Viber app?

iMessage sometimes doesn't work when traveling abroad by using the phone number (whatsapp is fine) if you switch to messaging the person with the apple id instead of phone number then it'll work

Viber is an amazing free app that does VOIP and text just download on both of your iPhones/Androids whatever and that's it he just needs decent wifi to make the call or text as low as 1.5 mbps at least. the app also works on 3G/LTE but I DO NOT recommend using roaming for data as it will be 10x more expensive than long distance calling

 

Hi there,
This is Viber's rep. I'm here to help!

@jsf721 - Viber itself is totally free, meaning we (Viber) don't charge anything from you.

Since Viber uses the internet, both sides of the conversation must be connected to either WiFi or 3G. If a user is connected to WiFi - that user is not paying anything for sure. If the user is connected to 3G, the user *may* be paying his cell company for the data (about 0.3MB per minute of call), but that depends on the specific data plan that he has with his cellular company, and needs to be verified with them.

* Note that when a user is abroad using the cellular network (and not WiFi), there may be high Roaming charges by your cellular company for the data used.

If you have any additional questions we're here to assist.

 

Easy.
Decide on which internet based messaging apps you wish (viber, whatsapp, imessage, trillian, etc.). Install this on yours, wife, his phones.

Have your son set his phone to airplane mode, then re-enable wifi.

Tell him only to enable cellular (disable airplane mode) in an emergency.

Now you can text him via your chosen messaging app when he's using wifi.

No costs should be incurred at this time.

We've always used iMessage with extreme success.

 

It's all over the Internet. Viber, iMessages.

Viber is awesome!

 

These apps work great for the fiancee and I. She travels internationally a lot and Viber and Tango let us text, talk, and video chat for free (using wifi).

 

Do they offer an add on International data plan? If so, then he can use Viber on cell data without any additional charges if he stays under the amount of pre-purchased data. If not he will need wifi access to use Viber.

 

Love Viber, use it all the time.

 

I can also recommend Viber. I travel all over Asia and use Viber all the time. Two weeks ago I even added a week of unlimited prepaid data to my local SIM card in the Philippines. I was walking around Manila talking away for hours to my wife and kids back in the States for just the small data cost. Works perfect.

My other trips I just used Viber via wifi and it was great. Highly recommend the app. It's on my home screen page.