Skype...Anyone using it? - Montana Owners Club

SlickWillie · 03-02-2008, 07:22 AM

We've found need for a second phone and I've been researching on the Skype site. We're out of our home area with our cell phone, so they won't sell me an additional line at this time. In fact, they may well terminate our contract after 3 months of using our phone out of area. I noticed Skype sells a wifi phones. Anyone used a wifi phone with the skype service? Looks like a pretty good setup to me; especially the cost. Skype pro is $36 per year, unless there is some hidden cost I don't see. Of course there is the cost of the phone, but that is a one time expense.

OntMont · 03-02-2008, 09:21 AM

From what I have heard and read, you need a truly fast internet connection for it work well, and a satellite connection has too much latency (time to travel to the sat. and back). I'm pretty sure it is one of Verizons "no-no's" for their air card. If you have DSL or cable, you would be all set. Maybe EVDOAlex knows more.

Mrs. CountryGuy · 03-02-2008, 09:26 AM

SlickWillie,

Bit off topic here, but would you mind sharing the name of your cell provider who is saying they might cancell you for being away from your home area for more than 3 months???

Alex Sian · 03-02-2008, 09:48 AM

Skype/VOIP will "work" on EVDO, but consistency is a problem.

Sometimes the call quality will be "acceptable" and sometimes it will just suck.

EVDO data is not ever likely to be consistent enough to count on reliable VOIP calls... its just not in the best interest of the carriers. think about it.

dsprik · 03-02-2008, 10:13 AM

EVDO, I am having a terrible time during my 6 months in FL with my cell phone provider (great in the summer months in MI). Would Skype/VOIP be something I could use for the 6 months I am down here? I have cable internet - 6 meg - with a wireless router while here in FL.

SlickWillie · 03-02-2008, 10:35 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Mrs. CountryGuy

SlickWillie,

Bit off topic here, but would you mind sharing the name of your cell provider who is saying they might cancell you for being away from your home area for more than 3 months???

We're with Cellular One of East TX. They spelled out the terms of the service agreement to me when I inquired about the extra line. (1) I had to be in my home area to add a second line. (2) Three consecutive months where over 50% of our calls are out of area can lead to suspension or termination of my contract.

We're here at Aransas Pass for the foreseeable future. I'm not concerned if they cancel the contract. I haven't been real pleased with their support anyway. I will get a local cell carrier if and when they cancel my service. My wife is working part time, thus the need for another phone. We went through the same thing when Cingular became AT&T. We had been sold service in an area that was all roaming. AT&T shut down the roaming, and we were without service when we returned to East TX last spring.

John, we have the 3 MB service with Cable One. Most of the tests I have run usually show over 4 MB down, so we should have the connection to handle the Skype. I have a Tranzeo flat panel that I can use as an access point for the wifi phone. (hopefully I can figure out the set up on it) I have a Motorola modem with wireless now, but the signal is not very strong. I want the signal where I can use it on our pier where I fish quite a bit.

Alex Sian · 03-02-2008, 11:42 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by dsprik

EVDO, I am having a terrible time during my 6 months in FL with my cell phone provider (great in the summer months in MI). Would Skype/VOIP be something I could use for the 6 months I am down here? I have cable internet - 6 meg - with a wireless router while here in FL.

yes, skype is very well suited for cablemodem internet.
skype should have a trial period. go for it.

sreigle · 03-02-2008, 12:57 PM

We have a second phone that is turned on only when one of us is out running errands, so we can stay in contact. It's a TracFone, available at Walmart and other retailers as well as online. After the initial purchase we buy the renewable annual cards so we only have to worry about paying once per year. It usually costs me around $100 or less for more (prepaid) minutes than we'll use in a year's time. Unused minutes roll over when we renew with a new card or online purchase. They also have specials. This is more expensive than the skype phone discussed but it has worked well for us the past five years. We've had coverage everywhere we've had coverage with our cingular phone. TracFone rents service from other providers. This is just to point out another alternative.

You can buy shorter periods than a year if you want to just use it for six months.

www.tracfone.com

richfaa · 03-03-2008, 04:13 AM

We have used it at home with fast DSL service. It works very well.It will not work well on a slower connection.We have had really good luck with our verizon cell phone service across the country.

Steve......Verrrry interesting..will look into that..

muddflapp · 03-03-2008, 06:12 AM

I also am a TracFone user. We have one cellphone that my wife keeps all the time from Verizon. When I am away from her and we need to communicate, The TracFone is perfect for us. I use maybe 30 mins a month and the price with TracFone is a lot cheaper to use than getting two phones with Verizon. I think I got the phone at WalMart for $20. Then you renew your minutes under many different plans. Your unused minutes do roll over.

SlickWillie · 03-04-2008, 02:22 AM

For those of you that use the TracFone; do the monthly taxes and fees eat up your minutes? I looked at the AT&T phones at Wally World here (didn't see the TracFone here), and at the AT&T web site on the prepaid Go Phone. I noticed they mentioned taxes and fees deducted monthly. Just want to know how deep the water is before I jump in! We have excellent cell coverage here, so the prepaid phone would be fine to leave in the truck. One more question. Are the TracFones GSM phones with the SIM card?

padredw · 03-04-2008, 03:30 AM

I have been using SKYPE for several years. I keep in touch with friends from Australia and California almost daily (or nightly, as the case may be). The voice quality is better than most phone connections. Just last night I talked with my friend from Australia and it was as if he were right here in the room with me. It was that clear. We also have video which is quite good. AND, best of all, it is ENTIRELY FREE!

All this above is computer to computer using headset with earphones and microphone (speakers give an 'echo' back to the sender on the other end--headset eliminates that.

SKYPE can also be used to call telephone numbers anywhere in the world at very reasonable cost. I seldom use that, but on a trip to Prague last summer I used it for LOCAL phone calls in that city much cheaper than I could have called from the hotel phone.

I could go on and on about this excellent service and program, but if anyone wishes more details I will be happy to respond via private message or email through this forum.

Joe-n-Doe · 03-04-2008, 08:07 AM

We used SKYPE for years to communicate with family and friends living overseas. We used it both for SKYPE to SKYPE calls and SKYPE to land-line calls. A couple of months ago we switched to Vontage. It cost less with Vontage to dial long distant land line numbers.

alanzuck · 03-24-2008, 05:15 AM

We have been using Skype for 3 or 4 years. It is terrific. It is a computer phone program that lets you talk on your computer to anyone in the world who also has the Skype program on their computer. The program is free and all calls are free.

My wife is from Israel and she talks almost every day to family and friends in Israel and it doesn't cost us or them a dime.

All you (and whomever you want to talk to have to do is download the free program and install it. It is very easy to do.

Skype has a new program that allows you to call a regular telephone from your computer. You speak into your computer (if you have a microphone either connected or internal) and the other person uses their regular land line telephone. It costs $3/month to use that program. Well worth it. We have been using that for over a year with no problems.

We just bought a special Philips cordless phone to use with Skpye, so we don't have to sit by the computer to talk. No problems with it.

stiles watson · 03-24-2008, 05:27 AM

Just had an Easter call from my son and family in North Carolina. We both have a web cam and we get a chance to see all of his 7 children and talk to them individually. They have never seen this Montana, so with the web cam I was able to give them a visual tour of the unit. It was loads of fun.

I also have regular calls to and from friends in Canada and Hong Kong. Skype is a great way to keep in touch cheap.

toolmanroy · 03-24-2008, 07:27 AM

We have Skype but we tried out Windows Live Messenger and found the connection to be better. Just my 2 cents.

Waynem · 03-24-2008, 08:30 AM

I worked in Information Technology Security (Affectionately called those #$$@! computer security guys) until I retired last year. I don't mean to be putting down something that is working for you, but SKYPE has several know vulnerabilities, some of which will allow a malformed link to commandeer your computer. From its inception we would not allow it on NASA circuits because of the vulnerabilities.

Yes, there are vulnerabilities in just about all computer aspects. Just going to the Internet can be dangerous. You have to consider the risk and the value of what you use. If you have not had problems with your system acting up, then you are probably in the low risk category, but if you constantly have hang-ups and other problems, take a look at what software you are running and make adjustments accordingly.

I don't mean to be scaring anyone, but to pass out information and let you make your own choices.

SlickWillie · 03-25-2008, 03:51 AM

I think I will stick with a cell phone. I don't need to make any overseas calls, just wanted something that was economical. I spoke to ATT yesterday, and I can use one of the extra phones I have (unlocked). They will provide the SIM card, and the cost is about the same as the other prepaid cell phones. When and if my East TX carrier dumps me, I will probably contract with either ATT or one of the other major providers(based on coverage). Thanks for all the info folks.

NewFlyLady · 03-25-2008, 06:14 AM

Waynem, Glad you brought up the topic as I was going to do the same thing. Being in IT we detected Skype on several company computers even though we have rules about downloading unapproved software. We had to go around and remove it because of the security risks. Everyone needs to research software before downloading off the internet.

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