Save Money on International Calls with Rebtel

As a traveler, we often spend a lot of money to communicate with our loved ones back home. But as years go by and with the advancement of technology, the cost of keeping in touch with our friends and family becomes lesser and lesser. I still remember a couple of years back when I have to spend $$$ on prepaid cards just to be able to call.

I used to make international calls not only to keep in touch with my family but as well as to make calls to my bank especially when I have to make changes or ask some stuff that I don’t understand on my billing statements. And those calls surely did cost me a lot of bucks.

Since I got an android phone, I have installed a variety of VOIP apps that enables me to send msgs and to call back home. This works great if me and whoever I’m calling at that time both have wifi connection. But if a friend or a family member is not currently connected to wifi, then I wouldn’t be able to call them.

Thinking of calling Home???

Recently, I was given an opportunity by our friends from Rebtel to try their Android App and their VOIP services. What makes their app different is that if you top up your account with credits then you’ll be able to make international calls at a fraction of the regular cost (Check this link for the call rates).

Here’s a quick walk through on how to use it:

Rebtel has a variety of app that you can use with your Android phone, Android tablet, iPhone, iPad, WP7 and your PC. After downloading the app, it’ll prompt you to sign up.

After signing up, you’ll receive free 3 minutes to try out the service. After you consumed all the minutes, then you’ll have to top it up or put some credits. There are a variety of ways to do that (Paypal, Ukash, Moneybookers or using your credit and debit cards).

If you want to make a call but unsure on how much it’ll cost you, then worry not, Rebtel made it easier by putting the cost of the call beside the name of your contacts. Alternatively, you could also check it out using their ‘rate inquiry page’.

Since I’m making a call to a friend back home in Manila, you’ll see on teh screen the country (Philippines) and beside that, the cost of an international call (mobile). So that’s 15.9 cents (USD). Alternatively, you can also use their Rates Page to check how much the cost of your call is (per minute).

I used my first three minutes free to call a friend back home and it went fine, there was a bit static though but we were thinking that it was because of the poor reception signal she has on their apartment. So I made another call to a different friend who resides on another city and it works fine.

International texting service though is not yet available to other countries except US.

There may be a glitch though that I informed Rebtel about, I tried using the free call service to another Rebtel user unfortunately my friend could hear me but I could not hear anything on my end. I’ll try this again with various phones and update this post. Update: So, I tried asking another friend from Manila to download Rebtel and call me using the free call service and it works out fine. The call was both clear from both ends.