Skypephone S2 PAYG

maa299

Hi - I want to buy 2 Skypephone S2 PAYG handsets.

Two questions then:

1. One handset will always be in Egypt - can it be used there with an Egyptian sim card? The other will be used internationally, including the UK - is it easy enough to unlock from 3?

2. The one and only purpose of the handsets is for Skype-Skype calls, so the £10 monthly credit is a bit annoying. Will this always be needed? Is there any other option? I'm basically looking for this for my parents to talk to each other...my Dad travels a lot and likes to call my Mum back in Egypt, without either one having to use a PC for Skype.

Thanks in advance...

Stageshoot

These will be no use to you if not using on a THree network

The skype calls go over the THree phone network to the Three headend where they are handed over to skype, so if you are not on Three NO SKYPE

So sending one ot Egypt would mean you would not be able to use them for skype, (They dont work like the wifi skype phnes that you can use on any wifi network) these are tied down tight to Three.

allthatmularky

There is a possible solution via a 3 Skype phone - need to go out now but will get back to you.

Looking at Skype there is a solution but their rate are beaten elsewhere. Think you dad will be better off just getting a calling card.

If it just the convenience of using a mobile while in the UK he might consider something like Lycamobile - they charge a flat 10p for landline/mobile to Egypt.
However - topup £20 and get £30 credit as an offer now - plus transfer a number (free SIM cards) and get another £5 plus another £2 for registering on the first topup - so a potential £37 credit for £20 spend so a potential rate of 5.4pence(20/37) a minute over the 370 mins available.

You can get a couple of SIMs from Ebay for 99pence.

One solution that is the cheapest is to call from a landline in the UK and use dialwise/primus

456789

Or you could maybe buy one of those skype phones that you can plug into a router if your mother has internet at home?

maa299

VickyHurn - does this mean that unlocking a Skypephone S2 is pointless? Would something like an SMC WSKP100 or Netgear SPH101 phone suit better?

diamonds

What he needs is a unlocked 3G+ mobile he can download a generic ( non 3 ) Skype application to, and use payg sim cards around the world when he travels with a data bundle added

France - Orange mobicarte, unlimited internet 5Euros
UK - 3 Internet Unlimited £5
AU - Optus Turbo cap, Recharge Value $100 = $1500 value ($100
MyCredit, $800 MyBonus, $600 Pre-Paid Money, up to 1GB MyData & Unlimited access to MySpace & YouTube)

or Telstra Prepaid, £100 =

500 FREE AU mins & 500 AU texts, data bundles - $89 for 4GB & $11 credit left



What countries does he frequent ? I can advise further

the Samsung i200 is a 3G+ mobile, usually goes for £60-£70 on ebay - I bought one for £72 with postage ( brand new ) & have downloaded Fring ( https://www.fring.com ) linked to my Skype account, also my MSN & Yahoo messengers are linked to Fring

Much cheapness to call a 1800 freephone number in AU over Skype via Fring - the call is FREE ( chargeable from my BT landline :eek: ) & quality is good as handset is 3G+ not just 3g

maa299

diamonds - it's the UK and Germany mostly where my Dad travels. My Mum's mostly in Egypt...she'd need a similar phone too, right?

maa299

allthatmularky - using a landline isn't really an option for my Dad, as he's usually staying in a hotel when he's travelling. He had been using Lycamobile recently, but the quality isn't always that great...he's under the impression that Skype's quality is better than override providers.

diamonds

there are about 15 companies that piggyback on the main 4 German networks so I assume a good deal is available with data packs/budles on payg

eplus, Voda, T-mobile & o2

virtual resellers:

medion mobile
congstar
simyo
maxxim
ring
ortel
sunsim
mobi
moxmobil

are a few off top of my head


in the UK - 3 is £5 for 30 days access

as for egypt, again look for deals on data, I cant help with either countries languages but I hope I have pointed you in right direction

yeah most 3G+ ( HSPDA ) handsets give a good skype application connection you'll need HSPDA speeds of 3.6 or 7.2 in the mobile specs, but most manufacturer's have Symbian & Windows Mobile operating systems that skype support

Skype lite is Java prgrammed & supported by these :
Nokia
6111 6555 N96
6131 7370
5200 E61
5300 E62
5310 E71
5610 N70
6085 N72
6126 N73
6165 N75
6230i N76
6233 N78
6234 N80
6270 N81
6280 N82
6300 N95

Sony Ericsson
C702 TM506 W890
C902 W200 W902
G502 W300i W910
G700 W350 W980
G900 W380 Z310a
K550 W550 Z525a
K610 W580 Z550a
K660 W610 Z610
K750i W660i Z750a
K770 W710 Z770
K800i W760
K810 W810i
S500 W830i
T650 W850i
T700 W880i

Samsung
SGH-A717
SGH-A737
SGH-D800
SGH-D830
SGH-D840
SGH-D900
SGH-E770
SGH-E900
SGH-G600
SGH-G800
SGH-T639
SGH-U600
SGH-U900


Motorola
SLVR L9
RAZR V3xx
RAZR2 V9
RIZR Z8
RAZR V6maxx


T-Mobile
G1

LG
CU515
CU575
CU720
KE770

Just need to find out which one's are 3G+/HSPDA


good reads for you....
http://www.fring.com for handsets not directly supported by Skype, use Fring, there is a list of supported handsets - again check specs on 3G+ of a minimum of 3.6

http://www.skype.com/intl/en-gb/download/skype/mobile/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-Speed_Downlink_Packet_Access

I can only personally recommend SE K660i & Samsung i200 & Nokia 6220 as good fast 3g+ handsets as I have both, perhaps others can elaborate on above models that are 3G+ & if they are any good, for you

anything else just shout

diamonds

research here to find network websites for deals on data - choose country and you can click on mobile companies logo & takes you to their website - ( prepaidgsm is not always up to date with offers available )
http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/operators.html

maa299

Thanks diamonds...I'll look into this now.