Travelling or moving abroad can be an exciting adventure but one thing that never really gets easier is leaving your family behind. Fortunately, it’s a lot easier these days to stay in touch with those back home.
But even though it’s great to be able to make phone calls or even video call, the bill at the end of it can come as quite a nasty surprise. Traditionally, long-distance or international calling has always been costly due to high per-minute rates.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has emerged as a strong alternative, and a cheaper one. While some think that VoIP is only reserved for businesses, it can actually come in handy for personal use too.
Why Are International Calls More Expensive?
International calls have always come with a hefty price tag, even if they only last for a few minutes. There are a couple of reasons for this.
Cost of infrastructure: Telecom networks need a lot of physical infrastructure to work, including cables and towers. Trying to connect two countries involves a lot of carriers and the costs can add up very quickly.
Per-minute billing: Many carriers charge per minute with exorbitant markups especially in countries that aren’t often travelled to.
Lack of alternatives: Before VoIP, there was no competition. This meant that customers had no choice but to pay the fees, however high they were.
How VoIP Can Make International Calls Cheaper
With VoIP, calls are made over Internet networks instead of copper phone lines. This means that it bypasses these legacy systems entirely and can be a huge cost-saver for those travelling or living abroad.
Flat-Rate Pricing
Most VoIP service providers offer unlimited international calls and instead of paying per call or per minute, you only pay a monthly fee. Even if they don’t offer unlimited calls, their costs are usually a fraction of the price compared to traditional carriers.
Data Is Used, Not Minutes
VoIP works by breaking your voice down into digital packets of data. These are then transferred over the Internet and assembled on the other line which is what the receiver hears.
Instead of paying for minutes, you’re just using your Internet connection.
There Is Plenty Of Competition
There are a lot of VoIP service providers in the market which is a good thing for consumers. It means that the providers have to offer competitive pricing and users can choose the one that best fits their budget.
App-To-App Calling Is Free
If you and your loved ones back home use the same VoIP platform, such as Zoom or WhatsApp, the calls are completely free regardless of which country you are in.
This can be a huge cost-saver if you are on a budget.
Additional VoIP Features You Can Benefit From
While affordability may be the biggest drawcard for using VoIP for international calling, there are plenty of additional benefits too.
Most VoIP systems come with a host of features which traditional telephony doesn’t have. Think video calls so grandparents can watch their grandkids grow up in real time and group calls so that the entire family can get together to catch up.
If you’re using a VoIP app, you can usually share messages and images on it too. This means that family members don’t have to miss out on important moments and milestones, even if they’re hundreds of kilometres away.
