«

"Stephen Hammond" <> wrote in message
news:7dF5n.44260$2...
>
> Everyone else seems to use it. Can I use it like a normal phone with a
> local number without my computer turned on etc.
>
Seems only yesterday when Skype was a dirty word on this NG

Popularity changes perceptions

Steve Terry
--
Get a free Three 3pay Sim with £2 bonus after £10 top up
http://freeagent.three.co.uk/stand/view/id/5276

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Steve Terry <> wrote:

> "Stephen Hammond" <> wrote in
> message news:7dF5n.44260$2...
>>
>> Everyone else seems to use it. Can I use it like a normal phone with
>> a local number without my computer turned on etc.
>>
> Seems only yesterday when Skype was a dirty word on this NG
>
> Popularity changes perceptions
>
> Steve Terry

Just how popular *is* it? I've only succeeded in finding two of my friends
who are subscribers - and they've both been off-line every time I've tried
to call them!
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored.. Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks.
PLEASE REPLY TO NEWSGROUP!

Meanwhile, at the uk.telecom.voip Job Justification Hearings, Roger Mills
chose the tried and tested strategy of:

> Just how popular *is* it? I've only succeeded in finding two of my friends
> who are subscribers - and they've both been off-line every time I've tried
> to call them!

I haven't used it for years, but extended family keep bugging me to sign in,
the Mrs uses it and customers of my employer use it too, so I think there is
some validity to claims of popularity. Even my mum uses it!

--
<http://ale.cx/> (AIM:troffasky) ()
19:44:03 up 22:45, 5 users, load average: 0.02, 0.01, 0.00
DIMENSION-CONTROLLING FORT DOH HAS NOW BEEN DEMOLISHED,
AND TIME STARTED FLOWING REVERSELY

"Rob" <> wrote in message news: o.uk...
>
> "Steve Terry" <> wrote in message news:hj9d9n$vve$...
>> "Stephen Hammond" <> wrote in message news:7dF5n.44260$2...
>>>
>>> Everyone else seems to use it. Can I use it like a normal phone with a local number without my computer turned on etc.
>>>
>> Seems only yesterday when Skype was a dirty word on this NG
>>
>> Popularity changes perceptions
>
> Not so much popularity changing perceptions (as far as this group is concerned) I think, but the ability to do what Graham has
> described in other threads using the info/tutorial he has provided at the link given.
>
> By taking advantage of the 'Free Skype for life' offer from mobile phone provider 'three', and then being able to make VoIP calls
> from a mobile phone for little or no cost, it makes at least some use of Skype slightly more attractive.

Very more attractive I would say

For the record, I am just as dismissive of any notion that Skype is a cheap
way of calling traditional mobiles and landlines directly as I have ever been.
Skype Out is three times more expensive to call a UK mobile than it is with smartvoip.

I see Skype as no different from other social networking audio / video / screen-sharing
applications like MSN messenger, and if a mobile network want to give me free access
one of these other services I will be happy to take advantage of that too.

It's now 4 months since my lad went to Uni with his S2 and apart from the initial
£10 "3" credit he has not paid a penny to "3", and certainly not to Skype.
I keep his smartvoip credit topped up for the gateway account, and am happy to do so.

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

In article <hjaicr$u1g$>,
(Graham.) wrote:

> *Subject:* Re: What's the best way to use Skype ?
> *From:* "Graham." <>
> *Date:* Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:53:30 -0000
>
>
> I see Skype as no different from other social networking audio /
> video / screen-sharing
> applications like MSN messenger, and if a mobile network want to
> give me free access
> one of these other services I will be happy to take advantage of
> that too.
>
> It's now 4 months since my lad went to Uni with his S2 and apart
> from the initial
> £10 "3" credit he has not paid a penny to "3", and certainly not to
> Skype.
> I keep his smartvoip credit topped up for the gateway account, and
> am happy to do so.
>
> --
> Graham.
>
> %Profound_observation%
>
>
>
This is starting to sound very much like RedHotAnt all over again. I know
there is a wide disparity between the cost of bandwidth and what we pay
for it on mobile networks, but if you can't sell it, you don't give it
away! That's just unsustainable. Maybe in your case, the fact that the
phone doesn't get used for conventional calls makes it a rarity, as
there's no way for '3' to claw back the costs.

Does '3' credit expire?


- Steve

"Steve" <j80k-> wrote in message news:memo.20100123114348.3696E@rook.127.0.0.1...
> In article <hjaicr$u1g$>,
> (Graham.) wrote:
>
>> *Subject:* Re: What's the best way to use Skype ?
>> *From:* "Graham." <>
>> *Date:* Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:53:30 -0000
>>
>>
>> I see Skype as no different from other social networking audio /
>> video / screen-sharing
>> applications like MSN messenger, and if a mobile network want to
>> give me free access
>> one of these other services I will be happy to take advantage of
>> that too.
>>
>> It's now 4 months since my lad went to Uni with his S2 and apart
>> from the initial
>> £10 "3" credit he has not paid a penny to "3", and certainly not to
>> Skype.
>> I keep his smartvoip credit topped up for the gateway account, and
>> am happy to do so.
>>
>> --
>> Graham.
>>
>> %Profound_observation%
>>
>>
>>
> This is starting to sound very much like RedHotAnt all over again. I know
> there is a wide disparity between the cost of bandwidth and what we pay
> for it on mobile networks, but if you can't sell it, you don't give it
> away! That's just unsustainable. Maybe in your case, the fact that the
> phone doesn't get used for conventional calls makes it a rarity, as
> there's no way for '3' to claw back the costs.
>
> Does '3' credit expire?

Maybe you missed the point viz. You_don't_need_any_3_credit_to_make_Skype_to_Skype _calls.

If you chooose to top up you do get a data alowence that does expire (can't remember the details)
but, (more under-scores imminent)

Skype_usage_is_not_regarded_as_data
and does not impact on any allocation you may or may not have.

It really is as good as that.

What they won't like is what I am doing with a gateway out to the PSTN as you say.

I wonder if the SIM will invalidate itself if no chargeable call is made in a period
of time or will, as I suspect, incoming calls keep it alive


--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

"Rob" <> wrote in message news: o.uk...
>
> "Graham." <> wrote in message news:hjf46v$gaa$...
>>
>
>
>>>
>>> Does '3' credit expire?
>
> No, not according to all the info I have seen (at least once it has been activated). I think if you buy credit you have to
> activate it within 6 months otherwise it *will* expire (BICBW).
>
>>
>> Maybe you missed the point viz. You_don't_need_any_3_credit_to_make_Skype_to_Skype _calls.
>>
>> If you chooose to top up you do get a data alowence that does expire (can't remember the details)
>> but, (more under-scores imminent)
>
> When you top up you get a data allowance (e.g. 150MB with a £10 top up), you also get a number of 'free' texts (e.g. 300 with a
> £10 top up, 1000 with £15). Both these categories of 'inclusive' top up extras expire 90 days after activation if you haven't
> already used them up. You also get 90 days of 'free' '3 to 3' calls when you top up.
>>
>> Skype_usage_is_not_regarded_as_data
>> and does not impact on any allocation you may or may not have.
>>
>> It really is as good as that.
>>
>> What they won't like is what I am doing with a gateway out to the PSTN as you say.
>
> But I guess they won't know will they? I would have thought that as far as 3 are concerned, these will just look like standard
> Skype calls wouldn't they?
>
>> I wonder if the SIM will invalidate itself if no chargeable call is made in a period
>> of time or will, as I suspect, incoming calls keep it alive
>
> I wouldn't have thought so (although I don't have a huge amount of experience with mobile phones/SIMs). They say the credit won't
> expire, so I guess the SIM would need to be valid to enable the credit to stay available.
>
> On my 3 account I have 2 'blocks' of credit showing, the original £10 top up which came with the phone, and a further £15 top up
> given to me by 3 following a complaint (well 3 different points of complaint actually) following the way I was given inaccurate
> info at various stages of the order/delivery process.
>
> On the online account page the original £10 is showing as expiring in 361568 days (that's almost 990 years!) The second credit
> says 'Won't expire'.
>
> Which reminds me, I must try and find out which link is now broken in the Skype - PSTN chain. It was working OK on New Years eve,
> but not a day or two later, and still not working now.

I had an issue where I suspect an automatic Java update broke the gateway, "cannot bind"
error. I resolved it by doing a system restore.

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

On Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:20:21 +0000, Steve Terry wrote:

> "Stephen Hammond" <> wrote in
> message news:7dF5n.44260$2...
>>
>> Everyone else seems to use it. Can I use it like a normal phone with a
>> local number without my computer turned on etc.
>>
> Seems only yesterday when Skype was a dirty word on this NG
>
> Popularity changes perceptions
>
> Steve Terry
People on this NG are expert at finding ways to circumvent the norm in
order to realise a better and/or cheaper service for their needs.
Of course, Skype on '3' provides an in-road to this, as you know, so that
is why it is now attractive. If it involved sitting at a computer I doubt
that there would be many, on this NG, who would give it a second look.





--
Please remove 'no_spam_' from email address

"Brian A" <> wrote in message news:mKX7n.32267$ om...
> On Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:20:21 +0000, Steve Terry wrote:
>
>> "Stephen Hammond" <> wrote in
>> message news:7dF5n.44260$2...
>>>
>>> Everyone else seems to use it. Can I use it like a normal phone with a
>>> local number without my computer turned on etc.
>>>
>> Seems only yesterday when Skype was a dirty word on this NG
>>
>> Popularity changes perceptions
>>
>> Steve Terry
> People on this NG are expert at finding ways to circumvent the norm in
> order to realise a better and/or cheaper service for their needs.
> Of course, Skype on '3' provides an in-road to this, as you know, so that
> is why it is now attractive. If it involved sitting at a computer I doubt
> that there would be many, on this NG, who would give it a second look.

Skype is the new DECT


--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

[Williams]

you can also using Skype records telephone calls ,for it using imcapture. com IMCapture for Skype.The best Skype recorder.