Texting friends internationally on LINE or WhatsApp?

I have a unlimited texting & unlimited calling plan with AT&T (in US) for my Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and I know I'd get charged for texting my friends internationally (text or call an international number), which is dumb as hell. The thing is: I have a friend that lives in Thailand and also another friend that lives in Malaysia (both are International countries) and I was wondering: is it free to text my International friends on Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp or even LINE on my Note 3? Even with 4G LTE? I don't have Internet at my place at the moment (not until Sunday) so I have to rely on 4G LTE to talk to my international or US friends on Facebook Messenger or LINE (or WhatsApp) with 4G LTE for a few days. So I hope, hope, hope I don't get charged for texting my friend through an app on 4G LTE (that would be nonsense!).

Edit: I also only have 15 gigs of data to use through cellular (4G LTE), which is a lot for me, since I don't use much of it (at least until my Internet comes here Sunday).

Yep it doesnt count as text, it counts as data transmitted so you will be safe.

I've been talking to my international friends (Thailand and Malaysia) on the free "LINE" app on 4G LTE (cellular network) throughout the month, so that means AT&T won't charge me for it? I'm still new to this so.

@misterlightyfan: They should not charge you, and if they do i would have words with them if i were you, data is data. its not an international sms using their mobile messaging network. Data is free for international use (as long as you are in your data allowance).

@mystic_knight: So, in other words, if I use an texting application - such as Facebook Messenger and LINE (that I could verify my phone number with) - it only collects data from me? I noticed that all those apps, including some game apps, only take a few megabytes out of my data. Although I heard WhatsApp could take 2 gigs if you receive tons of pictures, videos, message mail, etc etc.. which isn't bad considering I have 15 gigs of data to use, which is a lot of data for me to use. So, I'm basically fine? It only affects me if I text or call an international number without a texting app? If so, this shouldn't affect me, I don't think.

I'm understanding it a bit better now, thankfully.

I know that at least Whatsapp is free of charge for international texting; did it all the time texting to my fiancé when I was in Portugal and she was in the Netherlands, now we're both in NL and I whatsapp with my family in Portugal all the time.

@misterlightyfan: Yep exactly unless your data goes through your default messaging program and voice calls go through your dialer you wont be charged an international call or text.

viber uses your data to make phone calls so you essentially have free phone calls too using that.

Yes, there will be International Charges applied to your Cell phone Bill. I got the $600 bill and I have sent multiple emails to Whatsapp. I have found other users also ended up more than $1000 in international call charges due to Whatsapp. So please stay away from this trappy Whatsapp. You can search other forums and you will find that the Voice Calls and Text are both charged as international rates. STay away and uninstall whatsapp.

There will be International Charges applied to your Cell phone Bill due Whatsapp. I got the $600 bill and I have sent multiple emails to Whatsapp. I have found other users also ended up more than $1000 in international call charges due to Whatsapp. So please stay away from this trappy Whatsapp. This is simply ridiculous. None of the service providers are giving any credits back. I hope people completely stop using whatsapp. This applies to Text, and Calls both. You can verify it with Sprint, T-mobile or ATT.There will be International Charges applied to your Cell phone Bill due Whatsapp. I got the $600 bill and I have sent multiple emails to Whatsapp. I have found other users also ended up more than $1000 in international call charges due to Whatsapp. So please stay away from this trappy Whatsapp. This is simply ridiculous. None of the service providers are giving any credits back. I hope people completely stop using whatsapp. This applies to Text, and Calls both. You can verify it with Sprint, T-mobile or ATT.

Hello, there is a new way on this moment to don't get charged by using the Whatsapp, they just made it for pc/laptops so it's kinda free. I discovered this few days ago and to be honest I'm little surprised of what they did. From now you can use it and write it more faster from here -> www.whatsappdownloadpc.com . Hope was helpful.