Skype.

[Bazza454]

I guess that most forum users are aware of Skype and that many will probably be regular users, but I thought that it might be helpful if I gave a general overview of our experience using it.

One of my wifes sisters and her family live in Brisbane and her other sister and family live in Florida therefore keeping in touch a couple of times a week can be expensive.

A few months ago we and her sisters downloaded and installed Skype, set up user names and passwords and since then call each other weekly, and the cost is absolutely free, and there is no time limit on the length of the call, or the number of calls made. We also use it here in the UK and Europe to keep in touch with home and friends when we are on our travels.

You can also buy Skype credit to call landlines and mobile phones from your laptop, we've never done that therefore can't say whether the cost of calls is competitive or not.

To download and install the software is easy, once installed you set up your user name and password, add your family and friends as contacts (they must also have Skype installed) and away you go. Unless you wish to call landlines or mobiles you don't have to provide any credit or debit card details.

http://www.skype.com/intl/en/download/skype/windows/

Most of the newer laptops and netbooks have a microphone and webcam already installed, but if not they are not too expensive to purchase, alternatively you can purchase a USB handset -

http://www.skypestyle.com/polaripezy_skype_phone.htm

In summary, if you are calling Skype to Skype, there is no limit on the length of call, or number of calls you make and there is absolutely no cost whatsoever.

Hope this is helpful.

[J9withdogs]

Good post, Bazza!

 

I use Skype when my son's working away from home with the band.

 

It's so much more than a phone call - you can see the person you are talking to and others in the room can join in too.

 

Now he's home, we still use it for 'instant' messaging. The messages remain on the computer too, so you can remind them of promises made!

 

Love it (lol)

[Randonneur]

We use Microsoft Live Messenger, seems to work better than Skype and again is absolutely free.

[colin]

We used Global Village (similier to Sykpe) for some time to phone Oz, in my case it was just plug a standard phone into Zoom router, cost to call landlines was local call rate for the country you dialed, now free weekend calls to most english speaking countries and half of europe is included in my Tiscalli package

[handyman]

video on skype is much better if you have a HQ camera as well

http://www.skype.com/intl/en-gb/allfeatures/videocall/#high-quality-video