Skype
I recently started using Skype, the internet-based telephone system. It's pretty good, and you can start using it for less than £10 if you buy a cheap handset from Ebay. To be able to dial non-Skype users you need to pay 10 euros to get credit, and to be able to receive calls from non-Skype users you need to pay 10 euros every six months to get a number.The sound quality is very high; however I did find it often failed to connect or connected poorly when using it with a PC over a wireless network. I don't really know if this was the reason, as the capacity of the wireless network is presumably large enough to handle the calls, but certainly when I've used it plugged in it's been near 100% reliable.
The main question I think is really whether it will be cheaper for you. Skype-2-Skype calls are free, and particularly if you call a certain person a lot overseas then it would make sense for you both to be on Skype. Otherwise the calls aren't that cheap compared to other phone providers, particularly local off-peak ones, which are what I tend to make.
posted by Matthew @ 9/25/2005 02:44:00 PM
Comments: 0
