unlimited calls from skypeOut to phone!

[taxico]

thought i'd share with you guys that skype now has a monthly subscription for unlimited skypeout calls to certain countries (not all include cell phones).

US$6 for one country only, or US$13 for all countries on the list...

for more info, head on to http://www.skype.com/allfeatures/subscriptions/

i obviously don't work for skype. but delete this if it's not okay... !

[sundaymorningstaple]

It's okay, we all use Skype I think. I was just looking at the US Subscription tonight as well (I also got the email). I talk with my mom about 4 or 5 times a month for about an hour each time using 019 (she's not PC connected) so it would be about a 15% savings for me just calling her. Good you brought it up though as it is relevant for all us as small as the world it getting.

[durain]

skype? what is skype? i dont use skype.

check this out instead for FREE* calls from PC to landline worldwide! www.poivy.com.


* you need to setup an account and put in 10EURO. you will get 90 days of free calls to the listed countries on their website, subject to 300 minutes per week. after 90 days, your 10EURO will be deduced as you make calls as per rate listed on their website. for example, calling US after the 90 days is about 0.024cents. it is still very cheap!

if you dont want to use a PC to call out, you can get a SIP ATA (Analogue Telephone Adapter) and connect it up to your broadband router. a normal telephone connect to the SIP ATA and you can just pick it up and dial away. no need for a PC.

and if you dont want to get a SIP ATA, get a wireless broadband router with VoIP features. i got a draytek vigor 2900VG and it is excellent.

[sundaymorningstaple]

durain,

Interesting site. Had a bit of a read over there and at first glance it looks pretty good I have to admit.

On the other hand I have to wonder on the sound quality and drop-out rate.

Additionally, doing some short comparisons (without the use of a spreadsheet) I find that your 2.4¢ a bit misleading as it's in USD not SGD which is 3.2¢ w/o VAT. Skype's normal rates are higher admittedly at 3.7¢. But you have to look at the Fair Use Policy of both and the overrun policys as well.

The Free calls from poivY the fair use policy are based on 300min/WEEK and overruns charged according each week - under runs are not carried forward. Additionally this only translates to 1300min/mo.

Skype on the other had had a FairUse policy of 10,000min/mo and using their subscription rates (in SGD would be 19.25/mo) without the 3mo for 2mo special.

If you extrapolate then, unless I'm doing something wrong, I find the following.

If both are used for 10,000 per month (the limit of skype's policy) the cost of poivY would be as follows:

As per their policy of 300min/WEEK free X 52 / 12mo = 1300 free min/month. After that you pay 3.2¢/min or .032 x (10,000/mo -1,300/mo = 8,700/mo) = SGD 278.40/mo versus skype's 19.25/mo w/out discount. With the one years special skype would only cost SGD 12.83/mo

So I guess it would depend on how heavy a user you are in the long term.

That and the quality of calls and other benefits (I used the skype conference chats with a group in Australia almost nightly (all the Admins/Moderators of an Aus forum in which I Admin/Moderate).

So how IS the sound quality and drop rate with poivY?

[durain]

sound quality is OK. no problem with calls to the other side of the world. no dropped calls or robotic voice. me on starhub 8MBit line.

looking at poivy rate to the USA after the 90 freedays is at US$0.028/min or S$0.039. (www.poivy.com/en/freetrial.html).

poivy is part of betamax (no, nothing to do with sony or VCR!) which is pretty big in the VoIP business.

i dont use mega minutes so i am always left with my credit. i guessed with poivy, you are not paying for it monthly. you can top it up to get the freedays or leave it and it will deduce it from your credit as you use it.

btw, you can use it for sending sms too.

[sundaymorningstaple]

If you extrapolate then, unless I'm doing something wrong, I find the following.

If both are used for 10,000 per month (the limit of skype's policy) the cost of poivY would be as follows:

As per their policy of 300min/WEEK free X 52 / 12mo = 1300 free min/month. After that you pay 3.2¢/min or .032 x (10,000/mo -1,300/mo = 8,700/mo) = SGD 278.40/mo versus skype's 19.25/mo w/out discount. With the one years special skype would only cost SGD 12.83/mo

So I guess it would depend on how heavy a user you are in the long term.

I used the above example using the worldwide subscription rates of 19.25/mo. Had I used the subscription rate for a single country (US) of 8.50/mo then the difference would be a lot more. The one years special would cost only SGD $5.67/month.

Skype also has the sms feature but I don't even send sms's here in Singapore unless I absolutely have to. I hate sms and sms'ese! As I am a Win Mobile user, I like the fact that I can use skype from wireless points like Starbucks & McD's as such as well using my cellphone (well, not a smartphone but a dopod 900).

But for low volume users, poivY sounds pretty good.

[taxico]

i'll poke around, but i probably will do so only after my skype credit runs out...

i only make calls to singapore and the US - not regularly. thanks for doing all the math - it helps! : )