Many Americans have friends or family members living in other countries. Though texting has become more common than placing phone calls these days, there are times when you want to actually speak with someone. The most common way of doing so is by placing a traditional phone call. However, there are several drawbacks to such phone calls. Thankfully, there is now a viable alternative to traditional phone calls: calling using voice-over Internet protocol (VoIP) technology. Calling Japan for free as well as calling other countries for free may even be possible with this technology.
Read on to learn more about how to call other countries for free.
Why You’d Want to Avoid Traditional Long-Distance Calls
There are several drawbacks to making traditional long-distance calls. The most significant is cost. Long-distance calls can cost 50 cents or more per minute. While this may not sound like a lot, it means that a 20-minute phone conversation can cost more than $10. If you’re making multiple phone calls per week to other countries, the phone balls can really pile up.
Also, long-distance phone calls (at least those made using traditional phone lines) often have very poor audio quality. It’s common for words to become garbled and for the audio to have a great deal of static. The call may even drop, which could increase costs.
How to Save Money When Calling Other Countries
Thankfully, there is a much cheaper alternative to calling long distance over traditional phone lines. VoIP calls are usually significantly cheaper than calls from traditional phone lines. The gap widens when it comes to long-distance calls. However, long-distance calls made from a VoIP phone to a traditional phone are still not free.
There are additional benefits. Perhaps the most important benefit is the superior audio quality offered by VoIP long-distance calls. You will be able to hear the person on the other end clearly with a VoIP call, while this may not be the case with a traditional phone call. Also, VoIP long-distance calls are less likely to be dropped than traditional calls.
How to Call Other Countries For No Additional Cost
It is possible to place long-distance VoIP calls for no additional cost above your subscription. This requires that you place the call from a VoIP number to another VoIP number. It is common for VoIP service providers to only offer free long-distance calls if both you and the recipient are subscribed to their service.