Using wi-fi connections for nearly free overseas calling (Photo: Tim Bishop / Flickr)
With the proliferation of wi-fi around the world, it’s making more and more sense for travelers abroad to make free (or very low cost) calls using internet connections instead of the more expensive cellular roaming option.
Much of this is driven by Apple, which has made wi-fi voice calling a prominent feature of its latest batch of phones, meaning that iPhone 6 users can soon opt to circumvent cellular towers entirely by making calls over wi-fi– at home or overseas.
So if you are sick of returning from trips abroad to face inflated phone bills, here are a few ways to use Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol (VOIP) technology to make calls on your smartphones.
Related: Is banning inflight calling really necessary? (check out the LOUD comments!)
New Viber Out allows calls to anyone in the world (Image courtesy of Viber)
Viber – http://www.viber.com/
Viber is one of the most prominent “free text and calls over wi-fi” applications – so prominent, in fact, that the Iranian government called for its censorship this week.
So why the high drama in Iran?
Well, the app allows users to make calls that are far less traceable than those that route through cell towers – and it allows calls to be made to just about anyone, anywhere in the world, even to people who aren’t on Viber. The ayatollahs in Iran don’t like that citizens can use Viber to communicate negatively about the government.
Anyway, here’s how to take advantage of the new “Viber Out” feature on the app:
1) Download the Viber app to your smartphone, install and go through the verification procedure for your personal cell phone number.
2) Enter the verification code, and then decide if you want to connect your address book, and Facebook details – or create your own username. If you don’t want to share anything, just keep clicking no until you get to the main screen.
3) “Viber Out” is the calling feature; it’s at the bottom of the screen under the “Calls” phone icon. Click there, and then dial your number.
4) If you don’t have credit, you’ll be prompted to purchase credit via your app store account. Rates are also accessible from this screen.
With calls to US numbers (both landline and mobile) priced at 1.9 cents per minute, Viber is a steal of a deal. Viber also allows connection to 1-800 numbers in the US, a boon to anyone dealing with mundane life issues back home while spending extended time traveling abroad.
The Viber interface is clean and straightforward, and very useful as a quick and reliable VOIP smartphone solution.
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The Skype dial pad (Courtesy of Skype)
Skype – http://www.skype.com
Skype is definitely the granddaddy of the VOIP family. The app has been around seemingly since the dawn of digital time, and thus has a solid following and steady reputation with most people.
The advantage to this longevity is that many of your contacts are already likely engaged on the platform, meaning that chats and messaging become more useful with more people you know on it. Nearly everyone has a Skype handle these days.
For calling from your smartphone via VOIP, the newly refreshed app makes it simple.
1) Download and install the Skype app to your smartphone.
2) Login with your desktop details or set up a new account.
3) On the main screen, tap the keypad-esque icon on the left. This will lead you to the dial out screen.
4) Dial your number.
5) If you don’t have credit, you will be prompted to add credit via your app store account.
6) Voila – you know can dial any number for a cheap VOIP call!
The new Skype app is actually quite beautiful, offering a straightforward way to keep track of recent conversations, favorite people, and an overview of your network.
Skype’s rates are actually quite a deal higher than Viber’s (but still cheap compared to cellular calling) – it’s 2.9 cents per minute to call U.S. landlines and mobile phones. A better deal can be had for those regular users to lock in savings with Skype’s clever “Subscriptions” product that charges a flat monthly fee for unlimited calling to a specific region.
Overall, Skype is still trying to remain competitive in a messaging-app heavy world. Subscriptions are a no-brainer for any long-haul road warrior regularly seeking to use a smartphone as a phone inexpensively.
New: How to get a free flight home for the holidays!
(Courtesy Google)
Google Hangouts for calls
This is one that’s going to be a bit of a surprise. Using Google’s Hangout product is a fantastic way to connect with the millions of people that have Google accounts. The product automatically comes with a Gmail account, so that means anyone on that platform is accessible via a wi-fi call.
The advantage here is that Hangouts are seamlessly integrated into the laptop interface as well, making it easy to make calls on the go or via Google while working on a computer. Here’s how to do it.
Calls are free user-to-user, and then are subject to Google Voice rates – which are also free for those calling a number in the United States. An easy win from a larger player that doesn’t always come to mind for VOIP calling.
How do you communicate when outside the US? Have you ever returned home to some painful phone bill surprises? Please leave your comments or advice below!
–Nick Vivion
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“Much of this is driven by Apple, which has made wi-fi voice calling a prominent feature of its latest batch of phones…” Wow, what an obvious Apple-biased writer. WiFi voice calling has been a feature on T-Mobile Android phones way, way before 2014, Apple had ABSOLUTELY NO DRIVING FORCE behind this. In fact, the iPhone did not support WiFi calling until recently. Get your facts straight and stop sucking up to Apple.
Google Voice did not support voip.
It used cellular for calling, wifi/data for signaling & visual voice mail.
Hangouts uses wifi/data for calling, or voip… true upgrade
I grew up an expat in Switzerland, and I remember the callback being the only way we would make calls through normal landlines. This option works well with a reliable connection!
Free calls, video chat and SMS world wide
My family and I have used Mobilevoip for years and are generally happy with it, and the cal quality is fine. The fact that there are three options for calling (VOIP, local number, and callback) means that it can be used in many different situations. And certainly the callback and local number provides consistent quality unlike Skype and the like where there is always the issue of wifi network quality, as other have mentioned.
Are they free calls to anywhere in the world or only within Thailand?
I personally stopped using my Google Voice number back in 2010, and I know many who have stopped using the service. So I don’t think many people recall that you can do that with Google. And since Google has been promoted Hangouts as a video-first feature, I thought it important to remind everyone that this a solid service already integrated into many parts of our everyday online routine.
Thanks for the comment Robert. Have you had a good experience as far as call quality? I haven’t had the chance to use that particular service, but I did come across it in my research and I wasn’t convinced that they were top-notch from its appearance.
I’ll check that out, thanks for the tip!
What hypertext said 😀
I did notice that the pricing has changed on the Voice site, thanks for that clarification!
Great to hear that its worked well!
Dan, thanks for the comment! It’s definitely worthwhile to explore the international plans offered by US carriers. I like to get the international SMS plan when traveling, as most of my pertinent communications are via text (I am a Millennial after all!). Definitely worth exploring what your carrier can offer.
Skype has been a real winner for me when I’m abroad. Then only problem has been WiFi at European hotels. In my experience, mostly in France and Germany, hotel WiFi often gets super-slow or even goes down now and then, or the free WiFi is ridiculously slow and you have to pay extra for a decent speed. If I’m making a really short call, I just use my T-Mobile phone, which for my plan is something like 20 cents per minute for international calls. I’ll gladly pay an extra 18 cents for a 1-minute call if I can just do it immediately without fussing with WiFi.
TruPhone has worked great for me. Check it out.
Actually, Google recently released “Hangouts Dialer” (for Android anyway, not sure about iOS), which means you can now use your phone to make Google Voice calls over WiFi or cellular data. That means calls to the US/Canada are now free over WiFi.
GV has been integrated into the Hangouts app on both iOS and Android. In the Hangouts app, you can make and receive data calls to any US or Canada number. The GV app is being phased out in favor of Hangouts.
@travelskills
so if hangouts is underpinned by google voice….why not just use GV?
or am i missing something please?
thanks
On Android you can also use GroveIP. Free to sign up, get local US number, and make calls to the US from anywhere. Similar to google Hangouts. Also, anybody can call your US number, and reach you, wherever you are in the world
Cheaper still is voipyo.com – calls to many European landlines and mobiles are a half a Euro cent a minute.
Once you sign up with voipyo, you download an app called Mobilevoip. You can then call from your cell phone using 3 methods – VOIP; calling a domestic number which will then forward you to the foreign number you are calling, or it will call you and then call the other party for a 5 Euro cent surcharge. The callback feature can be particularly handy if you are overseas with a foreign SIM, as incoming calls are free you can call the US in many cases for a total of 1 Euro cent per minute plus a 5 Euro cent per call surcharge.
Google Voice + Hangouts is clearly superior to Viber and Skype. Free calling to any landline in the US +Canada. Why list it last and say it “doesn’t always come to mind for VOIP calling”? This has been around since 2009…
In Thailand the phone app “Line” is a popular alternative for free calls and video chat.