VoIP functionality in Nokia N95 disabled

REPORTS HAVE reached the INQ that two of the UK's mobile network operators - Orange & Vodafone - have disabled the Internet telephony option inside the latest N95 cameraphone.

A spokesman for Orange confirmed to the INQ that his company had indeed requested that Nokia shouldn't preload the Internet telephony capability.

He claimed that the move wasn't deliberately aimed at stopping Internet telephony, rather that there hadn't been sufficient time to test the application thoroughly.

"It is not Orange's policy to remove VoIP functionality from devices. This a handset specific issue and in this particular instance Orange was asked by Nokia whether they wanted the VoIP functionality switched on or off, and Orange selected off."

"We're always working to ensure the customer has the right experience," he maintained. He couldn't confirm whether the facility has been turned off with the Nokia E65 but it is available with the E60.

James Tagg, a spokesperson for VoIP client software supplier, Truphone, told the INQ, "Clearly this is deeply irritating for people who've often paid a large sum of money for a highly-specified phone that they've carefully chosen. Particularly if mobile internet telephony was one of the buying criteria."

The crucial point is whether or not customers have not been told at point of sale about the removal of internet telephony capability.

Various Internet forums are ablaze with postings on this issue. For those who want VoIP on their N95, the solution is to flash a completely different version of the handset's operating system.

Of course, if you tried such a trick and failed, then you'd have a completely useless but expensive handset on your hands. µ