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What would I do without Skype! I was fortunate enough to come across it in the ealy days, pre eBay buyout and have been using it ever since for all my national and international calls.
Skype is now one of the longest VoIP providers around and was developed by the guys who developed Kaaza - the music sharing program some years ago.
The huge up take of Skype in the past few years must be due in part to the ease of use and installation. This for a technophobe like me is a must. Within minutes of the download and selecting a username, you can be chatting with family or friends on the other side of the country or indeed the world.
The only small hiccup you might have is that to talk for free the person you wish to speak with must also have the software and a username as Skype is a peer-to-peer system. You call the username and not a number from your little control panel on the screen.
You can call a phone number as well. This option although not free is about as cheap as any alternative out there. To use this option you just buy some Skype credit and dial the number you wish to speak with. The rates are so cheap that I would recommend only buying the minimum in your currency as the credits have an 8 month lifespan and you may be flat out spending even that amount.
Detractors say the downside of Skype is that you need a fast broadband connection to use it. This is where Skype has it over some of the other VoIP providers out there, because while this is true for voice or video calls you can always use the instant messageing system. This is a great option when a quick salutation is required but you don’t want a long chat.
The critics also say that you need a dedicated VoIP phone or microphone/ headset to communicate effectively. While there was some truth in that the recent upgrades to the system along with improved microphones in computers men that there is no need for either a phone or mic anymore. A normal conversation can be carried out from almost anywhere in the room.
Skype is a must have these days. It takes mobile communications to a new level and is perfect for anyone with a computer and internet access, but will be of particular use to you boomers out there on the road in your RV’s.
Go to Skype to download.
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