Skype or load of hype?

Ok quick question. When we are away I sometime end up calling the UK for work things and the boyfriend will call his folks as if they are jsut down the road. Bottom line our Hawaii trip on top of everything else landed us with a 480 quid mobile bill.

I've seen this skype advertised and from what I gather it's like a phone you plug into a USB port and then can call anywhere. As most of our calls are from the states to mobiles, landlines or 0845s in the UK will it end up cheaper and is it worth it/reliable enough?

Any input is greatly welcome.

Cheers











Topic moved to Technology by Mod........ Nick

If you are thinking of using Skype you have to have a decent internet connection so you can make calls whilst sat at your laptop in a hotel room or internet cafe. As long as you don't then carry your mobile when you go out, it should work out cheaper by paying the hotel a flat rate charge per day, and skype (or similar service) on top as you use it.

If you are going to be in the US for some time, by a prepaid SIM from T-Mobile or Cingular. It costs about $50 and is still cheaper. If you are willing to spend $100, you are better buying a go phone from ATT which includes free weekends and cheaper per minute rates. Check out: http://www.attws.com/gophone/. Friends and family can also then call you for as little as 1ppm (using somewhere like http://www.1899.com)

Look at getting a calling card, such as the ones on http://callingcards.com too.

Never leave your UK mobile on when abroad if you can avoid it. Turn off your automatic divert to answerphone as well otherwise you could be paying to route the call back to the UK.

Hi

We've just moved out to australia and are using skype to keep in touch with folks back home, both using it to call land lines/mobiles in the UK and other skype users.

We've found it to be pretty reliable, provided as locutus says, you have a decent connection. I have found it will work fine also on a wireless LAN setup with a wired connection that is 2048/256 - that's all I've really had a chance to test.

Using a good headset with good microphone is an alternative to using the USB phone (we use a creative HS-400).

Robert

I use a company called Tracfone.

http://www.tracfone.com

Their PASYG phones and top up cards are available on - line or at Walgreens, and Office Depot. Normally takes less than 5 minutes to re - activate it via my Laptopn when I arrive in the US. The airtime lasts 3 months

A $20 card normally lasts me a week in Florida when I use it to call friends in the US or business contacts in the US

It gives you a local number in the USA which UK mobiles can call/text

If you go down the Skpe route best to buy a handset that plugs into the USB Port on your Laptop rather than a microphone.

There's loads the size of a mobile phone on wwww.ebay.co.uk

If I end up calling the UK I use my BT Charge Charge Card that I've had for years. This gets added to your BT Phone Bill at home, and is'nt that expensive

Originally posted by andrew.m.wright
If you go down the Skpe route best to buy a handset that plugs into the USB Port on your Laptop rather than a microphone.

There's loads the size of a mobile phone on wwww.ebay.co.uk

And at Tesco...

Paul

[Neil]

We use Skype at the office to call Finland/Sweden a lot as its very big over there and as long as the other person is using Skype too then the call is totally free, so if you can get your parents to get Skype for when you call you can talk for nothing. Personally if I ever use it call a landline I find the quality not too great but it is cheap I guess.

Neil:)

Originally posted by Attitude23
We use Skype at the office to call Finland/Sweden a lot as its very big over there and as long as the other person is using Skype too then the call is totally free, so if you can get your parents to get Skype for when you call you can talk for nothing. Personally if I ever use it call a landline I find the quality not too great but it is cheap I guess.

Neil:)

That was my understanding too - that it's free, but of course both you and the callee (new word) have to have the software installed. Friends of ours use it all the time too, to speak totheir son who lives in the US. Again, totally free.

With regard to buying a PAYG phone in the US - I looked at this an option, as calling the Uk from the US on a UK sim card is extortionate - the only downside I could see is that you have to top up every 90 days. If you don't the number lapses. Has that changed?

Originally posted by Attitude23
Personally if I ever use it call a landline I find the quality not too great but it is cheap I guess.

When I can use my dect headset and call UK landlines for 3p (no matter how long I talk for) I can't see the point of skype.

It's also worth thinking about the type of internet account you have. A free Orange broadband account with a 2GB monthly allowance will soon be used up if you make lots of calls.

[Neil]

Originally posted by locutus

Originally posted by Attitude23
Personally if I ever use it call a landline I find the quality not too great but it is cheap I guess.

When I can use my dect headset and call UK landlines for 3p (no matter how long I talk for) I can't see the point of skype.

It's also worth thinking about the type of internet account you have. A free Orange broadband account with a 2GB monthly allowance will soon be used up if you make lots of calls.

Thats a good point about the allowance been used up, personally don't see the point in limited usage BB anyway, but thats just me I guess.

Neil

Skype will almost definitely save you money. Bear in mind that Skype uses a proprietory protocol (closed system) and that there are other providers out there that conform to a standard called SIP, and that allow calls to different providers for free.

Cheapest way to do this if you have a number of people that you call a lot, is to ensure that you are all on teh same system, whatever you select, so that calls are always free. My mother calls her brother in Australia regularly, and I think she rarely breaks the 5 pounds a month on her bill.

as most of these service providers don't charge to sign up, try Skype and whatever others you fancy, and keep the one that works best for you.

on another note, you can get Skype and SIP clients for mobiles and PDAs - I use my Wireless PDA and a SIP client and make calls whenever I have access to a wifi connection. This cuts the cost of calls significantly.

HTH
g

I've used skype almost exclusively for the last year.
To computer savvy family it is free, the call quality is good if your BB connection is 512 or better, and the video call facility is way better than MSN.
The software is easy to use, so its great to set the oldies up with.

I also make a lot of calls to "real" phones around the world. Generally the cost is 1euro cent per minute... Except when calling rip off Britians mobile networks whenit can be 30 cents or more per minute.
Call charges around the world are listed on the Skype website.

The conference calling facility is also useful and can mix "real" phones and Skype users on the same conference call.

To call "real" phones you pre buy "SkypeOut" credit using your credit card in blocks of 10 or 25 euros.
You can also have the option of buying "skypeIN" number in various locations around the world. What this means is you can be in Australia and your parents in the UK. Dear old mum can call you on a UK based "skypeIN" number which is then either routed to your skype software on your computer where ever you may be. And if your computer is powered off, the call can be rerouted to a land or mobile number of your choosing.

When you get your head around it, it is quite simple. It's like roaming on your mobile phone without the astronomical costs, though of course there are skypeIN rental charges and call fowarding cost associated.

Originally posted by Attitude23
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Thats a good point about the allowance been used up, personally don't see the point in limited usage BB anyway, but thats just me I guess.

Neil

I think that's you, me and a whole load of us!!!

One thing with Skype - dont buy the really cheap phone - go for something decent - £45 should nail it!!