Email, Messaging, & Video Calls > Video Calls 45 45 people found this article helpful Making Calls Through Your Mobile Phone Using VoIP VoIP lets you make "free" internet phone calls By Nadeem Unuth Nadeem Unuth Freelance Contributor University of Mauritius Nadeem Unuth is a former freelance contributor to Lifewire who specializes in information and communication technology with a focus on VoIP. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on March 29, 2020 Video Calls Skype Facetime Trending Videos Close this video player As long as you have access to a wireless data service and a compatible device, you can start using VoIP right now. However, there are some things you should be aware of that makes VoIP different from regular phone calls. VoIP Pros and Cons Sending your voice over the internet is an amazing feat, which is why there are some great benefits that come with it, but there are also some downfalls. What We Like Extremely portable; available worldwide. Supported by major operating systems. Easy to use. What We Don't Like Data plan required. Not all phones support VoIP software. Call quality differs between wireless carriers. If you want to make free calls using your mobile device (phone, tablet, PC, etc.), you need a connection to some type of data service. Some mobile network technologies work anywhere, but others like Wi-Fi are extremely limited in range. Since most data services require a monthly fee, and mobile ones are almost always not unlimited, it's the main obstacle barring the way to seamless free VoIP telephony. Some examples of apps that let you make free internet phone calls include Skype, Viber, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, and Telegram. On the bright side, phone calls made over a data network often have benefits not seen in traditional phone systems. For instance, features often include digital recognition for voice to text services, higher call quality, and service in areas where cell service fails (e.g., planes, trains, homes, and other places that have Wi-Fi but no cell service). Also, since most homes and businesses already have Wi-Fi networks and mobile phone users typically subscribe to data plans, it just takes a quick account set up and app installation to get the device working with mobile VoIP. Plus, business people and travelers might benefit more from data calls than they would pay per minute with their carrier. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit