What is Skype?
Skype is one of the pioneers in voice communication over the
Internet.
Skype is the most popular voice communication service in the
world with more than 350 million registered users.
Skype makes local and international calls to landline and mobile
phones, through PSTN networks, and also receive calls from
these phones on your PC. That is not free, but are very cheap
compared to traditional landline and mobile international rates.
Skype is used in nearly all countries of the world.
How Does Skype Work?
Skype, like many other VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) clients
available, has changed the way we think about communication
VoIP owes its versatility to another fantastic technology, the Internet.
Instead of sending signals via a PSTN network, be it analog or
digital, a VoIP application usually uses SIP (a variation of the
standard TCP/IP protocols) to create data packets, and sends them
on the same network you use for email and web surfing.
By using data packets, the technology can be used to carry more
than the standard mono voice your old telephone does; VoIP can
carry text, images, live video and high quality stereo sound as well
as ’screen sharing’, depending on the speed and reliability of your
internet connection.
Where is Skype?
In everyone house who has Skype.
Skype Technologies S.A.
22/24 Boulevard Royal, 6e etage,
L-2449
Luxembourg
What do you need to have to be
able to use Skype?
A computer with decent processing power and memory, including generic
peripherals likes keyboard and mouse.
A good Internet connection, preferably broadband.
Sound. Make you your sound card is working properly.
Speakers or headphones.
A microphone.
The Skype software, which is freely downloadable from www.skype.com
One or more persons to communicate with. They need to be Skype users
as well. If they are not, you can still access them through their normal
phones, but then you have to pay for extra services with Skype.
Is Skype secure?
Yes. When you call another person on
Skype your call is encrypted with strong
encryption algorithms ensuring your
privacy. In some cases your Skype
communication may be routed via other
users in the peer-to-peer network. Skype
encryption protects you from potential
eavesdropping from malicious users.
See what Skype can do for you
http://skype.com/allfeatures/
Five main services on Skype
Voicemail
Text messaging
Call forwarding
Your personal online number
Skype on your mobile
Never miss a call with voicemail
Let Skype take incoming calls when you’re busy,
unavailable or simply offline.
Voicemail is the simple solution to never missing a
call.
Your unanswered calls are sent to voicemail and you
can listen to messages when you want, wherever
you are signed in to Skype.
Pick up your voicemails anywhere in the world.
How much does Skype Voicemail
cost?
Voicemail is included with the purchase of
any of our subscriptions. Otherwise, it’s
just $6 for 3 months or $20 for a full year.
You’ll need to buy Skype Credit to
purchase voicemail but you can also use
the credit to call landline and mobile
phones and send SMS directly from
Skype.
http://skype.com/allfeatures/voicemail/
SMS – the quick and cheap way to text
friends instantly.
Easy and fast – text message directly from Skype.
Type long and eloquent messages from the comfort of
your keyboard.
Reach friends instantly anywhere in the world.
Show your own cell phone number when sending text
messages from Skype.
How much does Text messaging
cost?
Just like sending text messages from your
mobile, you pay per SMS message you send
from Skype, but the costs are usually much
lower. The cost of each text message depends
on where in the world you’re sending it to (but
not where you’re sending it from, however). It’s
just 9¢ to most places, but there’s a big list of
rates to destinations worldwide.
http://skype.com/allfeatures/sms/
Answer calls on the move
Receive your calls when you’re offline in
Skype.
No additional cost for friends to call you.
Call forwarding at great low rates.
Get hold of friends who are out and about.
How much does call forwarding
cost?
With a subscription you can forward calls to landlines in
any country within your subscription at no extra cost. To
countries outside of a subscription (and if you don’t have
a subscription) you’ll pay a per minute rate charged at
our rates for calling phones and mobiles. However, if you
make a Skype-to-Skype call to someone who has their
calls forwarded, you won’t pay anything.
If you want to use call forwarding without a subscription
you’ll need Skype Credit. You can also use your credit to
make calls to phones and mobiles and to send text
messages directly from Skype.
http://skype.com/allfeatures/callforwarding/
Your personal online number
An online number (SkypeIn) is perfect if you have friends, family or
business colleagues who don't use Skype.
Anyone can dial your online number from any phone or mobile, and
your Skype rings and you pick up the call – wherever you are in the
world.
Numbers are now available in over 25 countries.
It just costs $18 for 3 months or $60 for a full year. You can get up to
50% off this cost with the purchase of a monthly subscription.
Skype on your mobile
http://skype.com/mobile/