Since WhatsApp introduced its free calling feature, many users flocked to it, negatively affecting Viber’s popularity. During that time, Viber came around with something that most VoIP services do to monetize their ‘free’ service - offer calls to landlines and cellular numbers. In so doing, Viber has entered into direct competition with Skype and other apps that offer paid international calling.
Viber already has some momentum, in that it has a very large user base, and it offers activities and features that get people to hang around - it is a full-fledged instant messaging app with groups and other features. It also is directly linked to the phone system, in that it uses the user’s phone number to identify them on the network. So the international calling feature fits well here - there are many users, so potentially many people to call; also it is already a well-used platform for other things. You don’t need to install one app only for international calling.
Viber’s Rates
Viber Out’s rates are lower compared to Skype. For instance, calls to the US cost 1.9 cents per minute while for Skype they are at 2.3 cents per minute. Add to that the connection fee per call that Skype charges. But this is only compared to Skype, which is already not the best player in the market in terms of rates. Viber Out compares negatively with other operators, especially those on this list offering calls to the US (which is here taken as reference for the cheapest destination) at less than a cent for some. A bunch of other operators even offer calls for free to the United States and Canada. Also, while rates are low for certain destinations, they are prohibitively high for some others. So for rates, we would look elsewhere. Check their rates.
Another criteria for review is call quality, something on which Viber has to improve. Skype isn’t the cheapest but it does offer good crisp quality. Viber Out’s quality is the medium VoIP quality out there, and you don’t want to pay for calls that have a considerable probability to drop or that will have an unclear sound.
Local Access Calling
A new trend has emerged where local access calling is used, avoiding the use and need for an Internet connection, and using solely the PSTN for disseminating calls. This enhances quality a lot and makes things easier for callers.
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