free, all-in-one, cloud-based messaging application that allows users to send and receive free individual and group messages with friends and family from any Android^™-powered smartphone or tablet, and any web connected, browser-enabled device. Also starting today, T-Mobile enhanced its Bobsled Calling service enabling users to make free phone calls from their mobile (standard data rates apply) and WiFi-enabled devices including Android-powered smartphones and tablets as well as iPad^®, iPhone^® and iPod Touch^® devices. For more information, please visit http://www.bobsled.com.