Easiest way to get Skype?

sioban_2

I am going to be moving to Australia and want my mother-in-law to be able to speak to us on Skype. I am not technically minded but she is worse than me and doesn't have a pc. I would buy her a laptop if I thought she would be able to use it but it is usually me she calls to pop in if she has probs with electrical's.

I had thought about buying a Skype mobile which I've has in the past but apparently 3 mobile have stopped the service.

I think I will have to buy a smartphone and hope she can get the hang of it - or can anyone recommend something better?

Badger_Lady

If you can get her a budget tablet (or smartphone - but would she use it as a phone?), it would probably be the easiest solution for her to get the hang of. Also, having a built-in microphone and webcam, she wouldn't have to faff about with using those.

What's your budget?

(I recently sorted my Dad out with a solution so I've done me research )

Badger_Lady

This Archos tablet, for example, can be easily installed with the Skype Android app and would work perfectly. It's a solid reliable brand (for the budget range) - just connect it to WiFi.

Currently £100, with 7% cashback through Quidco.

tafelmoneysaver

Badger_Lady wrote: »

just connect it to WiFi.

According to the original post the mother-in-law does not have a computer so I'm going to assume that there is also no internet access at home.

So you have 4 options:
1) Internet connection via a mobile phone signal
2) Pay a monthly fee for internet usage (if just for skype probably cheaper just to pay the BT call charges!
3) Get a tablet/smartphone as suggested and go to a coffee shop with free Wi-Fi to skype
4) Get friendly with a neighbour who will let you use their Wi-Fi signal once a week

Which suits you best?

Some other questions:
5) Does she already have a mobile phone (you might be able to use this without additional purchase)
6) Does she want to use video calling
7) Will she be able to see you OK with a smallish mobile phone screen

aerostar

You do not have to buy tablets/computers/broadband, so could work out much cheaper than getting the internet.

Assuming you both have landline phones, and your mother in law is with BT, she could use a call through service, use MSE call checker (on right of these pages and down a bit for prices.)


or click here

http://callchecker.moneysavingexpert.com/intcallchecker/australia/bt/easy

shown73

I use 18185 for all my landline calls. Australia is 2P/min. Hardly worth faffing around. You have to sign up, of course, no big deal...

jayme1

if she has the internet/wifi then something like the ipod touch could be a good option and because of the front facing camera you can also video call, and has built in mic and speaker.

if she doesn't you could still use 3 mobile and save you number in it with the added code these numbers making calling an Australian landline 3ppm and mobiles 14ppm

sioban_2

We probably won't bother with a landline in Oz as we will be able to keep in touch with most people online and will use mobiles. I am thinking now that I might be best to go for some kind of laptop/tablet and find out about a computer course that she could go on. Next question I have is if I do this best way to connect? I could get an add on broadband to her phone package or how do dongles work? I have no idea about anything technical myself.

jayme1

dongles (or mifi if you get an ipod touch or a tablet or even for a computer/netbook) is an option you will have to find out exactly how much data skype (esp skype video) uses as dongles/mifi do have data limits and can be very expensive if you go over.

a tablet/ipad/ipod touch I think would be the easiest for her to use, you just log in and go, to skype call you just slide to unlock, tap the skype icon and tap on your name, basically no updates no restarts, a windows/mac PC there would always be something that needs updating followed by a restart and are generally can be classed as a faff and a little OTT for novice users who would only use it for web email and skype.

aerostar

If you have regular access to computers in OZ you could just use skype at your end and by putting credit on your skype account can dial your MIL phone number, You can also get a skype in number so that she could dial you using her phone,though skype in is a bit expensive.

Another way of doing it if you have internet access is to get a FREE nunber from sipgate,get one in an area close to you MIL town.

Download a VOIP software program eg Zoiper (can be run from USB memory key), enter the sipgate details, that way she could phone you using her landline and when you are online, using your sipgate UK number and it would ring on your computer, similar to skype. If you add credit to your sipgate account, you can call UK numbers from OZ at around just over 1.19p per minute.

You could get an awful lot of phone calls for the price of a computer and dongle etc and much less hassle.

tafelmoneysaver

aerostar wrote: »

You could get an awful lot of phone calls for the price of a computer and dongle

Good advice - Just checked on BT.com and you can get calls to Australia for 2.5p/min or up to 600 minutes per month for £5.

Specialist providers will probably beat this.