Can You Make Voice Calls with the New Apple IPad?

Apple recently announced the release of a new product called the iPad, which is an internet-connected tablet that let's you browse the web, check your e-mail, listen to music, and much, much more! One of the first questions many people started asking about the iPad was whether or not it would be able to make voice calls. Voice calling won't be automatically built into the iPad like it is with the iPhone, but you will be able to buy an iPad with an unlimited 3G data plan from AT&T. This raises the questions of whether or not VOIP apps like Skype & Fring will work on the iPad.

For those readers who are unfamiliar with VOIP calling, VOIP stands for "Voice Over Internet Protocol" and it allows you to make calls with just a data connection, since your voice is sent over an internet connection instead of a standard phone line. Vonage, MagicJack, and Skype are all VOIP services, so if you are familiar with any of those, you already know that a good VOIP connection is virtually indistinguishable from a regular phone call. When VOIP apps first started to appear for the Apple iPhone, they initially were only allowed to use a Wi-Fi connection and would not allow you to place VOIP calls over the 3G data network. In the past few months, however, AT&T has lifted these restrictions and is now allowing VOIP calling on their nationwide 3G network.

It would stand to reason that if AT&T isn't going to restrict VOIP calling via 3G on the iPhone, it probably will not for the iPad either. An official announcement on this topic is expected from AT&T closer to the iPad launch date, but most people are expecting them to allow VOIP over 3G. Newer VOIP calling programs use much less bandwidth than their predecessors and don't put that much of a strain on the data network (unlike video streaming, which AT&T and other carriers are still restricting). The iPad won't have a built-in microphone, but will presumably allow you to add a pair of Apple's Headphones with Remote & Microphone, so many users won't end up wanting to use their iPad for voice calls anyway. If AT&T does indeed end up allowing customers to make VOIP calls via 3G on their Apple iPads, it could be a really good deal for many users. By using a service like Skype to make phone calls, paired with a service like Google Voice for text messaging, the iPad could replace your current cell phone completely for just the price of a $30 monthly unlimited data plan with no annual contract. The Wi-Fi only version of the Apple iPad goes on sale April 3, 2010, and the Wi-Fi + 3G models that will work on AT&T's data network are expected to go on sale about 30 days after that. For more information about the iPad, visit the Apple website listed in the resources section of this article.