Skype-on-3 ending tonight - alternatives? First smartphone?

VictoriaWapping

I bought my 3 Skypephone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_Skypephone_Series) back in 2009 and sadly the service on Three is ending tonight... it's not working already.

I rarely change my belongings as long as they're functional, and the main reason I was loyal to the 3 Skypehone for 5 years is that the majority of my friends I speak to daily live abroad and use Skype. Skype could was connected constantly and seamlessly and there were no data limits. Moreover, calling phones through Skype was also extremely convenient as some international rates are better via Skype than on the main operator.

So now I am wondering what next. Which phone and which operator would allow me to...
1. hold and use the phone in one hand (so the other hand is free at all times... one reason I hate most big smartphones!)?
2. use Skype seamlessly to message and call both Skype contacts and international numbers?
3. use other basic functions of a phone...?
4. easy to protect/hide/take in and out of pocket, especially as I travel a lot and am frequently outdoors.

I am ready to "sacrifice" 1, 3 and 4 to some extent, but 2 (Skype) is my ideal pre-requisite / absolute must.

Having spent less than £30 (I think?) on my current phone back in 2009, I am ready to spend more if the quality is good and the conditions above are met as much as possible.

I really need to have a good Skype service on the go.

Any advice?

P.S.: I just realized there's another question just similar to this, but I want to keep my one open with the four prerequisites to see if anyone has any specific advice to this... thanks! Also, quite curiously noticed that that was from 2011 - my Skypephone was online on Skype and working until late afternoon today, September 30th 2014.

Frozen_up_north

I too have had a Skypephone for some time and am sad to see Microsoft (who now own Skype) have ceased the service from Three.

My OH and myself both use iPhones (iPhone 5 and iOS 8.0.2), with the Skype App, which work well for outgoing calls and have excellent call quality. However, they are sometimes reluctant to pick up incoming Skype calls. This seems to be a common problem and one which is mentioned on the Skype support forum.

A friend with a Windows phone says his works fine, so I suspect that as Microsoft own both Skype and Windows, a Windows phone may work better in this regard than an iPhone for Skype. It pains me to suggest to anyone that something from Microsoft may be better than an Apple product :mad: Hopefully another Skype user on the forum will reply with further info, I think there are some quite good value Windows phones, but being an Apple fan, it's not something I have experience of.

Whatever you choose, if you want Skype while out and about you will need a SIM with a data plan, preferably one with unlimited data. In the past some of the networks used to specifically block voice over IP calls, such as Skype, to stop people bypassing their expensive calls, from memory I think it was T-Mobile... We use Three and have no such problems. You would need to check the network you choose has no restrictions on the use of Skype.

Finally, with regard to protecting a phone while out and about, I have a Griffin Survivor "military grade" phone case for my iPhone. I don't know if that is the kind of case you had in mind, but it's quite tough and for me it stops the phone slipping out of my top pocket. The belt clips for this particular case are useless though, as it is all too easy to knock the case and have it part company with the clip. These cases are typically £12 on eBay, or slightly more depending on how popular the particular colour seems to be...

VictoriaWapping

Thanks Frozen up North for your comments.

Indeed, a Windows Phone was my first thought, too, as they'll obviously have closer Skype support I guess?

When I say that I go out I meant, well, also traveling by night around dangerous areas. I don't like being around with too valuable stuff... the Skypephone appears very cheap and unworthy of being robbed

Well, maybe I'm asking too much, but I guess I'll have to do some research.

Frozen_up_north

Check out the Nokia Lumia range of phones, as you may be aware Microsoft recently bought Nokia and therefore their phones should have good integration with both Windows and Skype. There are Lumia phones for less than £100 in SIM free format. The Nokia Lumia should come with decent satnav mapping built-in, including the ability to use maps "off line" without needing a 3G connection. My friend with his Windows phone downloads map sets for free to use overseas where data charges can be excessive.

Being an avid Skype fan, you might look for a phone with a front facing camera for Skype chats using video. I don't think the cheapest of the Lumia phones has a front facing camera, only a rear facing one.

OK on the case, some cases make a fancy phone look utilitarian, which may be useful in dodgy areas... The rubber edged ones also offer a bit of protection for a dropped phone.

Rusty!

Moto G, install Skype from the Play Store. Job done.

VictoriaWapping

I actually held an iPhone 5 in my hand for the first time and I found it to be extremely comfortable and "non-bulky" as opposed to the other smartphones. I guess there's quite a huge brand mark up on it, but the quality seems worth it, right?

I'll do some research on not picking up Skype calls...

johnk

M$ also dropped Symbian support for Skype in August. So the popular Skype-on-3 phones, such as N95, can no longer use Skype at all.

cookie365

VictoriaWapping wrote: »

I actually held an iPhone 5 in my hand for the first time and I found it to be extremely comfortable and "non-bulky" as opposed to the other smartphones. I guess there's quite a huge brand mark up on it, but the quality seems worth it, right?

I'll do some research on not picking up Skype calls...

I'd have thought not being able to receive calls defines a phone's 'quality' a bit more than the size

There are plenty of other phones that are smaller. Maybe a Nokia Lumia 520 or 620 would suit you? A fraction of the price of an iphone and for your purposes just as good, and build quality is just fine.