You may remember that the VoIP application fring had its back-end upgraded a couple of months ago to enable new features on iOS and Android handsets? Symbian users have been left out in the cold since then, unable to communicate with their brethren on other platforms, but the wait is over and fring on Symbian sees a massive jump from v4.5.18 to v7.1.23.

The new fring platform brings:

- a better quality of service making all fring communication faster and easier
- a new & improved user interface
- improved video call quality based on your real-time bandwidth / network conditions
- a faster and simplified registration process (via phone number – instead of userID / passwords)

Here's the update showing up in the Nokia Store right now:

Of special note about fring is that it's the only way to do data-only video calls (to other fring users, of course) on Symbian at the moment, I believe?

Comments welcome if you're a fring user - how much of this new version is an improvement and have you noticed any glitches in communicating with other fring users on other platforms?