Skype is a way of communicating over the internet. There are several ways of using it.
You can download Skype to your pc and use it to call other Skype users free using a mic. I use a combined headphone/mic set. You can pay in advance and use it to call landlines very cheaply any where in the world.
You can also buy a SkypeIn number - a telephone number so people can call you from landline or mobile and pay usual rates.
You can buy a phone that either plugs in to your pc or router in place of the headphone/mic set up.
Or now you can buy a mobile Skype phone that can be used anywhere, in some cases it is a normal mobile phone with an added Skype facility.
gina32 - I have special headphones that boost the sound but I record all calls so if I still can't hear my neighbour will listen for me. Sadly it is near impossible to conduct even simple things without a contact number. I use it mainly for instant messaging and the voice mail facility.
I also have a mobile phone number registered to it, so I can send text using the computer keyboard rather than the fiddly little keys on the mobile phone - it's cheaper too, as my mobile is pay as you go.
You can get a skypephone from 3 network.mobile that is
as i said works in a few countries
but will only call skypein numbers for free.skypeout and also prepaid landline calls arent possible for free .
the network provider 3 charges normal 3 rates for these calls even if youve signed up for unlimited free calls to landlines with skype.
this isnt made very clear when purchasing a skype mobile , though personally i think its still very good value.
skypeout is unlimited calls , to a limit of 10,000 minutes amonth to a country of your choice or worldwide
granted 3.39 euros isnt free
but do the maths if yyou used all 10.000 minutes the cost per minute to a skypeout landline number would be roughly 0.000339 cent per minute.where not exactly free its nowhere near the alternative of paying mobile rates.
did that help?
btw i never said skypeout calls were free i said "skypeout and also prepaid landline calls arent possible for free . "
possibly i wasnt clear enough in my explanation?hope i cleared that up?
With oure Skype the entire call is routed over the Internet, so it's only possible if both caller and recipient have Skype.
With Skype Out, the call is routed as far as possible via the internet, then injected into the normal PST network, so that youcan dial the ordinary phone line of a non-skype user