Viber Call charged $15

Okay here is what user found and posted on Reddit re: WhatsApp, but fiber and other apps like it work the same

https://community.verizonwireless.com/t5/iPhone-4/my-Viber-call-was-charged-by-Verizon/td-p/692190

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2793366

https://community.verizonwireless.com/t5/My-Verizon/Viber-Issue/td-p/709574

According to Viber, calls are only free if both ends are using viber and both on a WiFi connection.  

@lizdance40 That makes sense.

Edit: That Apple thread is enlightening because it proves it's not just an AT&T issue, and someone at Viber is actually weighing in on it. The problem boils down to you having Viber and making the call while on Wi-Fi, but the other person not having Viber or not connecting to Wi-Fi. The way to avoid the international charges is to make sure BOTH of you are using Viber on Wi-Fi.

@QuarryRye   I only posted a couple. Plenty more samples from Verizon and at&t and t-mobile.  On Viber’s site there is even a comment about calls being routed through cellular and being charged a “low rate”.  

Tons of samples going back years.  

‘Pull your SIM card.  Use a WiFi only device.  

‘WhatsApp complaints are similar 

I don’t think it’s the only reason.  I think WiFi calling will route as over the network also

@QuarryRye @lizdance40  I wonder if the Viber and WhatsApp users are accidentally using the phone dialer instead of the app dialer associated with the app?

@Fl_retire There certainly does seem to be some confusion there over using Viber as the main dialer. It doesn't sound like it's the main problem, though. It looks like when you call someone on WhatsApp/Viber, the app checks to see if the person you're calling has the app and is connected to Wi-Fi. If not, the app just dials it as a regular call but doesn't alert the user. I just imagine someone in the US calling their buddy in South Korea with Viber, thinking this is a free call, and their friend hasn't even installed the app on his phone. $$$ on next bill

@Fl_retire   @QuarryRye     More than one of the comments on the Reddit thread was telling the original poster that the conversation did not go over WhatsApp, but it clearly showed it went through the regular dialer

In addition. It seems such calls are not allowed on some countries. Like United Arab Emirates, Dubai, Turkey, China.  So any call made to one of those countries will be routed to cellular.  (Same places that don’t allow FaceTime).  Gets more complicated the more you dig.