Skype use abroad

Not_a_Newbie

I'm sure this has been covered many many times, but I need someone to explain something to me in the simplest of terms.

I have bought a Skype phone to use when we go on holiday to New Zealand in a couple of weeks (both my mum & sister have skype).

If I'm understanding it correctly, I won't be able to use the phone free in NZ to call home, as I would not be able to connect to 3. So I would pay whatever the network I had connected to would charge?

If however, I download Skype on to my laptop and use that, it would be free (assuming I can find a wifi area)?

This is where I get confused, if I am connecting via wifi with my skype phone, is this not also free?

Hope someone can help.

MarkLS12

You are right, it would be free on a laptop.
Skype is primarily a VOIP service, with a VOIP service you use an internet connection so there is no Skype to Skype charge beyond internet charges.

The Skype service on Three is different, it makes a "normal" phone call to a Skype "switchboard" and the call becomes VOIP at that point.
So if you were to try to use a Three Skype phone abroad, it would mean making a phone call to the UK in order for it to work, so not a sensible option.

Where it gets confusing is, some phones allow you to use Skype over wifi (or strong 3G).
Skype over wifi is proper VOIP so you could potentially use it this way in NZ
I use "Fring" on my phone to give me Skype VOIP over wifi.

Not_a_Newbie

Thanks Mark, I'll try and download Fring.