To see which service is right for you, check out our full VoIP reviews and comparisons.

Vonage (NYSE: VG) has announced that Apple approved its mobile application for iPhone and iPod Touch. Vonage is currently conducting a beta test and general availability will be announced at a later date.

This new service, along with the recent launch of the Vonage World unlimited calling plan, continues Vonage's heritage of using innovative technology to create significant value for its current and future customers.

Yes – that's it.  No mention of when it might be available, much less what it actually does.  Overall it's certainly good news that it got through Apple's sometimes difficult approval process.  It will be nice when we can actually use it, though.

It seems that may not be all that investors are excited about.  Stock message boards are abuzz over a possible Vonage iPhone app which would enable iPhone customers to make VoIP calls on their iPhone using their Vonage World plan.  So instead of paying AT&T exorbitant rates to call overseas (not to mention in the U.S.), Vonage World customers connected to a WiFi network could simply dial whatever number they wanted on their iPhone and not pay a penny as long as they are Vonage World customers.  This could be in addition to using Vonage as your home phone service.  Details are still lacking so we don't actually know quite what the app will be for sure but Apple did confirm to Barrons that Vonage has submitted an iPhone app and Vonage subsequently confirmed that they made a minor change Apple had requested and resubmitted the app for approval.

So the app could be available any minute.  Then again, Google submitted an app for their Google Voice service that has been in limbo for months now and is now the subject of an FCC investigation, so it's hard to say how long this could take.  We'll update with a new post as soon as we hear something.  In the meantime, if this all soundns pretty exciting to you, you may want to sign up for Vonage World now so you're ready when the app comes out.  You can also call 1-888-692-8076 to sign up for Vonage World by phone.

Vonage World also includes some innovative voice mail features that are extremely useful.  First is Vonage Visual Voice Mail, which allow you to see the number (and name if available), time of call and message length of all your messages by logging into your online account.  So rather than have to dial up and press buttons to navigate through your voice mails, you can just do it all visually online.  Users of the iPhone and other newer smartphones will recognize and appreciate this feature that really revolutionized voicemail.  Vonage World also has added text transcription of all your voice mails so you can get emailed the text of any new messages you receive.  The system may not always transcribe every word perfectly, but you can almost always get a clear understanding of the message.

Vonage World is the replacement for the old Vonage Residential Unlimited plan, and it is keeping all the benefits of that plan, including the $24.99 per month price and the $0 set-up fees (free activation, free V-Portal adapter and free shipping).  In short, Vonage World has everything the old plan did plus unlimited calling to 60 countries, visual voicemail, and voicemail text transcription.  If you are currently a Vonage Residential Unlimited plan customer, you will not automatically be switched over to Vonage World.  However, there is no fee to switch and all you need to do is request the switch in your online account or call Vonage customer service.

For more information about Vonage World, read our full Vonage Review or call 1-888-692-8076 to speak to a Vonage representative.  Here's the full alphabetical list of countries that is currently included in the Vonage World unlimited calling plan.  A * denotes that calls to cell phones are also included:

Andorra
Argentina
Australia (excl. External Territories)
Austria
Bahamas*
Bahrain
Belgium
Brazil
Brunei*
Bulgaria
Canada*
Chile
China*
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Guadeloupe
Guam*
Hong Kong*
Hungary
Iceland
India*
Iraq
Ireland
Israel (non Paltel)
Italy
Japan
Jordan
Kenya
Latvia
Luxembourg
Macau*
Macedonia
Malaysia*
Malta
Mexico
Monaco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Peru
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico*
Romania
Russia
Saipan*
San Marino*
Singapore*
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand*
Turkey
U.S. Virgin Islands*
United Kingdom
Venezuela
Zambia

This is the second time this year that a traditional phone service provider has decided to shutter a VoIP service. Verizon shutdown the VoiceWing Internet phone service in January.

Luckily, CallVantage subscribers have several great options to choose from when looking for a replacement VoIP service. CallVantage plans ranged from about $20 to $30 per month, so most former subscribers could save a significant amount of money by switching to a VoIP service like Vonage or PhonePower. These providers offer plans starting at $9.95 and $8.33 per month respectively.

Whether you are a current CallVantage subscriber looking for an alternative or simply interested in learning more about VoIP, we suggest that you read our comparison and detailed reviews of VoIP services.

Q: Are there any set up fees [for VoIP.com] your website says no start up fees but when you look futher it says total charge is about $36 dollars on the 19.99 plan it says free shipping free equipment free month so whats the $36 dollars for?

A: VoIP.com will waive any set-up fees if you sign up for the Home Unlimited annual plan which costs $199.00 per year. The Home Unlimited monthly plan does not include free set-up, but does include the first month free (a $19.95 value). So, if you were attempting to sign up for the monthly plan, you would have seen a set-up charge included in the upfront costs.

If you are looking for a monthly plan that has no upfront set-up fees, we would suggest Vonage's Unlimited plan. This plan has no set up fees, is just $9.95 per month for the first three months and then $24.99 per month thereafter.

You can learn more about Vonage, VoIP.com and other Internet phone service providers by visiting our VoIP reviews and comparison.

Q: What is a V-Portal adapter? Or is it simply the thing that makes the phone work?

A: A V-Portal adapter is the device provided by Vonage which allows you to use any standard telephone to make calls through your high speed Internet connection. The V-Portal is easy to set-up, is totally portable and also enables lots of advanced features. Here is the description of the V-Portal adapter directly from Vonage's website:

The Vonage V-Portal can connect up to 2 Vonage lines through your pre-existing high-speed Cable or DSL Internet connection and includes a networking router. It's great for all your phone and routing needs. Just plug it into your existing broadband connection and use the two standard telephone jacks to connect your existing phones or fax machine. The Vonage V-Portal has a user friendly LCD display with caller ID and call timer, call logs (missed/received/dialed) with up to 50 entries each, language selection, and built-in upstream bandwidth tester. The Vonage V-Portal allows you to use your Internet connection for your computer and your phones at the same time and because it's Vonage, you get clear digital phone sound quality.

You can learn more about Vonage by visiting our VoIP service reviews and comparison.

Q: Is Vonage a digital phone service that will go out when the power goes or is it a true land line?

A: Vonage is a digital phone service and is dependent on your broadband Internet connection. This does mean that in the event of a power outage, you will lose your broadband connection and therefore, your Vonage service as well. Some people do choose to maintain a landlane in addition to their VoIP service for this reason. However, many people with landlines rely on cordless phones, which are also dependent on electricity and will fail in a power outage. In either scenario, a cell phone is a good backup in the event of a power outage.

To learn more about Vonage and other VoIP services, see our reviews and comparison chart.

Q: Are you able to provide a comparison of services with the Magic Jack?

A: We are currently working on a review of the Magic Jack service that compares Magic jack to other VoIP providers. however, it is worth pointing out that Magic Jack is different than many of the services we have reviewed in that it is not really meant to be a true land line telephone replacement. We posted some comments from one of our readers this summer that discussed a comparison of Vonage versus Magic Jack. I would encourage you to read not just the original post but also the follow on comments from a number of users that have had experience with Magic Jack.

We will update this post with a link to our Magic Jack review once it is complete. In the meantime, you can learn more about VoIP services by visiting our reviews and comparison on NextAdvisor.com.

Q: Does Vonage offer cell service?

A: No. Vonage does not offer cellular phone service. Vonage is a provider of voice over IP services, also know as VoIP or Internet telephone service. VoIP services allow you to make calls through your broadband Internet connection rather than a traditional land line.

You can learn more about VoIP service providers by visiting our reviews and comparisons on NextAdvisor.com.