Sick of paying massive monthly fees just to talk on the phone? You’re not alone. While cell phone plans cost a bit less than they used to, it seems crazy to pay more than $100 per month for the ability to communicate. High demand for cheaper options has led to a new alternative to traditional phone plans, and with one of a few different strategies, you can use it to save more money to put toward other important things.
What is Viber Out?
Great question. Viber is a free app that lets you talk, text, send video messages, and even make international phone calls. Most of the app’s features are free (we’ll get to those in the next section) and there are a few upgrades that you can opt to pay for if you like, and if you decide that you need them. It’s available for Android, iOS, and Windows, and if you use multiple devices, you can sync all of them and enjoy a seamless experience.
At its simplest, Viber is a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) service. It provides secure transmissions via end-to-end encryption, preventing others from listening in, viewing your videos, or reading your texts. It works with any available internet connection, meaning that you can use just about any device to communicate, so long as it is compatible with the app. This means that you can use your phone’s existing signal or a Wi-Fi connection to communicate. Additionally, it means that you can free yourself of your cellular contract when it’s time, downgrade to a cheaper plan from your current carrier, go for affordable pre-paid mobile, or completely eliminate any cellphone bill whatsoever. It all depends on what you need and how deeply you’d like to slash your budget.
Viber Out Features
Since you’re interested in alternatives to traditional phone plans, we’ll begin with this feature: Viber Out connects to the contacts in your phone book and provides you with instant access to your contacts. You can enjoy unlimited free calls to others who use the app, and you can also dial cell phones and landlines just as you do with your existing service. Calls to those who do not use the app come at a small premium. You decide how you’d like to save: Options include pay-as-you-go credit that lets you buy minutes as you need them, or a calling plan to the destination of your choice. The rates are far lower than those offered by landline and cellular service providers, and you can place calls worldwide. Rates are published on the website, making it very easy to budget for exactly what you want and need.
If you like the idea of placing video calls, sending text messages, or sending instant voice messages, then you’ll really like these features. They are free to use, and you can enjoy them as often as you like. The only catch here is that the other party needs to be a Viber user in order to connect. Stickers add color to messages, and so do emojis. You can also send photos, just as you might with your current service. And, if you have sensitive conversations that you’d like to keep private, you can easily hide them from prying eyes.
Strategies for Using Viber to Replace Traditional Phone Plans
How much do you want to save? How easy is it for you to access Wi-Fi? These are two important questions to consider as you decide what to eliminate from your budget.
The first strategy – and one that tends to work best for people who are often on the go and not always able to access Wi-Fi – is to cut back on your current plan or get rid of it in favor of a prepaid service like Boost, MetroPCS, Cricket, or dozens of others that work within different network areas. You may also be able to get a cut-rate plan from your cable company. Use Viber for your messaging and international calling needs, and connect to Wi-Fi when you want to do other data-heavy activities such as watching videos. This strategy gives you the best of both worlds while helping you save quite a bit of money.
The second strategy is to completely eliminate a cell phone bill and rely on Viber Out to make all your phone calls and texts using an unlocked cell phone, tablet, laptop, or PC. It’s great for those who are almost never out of Wi-Fi range, or who still have traditional landlines at home. Keep in mind that you’ll save more when your contacts add the app to their devices. Yes, you’ll lose some of the convenience that comes with having a cell phone with its own internet connection, but your bank account will thank you.
The third strategy is for those who need to keep their current service but want to cut back on the cost of international calling. This is to simply use Viber via the device’s built in internet or any available Wi-Fi signal, and choose a plan or pay as you go. Calls are far cheaper this way, meaning that you’ll save quite a bit if you make frequent international calls.
Whichever of these options you use, you’ll save while enjoying secure, high-quality calls and other appealing features.
