Can You Call Internationally With Telegram?
Trying to use Telegram for international calls? While it’s a feature-rich app, with app-to-app calling, you still can’t use Telegram to call landlines or mobile phones that don’t have the app installed. So, what can you use? It turns out there are many good options.
Navigating the App Store and Google Play isn’t for the faint of heart. With an overwhelming number of apps and options to choose from, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the details. So I did some research for you and put together a list of the best alternatives to Telegram for international calls.
What is Telegram?
Telegram is an app for free app-to-app calling and messaging.
This is incredibly useful if your friends and family have Telegram installed on their phones. But if you need to call a landline or a person who doesn’t have Telegram, you’ll need a different calling app.
Can You Use Telegram for International Calls?
Does telegram work internationally? If you just need app-to-app text messaging and calling, Telegram can do it. But it’s not truly an international calling app since you cannot call regular mobile or landline numbers abroad.
What’s the Best Alternative to Telegram for International Calls?
Here is a list of alternatives to Telegram for international calls.
Yolla
With Yolla, you can call any phone, anywhere in the world, at low rates.
Yolla has been a long-time favorite among people who call abroad. Its HQ connections, 24/7 in-app support, and affordable rates have helped it earn a 4.6 score on the App store and 4.5 on Google Play, from 28,000+ reviews total.
It’s a great alternative to Telegram for international calls because it lets you call any phone, anywhere in the world, at low rates, and sometimes even for free.
Features:
- Call any mobile or landline worldwide
- Preserve your caller ID – the recipient knows it’s you calling
- Synchronizes with your contacts
- HD voice quality
- Stable connections – no lag or dropped calls
- Free download
- Low international rates
- International texting
- Make worldwide mobile top-ups
- No hidden fees – see the cost before you call
- User-friendly interface
- 24/7 customer support
- Unlimited free app-to-app calling
What’s more, you can join the Yolla referral and testing programs to earn bonus credits to make international calls for absolutely free.
If you’re looking for an alternative to Telegram for international calls, Yolla won’t let you down. Download the app and start making international calls today.
How to Call With the Yolla International Calling App
Making calls with Yolla is easy:
- Open the app
- Choose someone from your contacts list or dial the number
- Tap the call button
- Enjoy your high-quality international call
Now, let’s look at a few more alternatives to Telegram for international calls.
Originally a text messaging app, WhatsApp now allows you to make voice calls using an internet connection.
Features:
- App-to-app texting and calling
- Group chat
- Video calls
- End-to-end encryption
- Photo and video sharing
- Voice messaging
- Document sharing
Downsides
- Can’t call to a non-WhatsApp cell phone or a landline
If you’re looking mainly for an international texting and calling app and don’t plan on making international voice calls, WhatsApp is a good option to consider. Especially if your friends all use WhatsApp. Otherwise, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
Viber
Viber is divided into two offerings – a free and paid option. The free version is similar to WhatsApp – free international text messaging and voice calls only between smartphones with Viber.
However, the paid version serves as an alternative to Telegram for international calls.
If you want to call an international landline, for example, Viber offers a paid service called Viber Out. Here, you pay for “minutes” (rates vary, depending on the country you call) but at much lower rates than your carrier.
Features (Viber Out):
- High quality calls
- Low rates
- Pay-as-you-go or calling plan
- Video calls
- Share stickers & GIFs
- Group chats & calls
- Join communities
Downsides:
- Not supported in all countries (such as Belgium and Austria). Thus, you always have to double-check that both your origin and destination countries are supported before signing up.
- Doesn’t preserve your caller ID. When you call someone, they see a random number on their caller ID. They have no way of knowing who’s calling.
Some people are okay with this and some people are not. But Given that an overwhelming portion of phone calls made globally each year are telemarketing calls, many people simply ignore calls from unknown numbers.
Additionally, many organizations such as banks, credit card companies, utilities, and some airlines use caller ID to identify client accounts. While not insurmountable, this issue will make calls to these businesses more complicated. You may be better off considering another app.
Some people simply turn to their carrier as an alternative to Telegram for international calls.
Your Carrier
From the moment you bought your phone and signed up for a cell phone plan, you’ve been able to do one thing – make phone calls using your cellular carrier. No extra apps, no browsing the Google Play store, just dial and call.
Your cellular carrier most likely allows you to make international calls if you so choose. So it’s a reasonable option if you’re looking for an alternative to Telegram for international calls. On the vast majority of cellular plans, you just dial the foreign number you want to call, starting from the country code, and that’s it. There’s just one catch – it’s incredibly expensive.
Features:
- Convenience
- No extra apps
- Reliable connections
Downsides:
- Extreme surcharges
- Fees for international calls
Part of the reason for the surcharges and fees is the cost of routing your call across the globe, but otherwise, it’s just because they can.
Using your cellular carrier as an alternative to Telegram for international calls is definitely the simplest way to do it (no apps needed) but, by far, the most expensive. Avoid it unless you want to double or triple your phone bill. Using any app for calling landlines will eliminate such fees.
All in all, these are some top apps for making international calls. If you’re interested in a comparing a few more options, check out this list here. Before I close this article, I’ll quickly answer a few common questions about using Telegram for international calls.
FAQs About Calling Internationally With Telegram or Other Apps
1. Can Telegram be Used Internationally?
Telegram can be used anywhere you have a solid internet connection. With this app, you can call any mobile phone located anywhere in the world that has the Telegram app installed on it.
2. Does Telegram Charge for International Calls?
Telegram does not charge for international app-to-app calls between phones that have Telegram. However, you cannot use Telegram to call landline or mobile numbers.
3. Are International Calls Free on Telegram?
You can make free international calls with the Telegram app only to mobile phones that also have Telegram. You cannot use Telegram to make international calls to landline or mobile numbers.
Final Verdict
While any of these apps may be useful to you, it’s worth remembering that most of them only work app-to-app. And your cellular carrier is significantly more expensive than any of them. So, if you’re looking for an alternative to Telegram for international calls to landlines and mobile phones, Yolla can help.
Download Yolla today via the button below. Happy calling!
