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Bucks 'n Bytes
Marc Saltzman is a personal technology evangelist who enjoys helping people save money and simplify their lives. He will be writing about smart technology shopping.
Rogers service cuts roaming fees
Rogers Communications has introduced a new service for customers that extends their mobile number to a computer, allowing free phone calls and text messages to anyone in Canada.
The free service is a first of its kind in Canada, with both Bell Mobility and Telus saying this feature is not available through them.
Rogers One Number consolidates mobile and web connectivity in a PC or Mac and to take advantage of it, customers must first download desktop software and sign in with their Rogers account information (it requires a Rogers mobile number). Thereafter they can call any Canadian phone number and talk via VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) from anywhere in the world.
Related: How to cut roaming fees when traveling to the USA
"You could be traveling across Europe or Asia, pop into a café or hotel lobby and use a Wi-Fi connection to call someone back home - and not incur any wireless charges," says Tess Van Thielen, director of online services at Rogers. "And because your mobile number shows up on their call display, they'll know it's you calling."
You can also accept incoming calls on your computer for free, when logged into the account. (Most laptops and netbooks ship with a built-in microphone but you can pick one up from your local dollar store.) Wireless calls can be routed to your computer, or vice versa, with the click of a button, says Van Thielen.
Outgoing text messages are also free via the computer, but incoming texts also show up on your mobile device -- which might not be free (based on your plan), so keep that in mind when roaming.
Related: Rogers follows Bell in ending Internet throttling
Rogers One Number also consolidates texts, calls and emails (Rogers, Yahoo! and Gmail) into one unified inbox, plus contacts can be automatically synchronized across wireless devices and the Rogers One Number software or website.
The service also lets you video chat for free, but it can only be performed with other Rogers One Number users – just like Skype and FaceTime requires the same software on both ends of the online connection.
Van Thielen says Rogers One Number is now offered for free to all Rogers wireless customers with a voice or voice/data plan – but not yet available on corporate or government plans.
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