Whether you are travelling, engage in international business, or have family and friends who live abroad, you may be hit with a hefty phone bill as a result of staying in touch. Today’s long distance rates from traditional phone companies seem excessive, particularly in light of all the other options out there for keeping in touch. The following are five useful apps which can be used to call and text your full range of contacts at a distance.
- Google+
One of the top apps available for distance calling comes from Google. The Google+ app is compatible with numerous devices, and offers fun video conferencing features that can help you stay in touch with business contacts or family members with ease. You can also place phone calls to landlines or mobile phones for a small fee. One of the most fun features of this tool is the Google+ Hangout, which allows you to chat with multiple contacts at the same time. You can even play around with extra animations on these chats, dressing each other up in hats and wigs.
- Viber
For both calling and texting, Viber is a great app. It allows you to sync any new international contacts with your regular phone contacts, so that you can communicate with them without paying any extra fee. This is a great option when you need to make free or cheap international calls, and offers additional features such as the ability to send video and images in your messages.
- Skype
Considered to be the grand master of long distance apps, Skype is still a popular choice for Android users. It allows you to place calls for free to other Skype users, or call landlines and mobile phones for a small fee. There are also calling plans for frequent travellers, allowing you to pay a monthly rate for unlimited calls to non-Skype numbers. This subscription service can be particularly useful for business travellers who need to stay in touch with the main office or clients while on the road.
If you’re in an area where Wi-Fi is spotty, it may be difficult to place phone calls reliably using some of the other apps on this list. As an alternative, you could get a free SIM card from an international provider to place calls, or use a messaging app like What’sApp. This is compatible with most smartphones, including Androids, and only requires a phone number in your address book to connect with your contacts. Users can send texts, short video or audio messages, and photos for free. It also allows you to send your location to your contacts which is a fun feature when travelling.
- Rebtel
Much like Skype, Rebtel is an app that lets you make calls for free to other users of the same network. You can take part in phone or video chats, as well as send text and video to your contacts. For a low cost, you can place these same calls or chats outside of the main system. The app is useful because it lets you place calls even if you’re not within range of Wi-Fi or don’t have 3G, using the operator’s network.
