Free VoIP service Viber has launched its first Android app, allowing Android handset users to take advantage of free international calls and text messages. Already available for iPhone users, Viber differs from most VoIP services in that it doesn’t demand registration; instead, it uses your own phone number.

When installed, Viber searches through your phonebook and identifies which of your friends are also using the app. Calls and messages between you and those people are then routed via your phone’s data connection – either WiFi or 3G – rather than via your carrier. It’s probably best to have an unlimited data plan, however, since VoIP calls over 3G can get use up a lot of data.

Obviously, the more people you know using Viber, the more calls and messages you can offload to the service; that seems to be the company’s main growth plan. The app is a free download and there are no adverts.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

115 COMMENTS

  1. Hi,

    This is a member of the Viber Development Team!
    Thank you for your review of Viber.  We are very happy that so many people worldwide are interested in our application.

    If anyone has any questions/suggestions for Viber, please feel free to write, and I will address them shortly.
    Thanks,
    Viber.

  2. Frankly speaking this is a useless application for mobile voip. First of all already many providers like axvoice are offering their own applications for android and iphones. Secondly, It is just a re-invention of the wheel.

    • On AXVOICE:
      Frankly speaking this is a useless application for mobile voip. First of
      all already many providers like VIBER are offering their own
      applications for android and iphones. Secondly, It is just a
      re-invention of the wheel.   😀

      – whatever floats your boat.

    • On AXVOICE:
      Frankly speaking this is a useless application for mobile voip. First of
      all already many providers like VIBER are offering their own
      applications for android and iphones. Secondly, It is just a
      re-invention of the wheel.   😀

      – whatever floats your boat.

  9. hi i am using samsung google nexus with android 4 [ ice cream sandwich],viber is not loading in my phone,but it loaded with android 2.3 . how to make it possible in android 4

    • We’re doing our best so it is ready as soon as possible.
      As you know, many fundamental changes were made on ICS (not only visual improvements). In order to adapt Viber to ICS the best way and make sure we don’t release a half-baked app, we need some time for developing and testing.

      We wouldn’t want to guarantee a specific release date at this stage. Once we have any news we’ll keep you posted – we apologize for the temporary inconvenience.

    • Hi,

      This is a known issue to us and we’re working to fix it this very moment. 

      We wouldn’t want to guarantee a specific release date at this stage. Once we have any news we’ll keep you posted – we apologize for the temporary inconvenience. 

  14. @ViberSupport its very weird why the normal phone call rings while calling on viber ??? its very embarrassing like u are fake calling!!!!

    • Hi,

      If you’re referring to the fact that normal (cellular) calls interrupt Viber calls, that is due to some limitations on the phone/Android itself – cellular calls must have priority over any application.

      We are working these days to see if this issue can be bypassed, and if we have any news, we will announce it on our Facebook page.

  15. @viber team : what are you guys doing? are you coding a new os for smartphones to run ur old app or u r just updating the old viber to support ICS?? take a look at those comments…some of them are 2 month old and you havent released an ICS version yet!i think viber will support ICS as soon as Android OS 5.0 release!

    • Actually,

      Major progress has been made, and we expect the release to be ready within the next 2 weeks.  It’s important to understand that it’s delayed because we want to ensure that the app is released free of bugs.

  16. viber team , what on earth are u guys doing?? i have been hearing that the update will be available in a few weeks , and that it is just around the corner , and in the next couple of weeks, 
    that was 3 weeks ago and now can u plz define what does a couple of weeks mean in ur language??

  18. My fiance lives in Peru, and I live in the USA.  When I try to call her on Viber, the voice is very delayed when she speaks to me and when I speak to her.  Will this be fixed? I was hoping it would be identical to a regular cell to cell phone call. 

    • lag in Viber calls is usually caused due to a non-stable or slow internet connection on either side. Please test it when both you and her are connected to a few different WiFi networks. This way you’ll be able to find the problematic network on either side.

    • lag in Viber calls is usually caused due to a non-stable or slow internet connection on either side. Please test it when both you and her are connected to a few different WiFi networks. This way you’ll be able to find the problematic network on either side.

  21. I have Nokia c6-00 , 5.0 mega pixel , with a Fido Mobile Number on it from Toronto, Canada. Please let me know how I can use the Free International Calls. Thank you.
    Seif

  22. How do I place video calling for international call from USA? Somehow I’m not able see my friend contact in viber list since he has viber installed on his android device. i have tmobile galaxy s2. Please let me know…. 

    • Video calling is not yet available on Viber – it is something we plan to add in the future.

      About your friend who you can’t see as a Viber user –  the source of this problem could greatly vary. Please read this page in our HelpDesk, outlining some possible workarounds that will help reboot synchronization of the contact list: http://bit.ly/rRtPqk

    • Unfortunately not – Viber is currently available for iPhones, Android, and very soon also Blackberry and Windows Phone.

      In the future we plan to release Viber for PC/Mac also, but we still don’t have any specific release dates 🙂

  25. I’d like to use this to call US from Peru on a trip next month. Does each person I need to call have to have the Viber app installed on their phone for it to work?

  27. Hi, I am planning to Call UK (cell phone) from US. I have no idea what international code that I need to use

      • Jack, Thank you…

        Do I have include 011 too? My friend’s download the viber then his number showed in my viber list as +44(his cell number). But I have no idea that I have to add  
        011 then +444(his number) when I call. 

      • Hi Susan,

        In order to dial/save that friend’s number in the UK, you (in the US) need to dial/save it in this format: 
        +44 xx-xx-xxxxxx  , excluding the “0” at the beginning of their original cell number.

        Note that the “+” easily replaces the “011” code you mentioned, so there’s no need for it whatsoever.

        If they want to add/dial your number, they would use +1-xxx-xxx-xxxx

      • Im trying to add viber to my phone. I have selected UK and put in my number as +447…..etc and it keeps telling me my number is invalid?

      • Hi chynawitch –

        Thank you for the report of the problem.
        We would like to look into this issue thoroughly and resolve it with your help. Please contact us via this email address and elaborate on the problem: logs@viber.com

        Thank you in advance 🙂

    • We haven’t thoroughly tested Viber on this specific device yet. You can check out our list of officially supported devices at: http://bit.ly/rqbZEw

      However, in the meantime you can still download Viber from Market, try it out and we would be happy to receive your feedback on how it works on your device so we could improve Viber accordingly.

      So far, we have received reports from some users that Viber works fine on Galaxy Y

      • Hey,

        Thank you very much for the guidance and quick response!
        I wanted to learn about the above before buying the handset and your guidelines motivated me to continue with my decision.
        I bought the handset and installed Viber application and I am happy to share that:-‘Viber is very much compatible with Samsung Galaxy Y S5360 (Android 2.3 – Gingerbread)’. 🙂

        I am happy with the handset as of now and definitely Viber as well!

        Touch wood :DPari 🙂

      • That is great news, we’re delighted to hear that it works smoothly on your new Galaxy Y.

        Enjoy, and feel free to let us know if you have any other question/suggestion 🙂

    • We have replied to you below.

      Also, please make sure to test this issue on a few different WiFi networks, in order to rule out the possibility that this is a network problem.

  31. hi,  please tell that viber can use in samsung y ?  and its easy to use ? or have any charge for using viber… 

    • We haven’t thoroughly tested Viber on Galaxy Y yet. You can check out our list of officially supported devices at: http://bit.ly/rqbZEw

      However, as far as we’ve heard from our users, Viber seems to work just fine on Galaxy Y. You can simply download it from Market and try it out 🙂

      About charges – you don’t need to worry. Viber is a completely free service.

      • thanks for reply  ,..but without wifi …in normally interenet service we can use viber  in samsung   y for free ? 

      • Viber itself – the app and the service – is totally free, meaning we (Viber) don’t charge anything from you.

        Since Viber uses the internet to function, 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 cellular company for the data (Viber uses 0.25MB 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.

  32. i am using regza android phone. i cant make international call and messages. how can i make this possible?　help please..

  34. Sir,i’m using sony xperiea neo l..sucessfully i install viber apps but if i make a video call it will not support just i heard ring sound only…what can i do sir…

  35. hi Viber team! When is viber calls coming on blackberry?

    And also is it now compatible on Android Ice Cream Sandwich? I am planning to buy Micromax Canvas 2 if Viber still doesn’t work on blackberry.

  36. Hi. I live in Peru.I ve been trying to download the viber app and then I was asked for a number of my credit card. Is it free or there is some fee if I want to download it?

    • Hi,

      You were asked for your credit card probably by AppStore, and not by Viber, since we don’t need your credit card for any purpose (Viber is completely free).

      Have you tried contacting AppStore support?

  37. My phone just updated the new version of Viber and it’s awesome , now we can send videos as well!!!!!!!!!! 🙂 Please put an option for video calling as well.Then this will be the BEST app ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • We’re thrilled to hear that you’re enjoying Viber so much 🙂

      Video calling is something we’re considering. If we have news, we’ll let you know.

  38. Hi I have htc desire. Am trying to call viber to viber from us to uk. I have wifi switched on. It says viber calling is currently unavailable or blocked? Please help

    • Hi,

      It could be that the network you are connected to is blocking Viber’s traffic.

      1. First, please try uninstalling and reinstalling Viber when connecting to a few different WiFi networks (in order to pinpoint the source of the problem). What are the results?
      2. Also, please make sure the following ports are enabled (“forwarded”) on your routers or firewalls:
      TCP: 5242 + 4244
      UDP: 5243 + 9785

      (if you are not sure how to enable ports, you may contact your router manufacturer or your Internet Service Provider)

  40. My wife lives in Lima/Peru. We use Viber since 6 months by mobile and windows-pc´s. Yesterday she told me that she isn´t able to call anyone on Viber. She said that there´s a message that all calls are blocked and she has to pay. I am able to call her. Also she told me that she isn´t able to see the profile-photos of her contacts. What happens there and what can she do to solve this problem?

    • It could be that the network you are connected to is blocking Viber’s traffic.

      1.
      First, please try uninstalling and reinstalling Viber when connecting
      to a few different WiFi networks (in order to pinpoint the source of the
      problem). What are the results?
      2. Also, please make sure the following ports are enabled (“forwarded”) on your routers or firewalls:
      TCP: 5242 + 4244
      UDP: 5243 + 9785

      (if you are not sure how to enable ports, you may contact your router manufacturer or your Internet Service Provider)

      * If it still fails, please specify what country you’re located in, and which cellular network you’re subscribed to.

  41. Hi my bf in USA can’t call me on viber after he updated a new version of viber for his Galaxy note. We’ve bees use viber call for free for a year but why he has to pay this time. He can’t call me or has to pay for a call. Viber is all free but why he has to pay to make a call? One more problem, everytime I massage him, he’ll get my massage and a black box showed on his photo album everytime I massage him. Why is that? Please help us to fix this problem. Thank you so much in advance.

  42. hi,my viber can’t open,there show the application viber(process.com.viber.voip)has stopped unexpectedly.please try again.What happens and hat can for this problem.Thank you fso much in advance.

    • Hi,

      Please make sure you have the latest version of Viber installed (you can find the latest version in PlayStore).

      If the problem persists, then we would appreciate if you could take a minute and report the
      details to our support team using this direct link: bit . ly / ynxX19

      When you submit the ticket, in the line called: “Through which channel did you submit your initial inquiry”, please make sure to choose “Technical Forum”.

      Thanks in advance!

  43. hello my viber can’t call to others and pick up their phone call also. Messages are still working. I already tried uninstalling and reinstalling viber application. Unfortunately it can’t solve the problem. How can i fix it? Thank you

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