Traveling internationally is pricey enough as it is, but international roaming can send the cost soaring even higher — T-Mobile’s calling rates, for example, range from $1.99 (Aruba) up to $10.79 (Diego Garcia) per minute.-That’s where-iPlum comes in: by leveraging your phone’s Internet connection, the service is able to offering dramatically lower-rates than many of its competitors — as cheap as one cent per minute. It works like this: You install-the-iPlum app on-your smartphone or tablet, then sign up for an international calling pass. For $1 a month,-you can place encrypted calls over a Wi-Fi or cellular connection from anywhere in the world at-low per-minute rates, and calls to other iPlum users-for free. You get a real U.S. phone number that others can use to reach you, plus a bevy of extras including unlimited toll-free calling to the U.S.,-the ability to send and receive text messages, and a second, “virtual” phone number for privacy. Related: Rebtel offers unlimited worldwide calling for $1 a month, no Wi-Fi needed iPlum’s conceit — cheap voice-over-Internet — isn’t original. Apps like-Whatsapp and Viber operate in much the same way, running atop-a data connection to carry-voice to and from your handset. But those services require that all calling parties download an app, a difficult proposition for landline users. Some VoIP alternatives-such as Vonage and Skype offer international landline calling, but usually-at inflated rates; a pay-as-you go Skype call to a landline Germany, for example, costs 2.3 cents per minute. iPlum has its downsides. Its reliance on an Internet connection puts it at a competitive-disadvantage to companies like Rebtel and Ringo, which offer cheap-international calls over local cellular connections. But-compared to major U.S. carriers, iPlum’s pricing ain’t bad:-an entry-level-international calling add-on-costs $10 per month on T-Mobile and $30 on AT&T. iPlum is compatible with Android and iOS, and is available from the Google Play and App Store. Also watch: Apple iPhone 6S Plus vs. Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Please enable Javascript to watch this video



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