SkypeOut now free for US and Canada callers

Published on May 23, 2006 By BlueDev In Internet

If someone else has passed this little tidbit along, I apologize. But I haven't seen it yet, so thought I would mention it.

Skype, the very popular VOIP application (voice over IP) has announced that, at least until the end of the year 2006, it is free to call land lines via Skype, as long as both the caller and the callee are in the US or Canada.

Skype is a great little program that allows people to make free "phone calls" from computer to computer. Calling computer to computer has always been free on Skype, and really has the potential to be very handy. All you need is a microphone hooked up to your computer and you are set to go. Simply "dial" the other Skype user's name, and, as long as they have Skype running, bingo, you can talk as long as you want for free.

However, they do charge for calling from PC to actual telephone, as well as phone to PC. At least until now that is. While SkypeIn is still a premium service (that is phone to computer with Skype voicemail), SkypeOut is now free for those living in the US and Canada. SkypeOut international is also available, and can be pretty inexpensive as well. For example, I could call my mate Maso down in Australia for a meager $0.02/min.

Note: I still get a message saying I need to purchase SkypeOut minutes to make calls, but ignored that, entered the phone number and dialed without problem.

Not too shabby and worth playing around with.

Comments

Matchbook

on May 23, 2006

Am there, dude. Very slick, indeed. I can't even tell you the hours I've racked up..! LOL..

Most don't seem generally interested in the whole Skype thing. *shrugs*.. More free calls for me, tho!

Heh:

ParaTed2k

on May 23, 2006

Skype is a very "you get what you pay for" thing for me. I love that I can talk with friends for free, but it's kind of sketchy in sound quality and you have to play "what did you say" games once in awhile.

It is well worth the money though!!

On Skype, I am ParaTed2k, if anyone is interested. :~D

BlueDev

on May 24, 2006

Am there, dude. Very slick, indeed. I can't even tell you the hours I've racked up..!

I know so few people who are on Skype (Okay, so you and Ted are the first people whose nicknames I know, except the PowerUser podcast), that I have never really used it. But I do think it is a cool idea.

And, honestly, I was a little surprised how little attention this post received. Not a big deal, but I would have thought more would be interested.

I believe that. There are so many variable, such as net connections and how bogged down they are for both involved, quality of components (ie microphone), etc. But nevertheless, a cool idea.

If anyone wants to give me a call, I am Bytorman on Skype.

Matchbook

on May 24, 2006

And, honestly, I was a little surprised how little attention this post received. Not a big deal, but I would have thought more would be interested.

I'm positive a search for 'skype' in these forums will reveal I, too, once brought Skype 'up' as a topic. That got little feedback, too. Go figure.

but it's kind of sketchy in sound quality

I've never known this to be true in my experience. Maybe it should be noted it's not guatanteed to work on any OS 'under' XP. I *do* know one fellow on WinME [meep!] and it works for him, albeit a bit dodgy at times.

liquidguru

on May 24, 2006

but it's kind of sketchy in sound quality

i must politely dis-agree....i've been using skype for over two years now, and the main reason i started using it was because, compared to other VOIP services the qualtiy of the call was amazing...i live on a remote island in the caribbean and my family is all over the world (europe, uk, australia, norway) and i have alot of friends in the states...most of the time the sound quality is better than the telephone, both when i use skype-to-skype or skype-to-landline....i have around 50 sykpe contacts and it has enabled me to actually stay in touch with all my family and friends...with the addition of skype video, which really does work well, it means i can see my nephews in australia, my cousins in norway, my father in the uk...it has made being away from 'home' so much easier....it's chat service is also simple, not bloated with thousands of wacky emoticons (which i really don't like)...i have a 256k adsl line here, which is totally fine for the voice and video services...i talk to my dad on his 56k dialup modem in france and thats works well...i also have a blue tooth headset so i can wander around my house without being attached to my laptop...initially it felt a little strange wearing a headset, compared to holding a phone against your ear, but once you get used to it, it's fantastic..great having both hands free....same with the video, which felt a little weird at first, but then you realise how good it is to actually see your family/friends...just be careful about picking your nose etc

i only wish that the free calls to landlines weren't just in the states

i realise that i live somewhere a little unusual, and if you are used to using a phone or cell phone all the time it's a little more difficult to see all the benifits, but i love skype

ParaTed2k

on May 24, 2006

go ahead and disagree all you want guys.. I was just commenting on my experience with Skype... if you never experienced fade outs, static or cutting out... Wonderful! Enjoy!! ;~D

liquidguru

on May 24, 2006

go ahead and disagree all you want guys

i wasn't saying it was perfect

just that it isn't bad, especially for international calls, especially when your local telephone company charges aorund US$1 a minute for international calls, which are nearly always crackly/hissy, and i can make the same call with skype either for free, or for us$0.02 a minute....without skpye i could not afford to stay in touch with my family and friends....

alot of problems with the quality of skypes calls can be traced back to your local ISP...i know here that the local phone company, who also has the only ISP, tried to block skype calls because they were losing money.....and another benefit is that it is impossible for governments to listen in to skype calls

Jafo

on May 24, 2006

*do* know one fellow on WinME [meep!] and it works for him

You mean someone actually found something that works in ME?

Amazing!!!!...

NightTrainthedark

on May 25, 2006

Dan hates me

Matchbook

on May 25, 2006

Dan hates me

Um, no.

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