AT&T Call International app offers inexpensive world calling to iPhone users

AT&T has released a free application called the AT&T Call International App that is designed to let wireless users in the U.S. make inexpensive international long distance calls with their iPhones. The service uses your existing wireless service, and you can actually use the service when overseas when connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot.

The rates, which are found on AT&T's Call International web page, start at 2¢ per minute to Canada and calls to wireline phones in countries such as China, France, Germany, and the U.K. are only 4¢ a minute.

Unlike many of the international calling plans that exist with traditional landline carriers, there are no monthly charges or packages of minutes to purchase. You dial your friends and family from your iPhone contact list, and the charges go straight to your credit card. There's an online account management feature for looking at statements or seeing how much a recent call cost.

Note that your regular airtime rates apply as well, so you're getting charged for a "local" call as well as the international connection. Calls to wireless numbers are more expensive, and you'll also incur "a small amount of domestic data usage" while connecting a call.

All in all, though, the service sounds like it may be a bargain for those who want to use their iPhones to make a lot of international calls. The app is free, so there's really not a reason to avoid trying it for your next call overseas.