Skype?

[DVCLiz]

My daughter wants to use Skype when she is in school in Ecuador next semester. I have a friend who has a son who used it in Australia. Can you use it anywhere in the world? I was looking online and saw that Ecuador didn't have any local phone numbers - is that a problem? Are the local numbers just if you want to call a landline or cell phone? She would want to be able to call me on her computer and I think we might investigate getting little cameras so we could see each other, too.

Can you tell I have no idea about any of this??
Can you help??

 

[Papa Deuce]

I use skype in the USA only... but I can tell you this much: My BIL skypes us all the time from Aruba....

 

[Lib E]

We have a friend who lives on his boat and uses skype to communicate when he can. Both sides need a good high speed internet connection for it to work. When he calls from Mexico it works, but the connection is always really choppy. Cutting in and out like bad cell service.

 

[Charade]

I get calls from Italy on Skype and most of the time it's fine.

If you're only going to use Skype to talk to her while she's in Ecuador, I don't think you'll need a local number (AFAIK) because you'll be communicating via PC to PC.

You might consider getting a couple of Skype compatible phones. They attach to your PC via the USB connection. Skype sells them for $30 but you might find them cheaper elsewhere.

 

[DVCLiz]

I get calls from Italy on Skype and most of the time it's fine.

If you're only going to use Skype to talk to her while she's in Ecuador, I don't think you'll need a local number (AFAIK) because you'll be communicating via PC to PC.

You might consider getting a couple of Skype compatible phones. They attach to your PC via the USB connection. Skype sells them for $30 but you might find them cheaper elsewhere.

Thanks, Charade. So we CAN use it to talk if we just stay on the computer? And I can get a phone that hooks into my computer so I might not need a headset with a microphone? That's the piece of equipment my friend recommended.

I don't know what connection she will have but I have service through my cable provider so I think I'll be in good shape on this end.

Anything else to know??

 

[crazyme5kids]

I'm jumping in on this thread to find out more info. My husband mentioned that we should get this now that he is traveling again. Does it work in South America?

 

[Charade]

Thanks, Charade. So we CAN use it to talk if we just stay on the computer? And I can get a phone that hooks into my computer so I might not need a headset with a microphone? That's the piece of equipment my friend recommended.

I don't know what connection she will have but I have service through my cable provider so I think I'll be in good shape on this end.

Anything else to know??

You do need a highspeed internet connection.

Like I said, I don't know much about the phones out there and I'm sure there are some crappy ones so do a little research (read reviews) before getting any.

 

[clori]

My husband was recently in Thailand for a few weeks for work. He was at a hotel with high speed internet and brought his laptop with a built in microphone. He put a cheapo microphone on my desktop. We talked whenever we could on skype and the connection was clear on both ends. The only problem I had was my 4 year old didn't understand not to put the microphone right next to her mouth. It was cheaper and easier for us especially in a temporary situation. Both my 8 and 4 year olds easily understand how to operate skype.

My friend now calls me on skype. She has a webcam so I can see her but she can't see me since I don't have a webcam. We are only talking NJ to MA but she can talk on skype at work. None of us have special phones.

 

[bavaria]

I use Skype from/to various countries around the world. It is my primary phone although I do carry cel/SIMs for various countries as well.

I don't use a Skype phone and don't know anyone who has one, although I do have hundreds of people in my Skype directory.

A few comments

• the quality of the call is better than other VOIPs I tried
• you do need a stable highspeed connection so for instance when I use it from India my calls are only as good as my connection
• purchase a simple headset to improve the quality and avoid the tinny sound of speakerphone
• Skype to Skype calls are free and I pay about the equivalent of $14 USD/year for all other calls. This may not be available to American users/new users as I have been a customer from almost the start
• you don't need a SkypeIn number ie a local number - if you are calling someone else you don't need SkypeIn, and if a Skype user is calling you you don't need SkypeIn. You would only need it for non-Skype users to call you on your computer, which is an optional method of communicating

 

[GJM]

My DH is deployed and this is what we use to talk, the connection is really good. Sometimes he will use the computer to call the house or cell phone. He has a headset with microphone. We use a local number where we live.

When he calls the computer we use the webcam - and then he uses the headset, we just talk - don't have a headset on our side.