Skype phones

[moggyjo]

We Bought a Skype phone each yesterday hopefully it will save us a fortune on mobile phone bills now.

3 network are doing an amazing deal £12 a month which gives you 100 any network min's, 300 three to three min's and free Skype calls. If it works out well, I will cancel my contract phone when the contract runs out. Has anyone else on the forum got Skype?

[Gary Peacock]

Haven't got Skype but we supply the Tesco equivalent to our customers outside the UK to keep the phone costs to zero during the build!

[dor]

Use skype quite a bit on the pc, but the calls are only free to another skype phone.

 

It's good to keep in touch with family etc as you can use the webcam for video calls and you can also send files while talking. Also has a messaging function a bit like email.

 

Can't understand why everyone isn't using it, at least if you have broadband.

[cugsey]

er ok

full explanation please

just what are they and what do they do

[Liam]

Here we are..

 

http://www.e4s.co.uk/docs/Download_Skype_Internet_Calls.htm

[tidal]

You don't even need a skype phone

Just a headset and mike. and the skpe softeware of course.

 

I use Skype to call home (especially to mobiles) from abroad and also for texts. Has been very reliable except when the sytem got hacked for a few days this year.

 

(for the technical types it's a form of VOIP)

[fuzzyduck]

I run Skype on my mobile phone, and use it whenever I'm near a wifi connection, rather than the mobile itself.

[chris w]

For those that are not aware, calls to other skype users are free anywhere in the world. For calls to a landline, the cost is only about 1p per minute almost anywhere in the world. Calls to mobiles are still expensive with the exception of calls to US or Canadian mobiles which are also around 1p per minute.

 

Chris

[Barry]

I have one but I never use it because I dont know anyone else who has one - and all my landline calls are free through my ISP deal anyway

[Tinally]

I don't bother with Skype. My friends and I use MSN Messenger ( free ) with a webcam. The camera, ( Lidl £9.99 ) with built in microphone, is mounted beside the screen and with a couple of clicks we are talking face to face...very simple, cheap and efficient. Like dor, I can't believe that everyone isn't doing it!

 

Dick

[moggyjo]

I don't bother with Skype. My friends and I use MSN Messenger ( free ) with a webcam. The camera, ( Lidl £9.99 ) with built in microphone, is mounted beside the screen and with a couple of clicks we are talking face to face...very simple, cheap and efficient. Like dor, I can't believe that everyone isn't doing it!

 

Dick

The advantage of Skype is that you can use it on a phone rather than having to be near your laptop.

[Radiomariner]

I use Orange Wireless broadband. This costs me only £5 per month (Because I also use Orange for my cellphone WAP). An extra phone is plugged direct into the modem (I use a wireless DECT phone) All calls to 01 or 02 numbers and most international calls are totally free at all times. On boat I use my Orange phone as a modem, internet connection there cost £5 per month extra for evening and weekend use, or if like me you are an infrequent user £1 per day, for all day if you use it. (No charge if you dont). The cellphone tariff is a bit steep though at £30 pm but comes with the usual block of 200 free minutes and 200 texts, neither of which I can use up.

 

Edited to add: The computer does not need to be running or even switched on to use the phone, just the wireless modem.

Edited December 4, 2007 by Radiomariner

[Webchem]

I run Skype on my mobile phone, and use it whenever I'm near a wifi connection, rather than the mobile itself.

 

Which phone have you got?

 

In theory things like this should save a fortune for schools....

 

Anyone fancy setting up a company?

 

I have a dual Skype/DECT phone that doubles as both. Brilliant!

 

I tend to steer clear of MSM - no reason other than I got into Skype first.

[DHutch]

We've got one of them BT homebox-bigwhitethingwithaphone machines at home. Which works.

 

- Here i have free phone anyway thanks to JCB. But i also use MSN, with or without webcam, quite a bit too.

 

 

Daniel

[blackrose]

Like dor, I can't believe that everyone isn't doing it!

 

I think 'everyone' is.

I'm not sure why it is that when we sit video calling at our computers or on our mobiles, we tend to think we're the only ones making use of the technology!

[carlt]

I think 'everyone' is.

I'm not sure why it is that when we sit video calling at our computers or on our mobiles, we tend to think we're the only ones making use of the technology!

I'm not. I have free landline calls, with my broadband and 500 minutes, any network for £15 a month on my mobile.

 

I usually end up with over 400 mins left at the end of each month so I don't really need another format.

 

And the idea of video calling leaves me cold.

[blackrose]

I'm not. I have free landline calls, with my broadband and 500 minutes, any network for £15 a month on my mobile.

 

I usually end up with over 400 mins left at the end of each month so I don't really need another format.

 

And the idea of video calling leaves me cold.

 

I have plenty of free calls on my mobile too, but I found that video calling is actually quite interesting, especially with international calls. I've had a few video texts on my mobile too which gave me a bit of a surprise when I was just expecting an ordinary text.

 

It wasn't that long ago when all of this would have seemed very sci-fi futuristic.

[carlt]

I have plenty of free calls on my mobile too, but I found that video calling is actually quite interesting, especially with international calls. I've had a few video texts on my mobile too which gave me a bit of a surprise when I was just expecting an ordinary text.

 

It wasn't that long ago when all of this would have seemed very sci-fi futuristic.

I remember when I had my first video-conference call, in the '80s with bods from america and barcelona. We had to travel from Coventry to birmingham to a special video-conferencing suite that cost some comms company millions (and us thousands to hire). It was so sci-fi, then, but, compared to the laptop I'm using now, stone age.

[chris w]

I think the main reason that video-conferencing hasn't caught on for business is that the real deals are clinched face-to-face over a meal or golf. ie: the two sides need to get to know each other as people, not just faces. That's how trust comes about.

 

(Plus we all like to travel business-class around the world and stay in nice hotels with an expense account on someone else's money!)

 

Chris

[Lesd]

I think the main reason that video-conferencing hasn't caught on for business is that the real deals are clinched face-to-face over a meal or golf. ie: the two sides need to get to know each other as people, not just faces. That's how trust comes about.

 

(Plus we all like to travel business-class around the world and stay in nice hotels with an expense account on someone else's money!)

 

Chris

 

Chris,

You're so right. I worked in the telecom/internet industry for 25 years until I got out three years back, even the suppliers of VC equipment used to travel lol !!!

Les