Skype is a service that lets you call people on their computers OR their phones, and to take calls on your computer OR your phone for FREE or at very little cost.
For most people, this is a far better deal than Vonage, Sun Rocket, and other competing services, because it's free to start, has no monthly fees, and it's FREE to call regular phones in Canada and the U.S. through 2006.
If you haven't yet been introduced to Skype yet, this page will act as your introduction, showcasing the pros and cons of Skype versus other options. If you're already using Skype, this page will keep you up to date on the latest tools available for Skype.
I hope you find this page useful. If so, please take just a moment to rate the page using the stars above. Thanks!
What is Skype?
Skype is a VOIP service.If you're not familiar with VOIP, it's nothing scary. It just means that you can use your high speed Internet connection (DSL or cable, for instance) to make phone calls.
This allows you to bypass the costs of phone calls on a traditional land line.
My experience early on with VOIP phone options was that the quality was terrible, and that you lost too many phone calls. I don't know if I was just using bad equipment at the time, or if that represented the drawbacks of a young system.
Today, however, I get fantastic quality from Skype, and I don't know if I've lost any calls because of it. I find it more convenient than my land line, and far, FAR cheaper.
More about all the pros and cons as we go.
Benefits of Skype
Skype is the #1 VOIP phone system in the world with more than 30 million users ... and with good reason. The value of Skype is out of this world, especially when you consider that you can use many of its features for free.Skype is free to download, and it's free to set up a Skype account. Once you have an account, all you need is a good set of headphones with a microphone, and you're set to make free or cheap phone calls.
Please note that good headphones are critical, unless you use other equipment described below. I recommend any headphones by Plantronics. You can get a very good set for under $30, and then it will just about sound like you're standing next to the person you're talking with. A poor set will make it sound like you're in a cave.
Other benefits:
* FREE CALLS to any other Skype user when they're on their computers.
* FREE CALLS to any phone in the Canada or the U.S. (at least from inside those countries) through 2006.
* NO MONTHLY FEES.
* With "Skype Out," you're able to make inexpensive calls to anywhere in the world.
U.S. and Canada rates are normally 2.1 cents a minute. Rates to many population centers around the world are the same. We call Brazil from the U.S. for 3 cents a minute.
* With "Skype In," you can also have a phone number for people to call you on. This isn't free, but it's cheap ($4 or less per month). It comes with voice mail, caller ID, call forwarding, conference calling, and call history with alerts for new calls and new voice mails.
* You're also given a very good selection of phone numbers to choose from, rather than just being given a number.
* You can use Skype for instant messaging and video conferencing between computers, and can send large files to other "Skypers" as well.
* You can send a voice mail without letting another Skyper's number ring. (When you don't want to get caught up in a conversation.)
* You can use Skype for conference calling.
* With additional equipment (explained below), you can use Skype with a regular phone (rather than headphones). You can even use it without any associated computer so long as you have wireless Internet access!
* Skype travels. It's with you anywhere you take your laptop or download the software.
All this adds up to a system that's ideal for most people. But before you sign up, take a look at a few drawbacks to Skype below, and then to the analysis that follows about who would best be served by Skype.
Drawbacks of Skype
While I think that Skype is outstanding and I use it every day, there are a few drawbacks that you should know about before signing up.
* Outgoing Caller ID. When you call people on their Caller-ID-equipped phones, they're going to see something like 001234 as the number calling them ... and they may well assume you're a telemarketer. Until people know that you're calling under that bizarre number, they may hesitate to pick up.
I understand that there's not much of an alternative if you're only using "Skype Out." But when you pay for a "Skype In" number (a regular phone number others can call you on), it seems like that number could show up on caller ID when you're calling other people. So far, that is not the case.
* You don't get unlimited calling to traditional phones for a flat fee. This is ONLY a problem if you talk a LOT -- like 800 minutes per month or more.
Of course through 2006, Skype calls are free in the U.S. and Canada.
Skype doesn't include ALL the bells and whistles of other VOIP services .... but it includes most. If you need free or inexpensive long-distance calling, Skype is outstanding. And for just a few bucks a month, you can have an incoming line with voice mail, caller ID, call forwarding, conference calling, and more. It doesn't currently offer call waiting or a few other distinctive features offered by some services.
It's off when the computer's off ... even though voice mail is still on. If you're computer isn't on, Skype will take a message if you have voice mail with it. Other VOIP services work as long as your high-speed Internet connection is working.
There is NO emergency dialing. With certain VOIP options, there is some sort of emergency dialing option. None are quite as valuable as true 911 from a traditional land line. Skype and other instant messaging calling services do not offer emergency dialing.
When the power's gone, so is Skype. This is another disadvantage of ALL VOIP services. You need your high-speed Internet connection in order to make calls. Traditional land lines don't require electricity, so they're great when the lights go out.
Because of the electricity and 911 issues, I encourage everyone to have a BASIC land line service at the lowest rate they can get. This allows emergency calls. You can also forward Skype (or other VOIP) to this number in case the electricity goes out.
* Outgoing Caller ID. When you call people on their Caller-ID-equipped phones, they're going to see something like 001234 as the number calling them ... and they may well assume you're a telemarketer. Until people know that you're calling under that bizarre number, they may hesitate to pick up.
I understand that there's not much of an alternative if you're only using "Skype Out." But when you pay for a "Skype In" number (a regular phone number others can call you on), it seems like that number could show up on caller ID when you're calling other people. So far, that is not the case.
* You don't get unlimited calling to traditional phones for a flat fee. This is ONLY a problem if you talk a LOT -- like 800 minutes per month or more.
Of course through 2006, Skype calls are free in the U.S. and Canada.
Skype doesn't include ALL the bells and whistles of other VOIP services .... but it includes most. If you need free or inexpensive long-distance calling, Skype is outstanding. And for just a few bucks a month, you can have an incoming line with voice mail, caller ID, call forwarding, conference calling, and more. It doesn't currently offer call waiting or a few other distinctive features offered by some services.
It's off when the computer's off ... even though voice mail is still on. If you're computer isn't on, Skype will take a message if you have voice mail with it. Other VOIP services work as long as your high-speed Internet connection is working.
There is NO emergency dialing. With certain VOIP options, there is some sort of emergency dialing option. None are quite as valuable as true 911 from a traditional land line. Skype and other instant messaging calling services do not offer emergency dialing.
When the power's gone, so is Skype. This is another disadvantage of ALL VOIP services. You need your high-speed Internet connection in order to make calls. Traditional land lines don't require electricity, so they're great when the lights go out.
Because of the electricity and 911 issues, I encourage everyone to have a BASIC land line service at the lowest rate they can get. This allows emergency calls. You can also forward Skype (or other VOIP) to this number in case the electricity goes out.
Sign Up for Skype!
- Sign Up for Skype
- With FREE and low-cost, high-quality phone calls, this service is ideal for just about everyone.
Which is the Best Choice?
The best service for you of course depends on your individual needs, but I believe we can sum it up in this way:
1) I believe EVERYONE should maintain a traditional land line for power outages and emergency calling. It's simply the most reliable option for these two issues. You can use this with a fax machine and even forward phone calls from your Internet service to the land line if you prefer.
2) For making the bulk of your calls, then, I believe a VOIP option is the best because cost and quality generally can't be beat by land lines. Once upon a time, I didn't trust VOIP with my most important calls. Today, I do.
So the question is, is there a PARTICULAR feature that you need that's offered by one VOIP company that's not offered by the others? (This might include a specific global location you call, where one company has the best rate.) And, how much do time do you spend on the phone each month?
If you don't spend much time on the phone, then a service like Skype makes the most sense, because there's no monthly fee. At pennies per minute worldwide and free to other users, it's hard to rack up much of a bill.
If you talk a LOT every month (800+ minutes), then something like Vonage or Sun Rocket makes the most sense. Sun Rocket actually seems the better deal to me, though I personally had a hard time setting it up, and then found Skype and never looked back.
So, based on the information in the sections above, and with this simple break-down, you should have a pretty good sense of what service will suit you best.
1) I believe EVERYONE should maintain a traditional land line for power outages and emergency calling. It's simply the most reliable option for these two issues. You can use this with a fax machine and even forward phone calls from your Internet service to the land line if you prefer.
2) For making the bulk of your calls, then, I believe a VOIP option is the best because cost and quality generally can't be beat by land lines. Once upon a time, I didn't trust VOIP with my most important calls. Today, I do.
So the question is, is there a PARTICULAR feature that you need that's offered by one VOIP company that's not offered by the others? (This might include a specific global location you call, where one company has the best rate.) And, how much do time do you spend on the phone each month?
If you don't spend much time on the phone, then a service like Skype makes the most sense, because there's no monthly fee. At pennies per minute worldwide and free to other users, it's hard to rack up much of a bill.
If you talk a LOT every month (800+ minutes), then something like Vonage or Sun Rocket makes the most sense. Sun Rocket actually seems the better deal to me, though I personally had a hard time setting it up, and then found Skype and never looked back.
So, based on the information in the sections above, and with this simple break-down, you should have a pretty good sense of what service will suit you best.
More Coming!
There's a TON more information coming on Skype, related products, and competing services!
by stevemcc
What can I say? I'm a big fan of Skype, and save myself countless bucks with a system I like a whole lot better than a traditional land line!
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