Skype to Skype free phones - which handset to get?

waterwatereverywhere

Hi,

We would like to cut our phone bill by getting Skype handsets for family members as we understand we can use these to make completely free calls between the handsets - pls can anyone confirm and whether this only works within UK or if it might work between UK and Spain?

Please can anyone recommend a suitable handset? It only needs to be very basic, capable of making the free Skype calls, nothing flash and as economical as possible!

Please does anyone know what the call quality/reliability is like? We have used Skype before but only on the computer and found it to be okay but sometimes reception isn't that great?

Very grateful for any advice.

Thx in advance.

Rusty!

It'll work on any county as long as it's got a data connection, be that wifi or mobile.

Snakeeyes21

you will still need to pay for the data connection..
unless you go with three who offer skype to skype with no data charges

fiendishlyclever

I presume that because this is posted in the mobile forum that you are referring to Skype on mobile phones. In which case you are looking at Three as your carrier since many mobile operators say you can't use voip on their network.

If this is the case, you have to be in the UK to benefit from free calls to and from the handset as the calls go over the network as a phone call using a piece of software from iskoot. This means that you can make Skype calls wherever you get reception and not just where you get a 3g internet connection. The quality if ok - mainly because these are transmitted to/from the handset as a phone call and Three send it to the internet down their own connection.

The person you are calling can be anywhere in the world as long as they are on Skype. Three support a variety of handsets including basic Nokia phones. There will likely be a good selection of their older Skype branded phones on Ebay.

If you have broadband internet you can get wireless handsets to use Skype in the home, handsets that connect via USB to your computer etc.

waterwatereverywhere

Hi fiendishlyclever,

Many thanks for your informative reply, much appreciated.

It is Three which we need I think then. I currently use my computer Skype to make calls from a USB (wired) handset but this means I'm limited to using it when the computer is on and I have my mobile broadband switched on.

I would like to be able to make calls using just the mobile handset. Am I correct in thinking we just need to buy a Three handset and get a free Three PAYG chip to put in it and that will allow us to make the free Skype calls? Are they really "free" or do you still need to top up the phone and do the Skype calls eat into the credit you add to the phone at all?

Sorry to ask so many dim questions....

Had a quick look at ebay some time back and was under the impression then that I needed a "3G" phone but are you saying any older model will do so long as it is Three network and offers/supports Skype?

Thx again!

donny909

I dont think you can call overseas on skype via a 3 network. As I recall they stopped that some time ago and you can only skype for free on a 3 network phone in the UK these days.

However, I wander if it's possable if you get a 3 phone that has wi-fi connectivity to download skype again and have it connect via a wireless wi-fi connection in your home?. If that is possable to download skype and have it work via wi-fi on a 3 network phone if you can then call any country for free as you'd be using wi-fi and not the network and 3 cant charge you for using wi-fi.

fiendishlyclever

waterwatereverywhere wrote: »

I would like to be able to make calls using just the mobile handset. Am I correct in thinking we just need to buy a Three handset and get a free Three PAYG chip to put in it and that will allow us to make the free Skype calls? Are they really "free" or do you still need to top up the phone and do the Skype calls eat into the credit you add to the phone at all?

Sorry to ask so many dim questions....

Had a quick look at ebay some time back and was under the impression then that I needed a "3G" phone but are you saying any older model will do so long as it is Three network and offers/supports Skype?

Thx again!

You must have a 3G handset to use Three. Any phone which is 3-branded will be fine (as are unlocked equivalents).

Skype to Skype calls are free and you don't pay anything if you SIM is active. You still need to use the phone from time to time to keep the SIM active. It still says on the Three site "No need to top up". MSN/Windows live messenger is also free.

I'll repeat you can call anyone who is on Skype - it is Skype to Skype calls that are free. The other person can be connected to Skype anywere. However you need to be in the UK to use the Three skype system.

The Three way of using Skype uses software by iskoot. It does not use voip/internet connectivity. Ignore anyone who says otherwise. The catch is that you can't use the Three software outside of the UK - even if you have a phone with wifi on.

We have a Three Skype phone in our house (now retired to the status of backup phone). It has excellent signal holding abilities and is far better at getting and holding a signal than my android phone. It also has the text skype messenger service and is worth checking out for pure Skype use. My mum has a basic Nokia 3g phone on Three and her Skype software is much more basic with no text chat, but still works for Skype to Skype calls.

You'll notice the confusion on this forum is between people talking about Skype software for smartphones/PCs and Three's own version of Skype software (which only works on their network). Be careful who you listen to - lots of the advice on this thread is blatantly wrong.

EdW_2

The last post summarised it perfectly, but if it helps, I'd look for a 3 branded Skype Phone S2. I have one of these as a spare which my wife had, and it's an excellent handset, small, light, easy to use, decent battery life - she loved it.

These handsets are designed to run Skype (clue is in the name) so tend to (in my experience) run smoother than if it's added as an app etc.

donny909

fiendishlyclever wrote: »

You must have a 3G handset to use Three. Any phone which is 3-branded will be fine (as are unlocked equivalents).

Skype to Skype calls are free and you don't pay anything if you SIM is active. You still need to use the phone from time to time to keep the SIM active. It still says on the Three site "No need to top up". MSN/Windows live messenger is also free.

I'll repeat you can call anyone who is on Skype - it is Skype to Skype calls that are free. The other person can be connected to Skype anywere. However you need to be in the UK to use the Three skype system.

The Three way of using Skype uses software by iskoot. It does not use voip/internet connectivity. Ignore anyone who says otherwise. The catch is that you can't use the Three software outside of the UK - even if you have a phone with wifi on.

We have a Three Skype phone in our house (now retired to the status of backup phone). It has excellent signal holding abilities and is far better at getting and holding a signal than my android phone. It also has the text skype messenger service and is worth checking out for pure Skype use. My mum has a basic Nokia 3g phone on Three and her Skype software is much more basic with no text chat, but still works for Skype to Skype calls.

You'll notice the confusion on this forum is between people talking about Skype software for smartphones/PCs and Three's own version of Skype software (which only works on their network). Be careful who you listen to - lots of the advice on this thread is blatantly wrong.

If you listened to what I was saying then you will know I was suggesting that there is almost certainly a version of skype available for wi-fi enabled 3 phones that would allow that version of skype to work using a persons wi-fi, thus being able to call spain using a different version of skype.

Just because a 3 phone has skype installed it does NOT mean you cant download another version from elsewere.

fiendishlyclever

donny909 wrote: »

If you listened to what I was saying then you will know I was suggesting that there is almost certainly a version of skype available for wi-fi enabled 3 phones that would allow that version of skype to work using a persons wi-fi, thus being able to call spain using a different version of skype.

Just because a 3 phone has skype installed it does NOT mean you cant download another version from elsewere.

I did READ what you said - perhaps you should have made it clear that you weren't referring to the official Three version of Skype since that confuses people who aren't familiar with the software.

BTW did you know that spell checkers are available for most web browsers these days?

donny909

fiendishlyclever wrote: »

I did READ what you said - perhaps you should have made it clear that you weren't referring to the official Three version of Skype since that confuses people who aren't familiar with the software.

BTW did you know that spell checkers are available for most web browsers these days?

Then rater than judge what a person says and make an assumption based on that why not ask a person what they mean by something than to tell others to ignore what another says alltogether?.

What a great person you are to tell others what you judge to be right or wrong on anothers persons post simply because you could not be bothered to ask was was meant by there post.