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Skype

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firefliesuk

14-09-2008

Originally Posted by Skylover4life:
“I have Skype on my mobile and it's nice talking to people for free in Australia, America etc, I use Skype on PC mainly for webcam as it has a much higher bitrate than MSN, AIM etc, it also has a good fps.

Another good thing about Skype is it's avilable on nearly all OS's, Windows, Mac & Linux with webcam capabilities.”

Skype on your mobile??

firefliesuk

14-09-2008

Originally Posted by LorenzoUK:
“is it cheaper to get skype credit, use an adapter to hook up my landline to my router and make all my calls through skype than it is to have a subscription with virgin media and to have 24/7 free calls at £7.95 per month?”

Can you just hook up your regular landline phone to make skype calls? Or do you have to get a special phone?

Katia Polletin

14-09-2008

Originally Posted by firefliesuk:
“Can you just hook up your regular landline phone to make skype calls? Or do you have to get a special phone?”

There are devices that let you hook up a normal phone however they require the device to be connected to a PC usually.

With proper VoIP there are many ATAs available and they don't need a PC, plus they offer cheaper calls than Skype aren't a proprietary system like Skype and again offer free calls to other users using the same service with many offering peering so you can call other VoIP networks for free too.

Skype is good for the kids and for messaging / video etc, if you want a set-up so it acts and looks like a real phone service then proper grown up open standard SIP VoIP is the way to go.

John_Elway

14-09-2008

It's brilliant. This thread I mean.

Whenever there's a Skype thread there's always that VoIP lot that, instead of giving people extra information, they have this weird and consistent tendency to make themselves feel superior by patronizing Skype users. What's great is, they're all the same. You're a bit like the obsessive Mac users that waste half their life trying to tell people to leave Windows rather than just shut up.

Y'know. It's ok for people to use Skype. If it works for them, and they like it, then it's fine. They don't have to switch to anything else. If the argument is that it's cheaper then I'm sure we can look at our lifestyles and always find something we could do cheaper. Do you have the cheapest car you could buy that'll still do the job?

I'm not "stuck" to my PC when I use Skype, I'm "stuck" at my PC because that's where I work. I'm not going to change to another service just so I can talk from the kitchen. That's what wireless dect headsets are for. Outside the house I don't use my mobile unless it's an emergency.

Point is, no need to patronize, because you're no better than anybody else. Let people use what they want to, it is ok to that. By all means give cool information about alternatives, I'm all for it, but there's no need to be snobby about it because, at least for me, it taints everything you're actually trying to say.

Katia Polletin

14-09-2008

As I said Skype has its uses (I have an account). Just not really to be used as a phone line replacement which is what was asked.

firefliesuk

14-09-2008

I wouldn't want to use it as a phone line replacement. I only call a couple of people using it. Was just wondering if it could be hooked up to my landline

LorenzoUK

14-09-2008

Originally Posted by Katia Polletin:
“£7.95 for inclusive calls - not really free when you are paying £7.95 per month for them.

Probably. Depends on calling pattern.

However using grown-up VoIP would be cheaper.

Get a Linksys PAP2 ATA, connect this to your router and then you can connect up your regular phones you have at home (either corded or cordless) and you can make calls and receive calls without the need of the PC being on.

If you don't have a router other models of Linksys ATAs come with basic routing, where you plug your cable modem into it and then your PC into it as well as your phones, still no need for PC to be on to make and receive calls.

Then choose from one of many proper VoIP providers and like Skype (one of the dearest if making calls to landlines / mobiles) to the kids. Many other VoIP providers offer incoming local number for free and voicemail for free - all your other services such as caller display, call waiting, 3-way calling, anonymous caller reject etc are part of VoIP so no charge either. You might go for a service such as Sipgate which has no monthly fee but charges around 1p/min for calls to landlines - the £19 saving you are making from not having a phone line and 24/7 inclusive calls may pay all you Sipgate call costs and still have lots left over. There's VoIPBusterPro, VoIPStunt, VoIPDiscount, JustVoIP and many other brands from Betamax - with various amounts of inclusive calls - they used to offer a local number, but now only a 0560 VoIP number.

There's Vyke that charges 2p per call to many destinations, no incoming number.

With those with no number and therefore you can only make calls, you could use two services one for outgoing and one for incoming. Such as Vyke with Sipgate. Some devices let you access both from one line other devices like the PAP2 have two lines, so you'd have Vyke on line one and Sipgate on line two for example.

I signed up with a few of the Betamax services (now use VoIPStunt mainly) when they offered local numbers, so use that along with Vyke (previously used VoIPStunt and Sipgate) on a PAP2 ATA.”

very helpful, thank you indeed for yuor detailed reply.

Katia Polletin

14-09-2008

Originally Posted by firefliesuk:
“I wouldn't want to use it as a phone line replacement. I only call a couple of people using it. Was just wondering if it could be hooked up to my landline”

http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satel...VisitorWrapper

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