Internet Connection (either dial-up: minimum 33.6 Kbps modem, or any broadband: cable, DSL, etc.)
After installing Skype, you will need to set up your Hand/Headsets setting in the options menu as below:
Make sure you plug in your Net phone before trying to configure the Audio Options, otherwise the Generic USB Audio Device entry won't appear in the list.
Skype controls a big cyberspace telephone exchange, and all you need to configure this software for your PC, is a username and a password. Your email address is never shown to other users, and is only used for Skype to contact you.
Sounds too simple. It is. There are no other settings that have to be done to allow you access to your free Skype account.
Once you have done this, you can then call any other Skype user, anywhere in the world for free. You can also control incoming calls from various sources, see below:
SkypeOut:
Last but not least, you can put credit into a Skype account. This is from 10 to 30 Euros, which enables you to call external phone numbers at a very low rate. For example, Australia, UK, and the US are .017 Euros per minute for a standard land line phone call. That's about $00.02USD per minute right now.
Other rates are given here: http://www.skype.com/skypeout/help.pricelist.html
Ringing Australian mobile numbers isn't cheap, however many countries offer the same low rate for both land line and mobile phones.
"Skypeout" currently only accepts Visa card, but are making plans to accept other payment options.
Last 4 digits of the Phone numbers rang have been blacked out in the Call List below:
There is a small CD that comes with the phone, and it can be very useful for exploring many aspects of the phone operation, however most of the working software on it can be ignored for now, as Skype gives you everything you need to get started. I threw my disk away.
StanaPhone, a New York Company, is mentioned on the CD, but if you just want Skype, don't bother with the disk. You can apply (via Stanaphone) for and receive a free NYC phone number which works for incoming calls, peer-to-peer calls and US 1800 numbers without paying a cent. Handy for those stateside tech support calls.
Throw the disk away if you jut want to use Skype. It can be very confusing.
The latest version of the USB phone dialer has been put online recently, covering both Vonage and Engin VoIP systems. You can download it at http://www.ob-wan.com/voip/files/usbdialer_en.exe
This version is also supposed to cover MSN 7.0 but has been found to be faulty on that system. The bug has been reported to the manufacturer.
Works with the following programs:
Skype
X-Lite
Stanaphone
SJPhone
Net2Phone
MSN Messenger
Australian Firefly
The big blue button is the volume control, and will only work with Skype (or any other program) if the USB device is set as the main audio device. This is a limitation of Windows, not the phone itself. Oh, and they do work with MacOS 9 and higher, we are told.
Press the top side of the blue button to increase the volume, and lower side to decrease the volume.
Testing Software Before Phone Purchase:
Install Skype, conduct the tests below, and you can check that Skype will work on your computer, even before you purchase a phone, as your standard Windows default audio device will allow you to hear the echo123 voice as well as the ring back. This will prove that your operating system, firewall, and computer system, is capable of receiving free Skype calls.
Skype Testing Service:
Type echo123 into the drop down text input box just above the red and green phone Icons, and click on the green Icon.. This allows you to record a 10 second test message, which should play back to your phone. This fully tests your USB Phone, and configuration setup. Also a good spot to adjust your volume control.
Ring Back Test:
If you set up echo123 as a contact in the Skype menu, you are then able to send an instant message to the contact. Send callme to echo123 and your phone will ring back.
Please Note. There is only one line available for echo123 testing, so if it is busy, you won't be able to connect.
echo-chinese is another alternative test that I have set to "13" on my speed-dial numbers.
Instant Messages Test Between Two Computers:
If you set up two Skype user names on two different computers, you should be able to send each other instant messages, further proving the software and access suitability for your PC systems.
Skype Me:
By placing callto://name/ in your email, or on a web page, a clickable link will be available that will launch Skype and make a call to the Skype username in the link..
Problems:
If you are having problems with your phone, and you have read all of the text on this page, including the echo123 testing, then try: http://skype.com/help/index.html
Also you can do a search on an item such as "microphone" at: http://forum.skype.com/bb/index.php and check in the hardware section first.
If you can't find your answer there, you will need to register to ask a question. You can register with any name. It doesn't have to be your Skype name, and you can remain completely anonymous.
And if you can, check the phone on another computer. This should prove your phone is OK. Chances are it won't be a problem with the phone.
World Times:
http://www.worldtimezone.com/index12.html
Over its first year, skype signed up over 10 million users, which amounts to about 27k per day, or 190k per week.
obviously, the signup rate today is much higher than the average over the whole year.
Silicon Chip (Australian Electronics Magazine) Article: http://www.siliconchip.com.au/cms/A_102491/article.html
If you have any additional questions about Skype services, then goto: http://www.skype.com/
Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2004 10:15 pm Post subject: SKYPE wows BBC Newsnight
How good is Skype with a dial up service?
http://forum.skype.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=51649#51649
Skype or PhoneConnector Audio Problems?
USB Phone Verses PhoneConnector. Which is better?
Support:
http://forum.skype.com/index.php
http://en.atcom.com.cn/bbs/viewforum.php?f=5
P.C. Hong Kong 3-Oct-2004
HK telephone people and ISP people have gone berserk about this. Letters to everyone warning about disconnection if they are used.
Don:
They jumped the wrong way, should embrace it like the telcos have done in most other countries. No good burying your head in the sand. |
| 3-Oct-2004 http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/TechNews/BizTech/2004/10/01/651482.html
VoIP -The big small business advantage?
By Special to CANOE
VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, is quickly emerging as one of the dominant trends in telecommunications this year.
So what exactly is VoIP? Forget the technical jargon and think 'phone over the Internet' A pretty simple concept really. VoIP transforms a high-speed Internet connection into a phone line, converting your analog voice into a digital signal that can be transmitted over the Internet.
While you can't use VoIP with dial-up Internet service, (Don: yes you can 33K is fine, been tested) it works with most types of access including DSL, DSL Lite and cable modem. As well, VoIP offered through a company like Primus Canada also works with most wireless service providers including Bell Sympatico, Rogers Cable and Shaw to name a few.
So where do the savings come in? Long distance charges, that's where.
Because a small business owner can pick his area code without being restricted to geography, a virtual office can be created in a local call zone.
For example, let's say a marketing firm has employees in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. By choosing one area code, all calls on company lines between those three locations would be considered local - and exempt from long-distance calling charges. For a company that makes a lot of long-distance calls the savings can quickly up to hundreds, or even thousands of dollars a month.
"It's basically faster, cheaper service than what you would get from your phone company, " says Jon Arnold, VoIP program leader with business consultants Frost & Sullivan.
Of course, there's more to VoIP than being able to make a phone call over the Internet. It's about bringing voice and data together in a way to customize your company's information to gain efficiencies.
For example, voice-mail can be treated as e-mail using VoIP, meaning you can forward it on to a third party.
"The cool thing is," says Arnold, "is that you really don't have to be a big business to take advantage of VoIP."
But according to consultants IDC Canada, small businesses aren't adopting VoIP as quickly as the buzz around this product might suggest.
According to a recent study by IDC, only 6% of businesses with 50-99 employees have adopted VoIP, or are in the process of rolling it out. Just 15% were considering it and looking at the different options available to them and 75% of respondents said they didn't want to implement VoIP at this point. The remaining 4% said they didn't know what their opinion about the technology was.
So what's keeping small businesses from jumping on the VoIP bandwagon?
Michael Hyjek, analyst for business customer segments at IDC says he's not surprised by the seemingly low pick up. "Small business owners are slow adopters to begin with," says Hyjek. "They're not going to buy it until they absolutely need it."
Arnold agrees. He says many small businesses take a 'if it ain't broke - why fix it' approach to managing their telecommunications. "The incumbents offer really good phone service." |
http://forum.skype.com
Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2004 10:15 pm Post subject: SKYPE wows BBC Newsnight
I have just watched BBC newsnight, UK BBC2, @ 23:50 GMT and SKYPE must have been mentioned at least a dozen times when they were discussing the decline of standard telecom lines and the dramatic rise of VOIP using the Internet.
It was strongly stated that VOIP was going to make standard phone lines obsolete, in fact BT stated an actual year, which I can't remember. that they would be a fully operational "Internet operater!"
They had top business speakers from the Telecom industry, including BT, British Telecom (THE UK telecom supplier), but with all the hype it was only SKYPE that was mentioned as an Internet VOIP system.
It made me proud to be at the forefront of technology and a avid user of SKYPE, way to go!
_________________
Mad Chef |
Skype Stories
rhdetiger Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2004 3:56 pm Post subject: Thanks Skype !!!!
I (We) are using Skype for several weeks now to call between the USA and Netherland Antilles and Skype saved us several hundered dollars per month. ($0.13 per minute on the cheapest prepaid card) Initially it did not worked very well, because my girlfriend used a dialup line, but worked absolutely great once she switched to DSL. There is some 'humming' background noise, but that might be related to the mic she's using or the soundcard. I also tried skypeout, calling a land-line in Florida and the connection/sound quality was great. Thanks Skype, you saved me a bunch of money ! Regards, Ronald |
Skype General Discussion
chesco Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 2:05 pm Post subject: Happy 700.000 users milestone
Today Skype got more than 700.000 users online. Congratulations to everybody |
