FREE is a pretty powerful thing.

Every consumer loves free and to date, Mobile VoIP service providers have been lining up in droves to give customers what the love:

Free service.

Sure, free is powerful - but free is also dangerous - especially if you are a start-up. After all, it does take money to run a start-up (or a business in any stage) and you can only relay on your VC money for so long. At some time you have to start making money and the easiest way to do that is actually charge people for your product or service.

That’s just what Mobivox is going to start doing.

Once blasted for their troubling business model of FREE by yours truly, Mobivox has decided to do away with free services, since, as CEO Peter Diedrich put it, “we want to attract and to retain customers who want to pay for that value.”

How’s that for refreshing?

Honestly, this is a great move for Mobivox (because they have a very valuable service) and the Mobile VoIP industry as a whole. At the end of the day, business is all about providing a product or service that people will pay for. If people aren’t willing to pay for your product or service - build a better one. If they are, like Mobivox has found, then charge them for it.

Bring on the era of paid for Mobile VoIP services.