Virgin Media has launched a new service that allows you to use your smartphone to call other mobiles or phones through your home landline, thereby restricting costs. SmartCall is the UK's first Wi-Fi calling service that allows you to use your unlimited call landline plan through your mobile device.

Coming in the form of a smartphone application (compatible devices are yet to be announced), SmartCall connects to a wireless internet connection and is synced with a Virgin Media landline. It then uses that service to make calls, therefore reducing costs dramatically - even offering free calls in some cases.

And because it uses the line based at home, calls from abroad will cost no more than they would if they were made in the UK.

The app has been successfully trialled and is now about to open up to select customers on an "exclusive basis" in the coming weeks. It will then start to roll out to Virgin Phone customers from early 2013.

“SmartCall will stretch the home telephone cord all the way to wherever you might be, whether in a coffee shop in Cornwall or on a beach in Bali," said Graeme Oxby, Virgin Media’s executive director of mobile and home phone. "All you need is a home phone from us, a smartphone and a WiFi connection," 

Virgin Media offers a number of different price plans for unlimited calls, including Talk Weekends (M) which is free to Virgin Phone customers and offers unlimited calls to UK landlines, Virgin Mobile phones and 0870 numbers at weekends. The plans go up to Talk Unlimited Extra (XXL, which offers unlimited calls to UK landlines, all UK mobiles, 0870 and 0845 numbers for £15 per month.

Pic: (cc) modenadude