04-21-2008, 02:45 PM
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Developer & Designer, News Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,959
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All-You-Can-Eat Local and International Calls from Your Windows Mobile Device
"Skype announced unlimited* calling today to over a third of the world’s population with the launch of its new calling subscriptions. The new subscriptions signal the first time Skype has offered a single, monthly flat rate for international calling to landline numbers in 34 countries. The new subscriptions have no long-term contract. You can make calls whenever you want – at any time of the day, on any day of the week. From today, you can choose from three types of subscription – from unlimited calls to landlines in the country of your choice through to landlines in 34 destination countries worldwide."
Skype has just launched new subscriptions for all-you-can-eat, local and international calls to landlines and some mobiles, effectively replacing the old Skype Pro, which offered all-you-can-eat calls within the US and Canada only. So, here's how the new model works. There are basically three types of subscriptions: one which covers calls within your country, one which covers calls within your region, and one which covers calls worldwide. Calls can be made 24/7 for a single, monthly flat rate with no connection fees. And to put the icing on the cake, the subscriptions come with one or more online numbers, voicemail, and access to Skype To Go.
What's the catch? For the most part, all-you-can-eat equates to 10,000 minutes per month, but that's more than enough for the average person. And what's the point? Some telcos in some countries charge through the roof for local and international calls, so you have the potential to save big here, especially if Wi-Fi is ubiquitous in your area. Of course, Skype is available for Windows Mobile, which would make your subscription pocketable. Any buyers?
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04-21-2008, 07:46 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 35
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Wow.
Really. Wow.
I wish this had existed a few years back when I had to call down under everyday. Even a moderately priced unlimited calling plan is better than the huge overage and international charges you'd rack up otherwise.
I foresee ad supported "call anywhere, anytime, unlimited" VoiP being launched by Google in the next 10 years.
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> This is not a signature. <
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04-21-2008, 09:22 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 454
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I hope this isn't just an unlimited version of SkypeOut, 'cause every time I tried to use that service -- even with a desktop -- I found myself in an embarrassing situation with clients or support people saying "I can't hear anything you're saying. Hello? Hello?"
I wish Skype would stop grafting on junk like Backgammon and radio, and would focus on improving the call quality and reliability. That's the point of the stupid thing, and the one mental niche it was best poised to capture: "It's like the phone, but over the Internet, and for free."
Now it's more like "It's like a phone. Kinda. But a webcam. Oh, and PayPal. And podcasts, sorta. And games. And file transfer. And... Where are you going?"
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04-21-2008, 11:03 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 167
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I recently moved to Norway and was looking for an inexpensive way to call friends and family back in the U.S.A. About three months ago I quit using Skype because one of the cell phone providers here, NetCom, released a "Home Free" package. It allows me to call anywhere in the world I need to for about $20 a month.
What makes this package stand out over Skype is that it includes a Motorola RSGu3502 wireless router and Nokia cell phone. Say I call my mother and decide to walk down the road to the ocean. The phone will loose the connection with the home router and link to the nearest cell phone tower without any interruptions. I can also receive calls if I take the phone with me.
I do not know if it is available in the U.S., if not it will be there soon enough.
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04-22-2008, 03:04 AM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 554
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I've been using
skype for 2 years already as my main home phone (Skype Pro) it did get more expensive this year, as connection fees were introduce (I didn't have it under my previous plan), but looks like Skype cleared they heads now, feeling pressure from competitors, maybe. Yahoo phone maybe.
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You create your opportunities by asking for them
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04-22-2008, 03:42 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 202
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I did this for a while with my Axim, Skypeout minutes and holding it upside down to use the mic and speaker.
I always found myself driving around looking for WiFi, and Windows Mobile 5 was pretty slow at connection to AP's so it really just didn't work well. Sound quality was usually pretty good, it dropped about the same amount of calls that my cell phone does.
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Joel Crane
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04-27-2008, 05:17 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 198
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hamishmacdonald
I hope this isn't just an unlimited version of SkypeOut, ................
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Of course, that is exactly what it is, a different pricing plan for SkypeOut. So--if you have not had good results with SkypeOut, you won't like this service either.
For someone who uses SkypeOut a little, probably better to stick with the pay-as-you-use pricing. For someone who uses it a lot, and finds it works for them, you might find this pricing a good deal. Figure out how much you usually use per month, how much that costs with the regular payment method, and compare that to the monthly rates.
Notice also that the "worldwide" plan is not really well, um, worldwide! It covers a lot of countries in different parts of the world, but it does not cover all countries. So make sure that the country or countries you want to call, are listed there, before signing up.
The USA plan would be meaningless to me, because with my T-Mobile plan, I can call anywhere in the US for free anyhow. (within my minutes, of course. But I have so many minutes--1000 per month, and unlimited weekends, I never come close to using them up). So even at home, I use my cell phone for all (within US) long distance and toll calls, never my landline. Therefore, I never get a long distance bill.
Something like Skype out, either with the traditional payment method or this monthly subscription plan (for heavy users) could certainly make sense for international calls, if it worked decently.
Has anyone here used any of the other similar PC-to-phone services? Do any work better than Skype Out? How does the pricing compare? I heard of at least one, called Barablu, that has a Windows Mobile version of its software as well. I don't know which others might have WM software available? Does Yahoo Messenger with Voice? Anyhow, if anyone here has tried more than one of these services, tell us how they compare.
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