My Thoughts on Technology and Jamaica: How to make free International Calls with Google Hangouts on Laptops, Google Android and iOS

Sunday, February 22, 2015

How to make free International Calls with Google Hangouts on Laptops, Google Android and iOS

If you read my article on Google Voice Calling back in August 2014 as per my blog article entitled “Google merges Google Voice into Google+ Hangouts - How to make Free US and Canada Calls with Google Voice in Hangouts App”, then you probably know that Google Voice is mainly for Americans.

What you may now know is that as a Jamaican, if you have a Tablet or a smartphone, you can make free International Calls via Google Hangouts App on BOTH Google Android and Apple iOS smartphones and Tablets.

So I'll explain to you how to do it.

But first, grab a bag of National Bakery Cream Crackers and some Eve Guava Jam, plaster a couple biscuits and set yourself a tall glass of Caribbean Dreams Chocolate Tea, as this is going to be the best Sunday you'll even have making free International Calls from your Google Android or Apple iOS Tablet or a smartphone.

Hot to make free International Calls using Google Hangouts Dialer app

This is all possible thanks to Google Hangouts, which works comfortably on Desktop and Laptop computers running Windows as well as per the instructions for users of Google Hangouts on a Desktop computer.


If you have Gmail and you are on your Laptop or Desktop Computer right now, you can also make International Calls using Google Hangouts just to try it out. Good to note here its best that you have the Google Chrome Browser installed on your computer, so before you start, just install the Google Chrome Browser first, as the Google Hangouts Plugin works best with that browser.

Once Google Chrome Browser, then go ahead and click http://www.google.com/intl/en/hangouts/ hyperlink to start downloading the Google Hangouts Plugin as per the instruction on Google's Hangouts Support Page.

Google Logo

Then just click on the downloaded Google Hangouts installed to install and you’ll get the following pop-up tab instructing you to download and install Google Hangouts.

Once it downloads, click on the download and install the Google Hangouts Plug-in. The Google Hangouts Plug-in will connect to Google's servers and begin installing itself on your computer.

Google Logo

Once downloaded, Google Hangouts can be accessed via your Gmail Account by clicking on the Camera icon on your left.

Google Logo

You'll then notice that a notification appears at the top saying that Plug-ins are blocked for this page. Select “Always allow plus.google.com access your camera and microphone” and “Always allow plug-ins on plus.google.com” to enable Google Hangouts Plugin and have access to your camera and microphone.

Google Logo

Once enabled, you can then click on the dial pad icon at the top of the page to make Calls. These instructions also works for users of Google Hangouts on Google Android smartphones and Tablets as well as users of Google Hangouts on Apple iOS devices such as the Apple iPhone or Apple iPad Mini.  

Google Hangouts and International Calling – Free 1 Minute Calls and US$0.01 to Call anywhere in the World

Google Hangouts works best in Gmail and Google+, with a Google Hangouts App for Google Android smartphones and a Google Hangouts App for Apple iPhones that allows you to take Google Hangouts wherever your smartphone can travel with you.

There is even a Google Chrome Hangouts extension that works for Americans who have a Google Voice Account or you have a VPN (Virtual Private Network) or Proxy as described in my blog article entitled “Surfing the Internet Anonymously using VPN - How to use Streaming Set Top Boxes over VPN”.

U.S. and Canada Calls are free from Jamaica, with a few destinations possibly charging you US$0.01 (JA$1.15) per minute depending on the specific phone number as per the Calling Credit page for your Google Account. You can also call countries aside from the USA and Canada for rates as per the Google Hangouts International Rates Page.

Americans get the added perks of one 1 minute Calling per day to twenty five (25) destinations around the world as of October 2014 as stated in the article “Google Hangouts Offers Free One-Minute International Calls”, published 10/31/2014 by Amit Chowdhry, Forbes.

What’s the catch? They get this perk once they’ve added Calling credit to their Google Account.

Aside from that, the cost of Calling International destinations outside of the U.S. and Canada varies with rates as high as US$0.28 (JA$32.24) per minute to as low as US$0.02 (JA$2.30) per minute and is comparable to using an International Calling plans as described in my Geezam blog article entitled “How to set up an International Calling Plan for Digicel or LIME Prepaid and Postpaid”.

Receiving Calls, text messages, and voicemails, however, is another matter entirely. Again, this applies if you're desktop bound and you have a VPN or Proxy or you're an American with a Google Voice Account on your smartphone. Note to that you cannot place or receive emergency service Calls in Google Hangouts, so don't use it to Call the fireman if your house is burning down.

If you want to make free International Calls anywhere in the World, then check my MICO Wars blog article entitled “How to make Free International Calls to Landlines and Mobiles Anywhere in the World”.

Folks, finish your bag of National Bakery Cream Crackers and some Eve Guava Jam, plaster a couple biscuits and set yourself a tall glass of Caribbean Dreams Chocolate Tea and start Calling your relatives and friends abroad today!

Here’s the link:


  

No comments: