Skype is an application used to make calls to phones or computers.
By bolan
Skype is an application used to make calls to phones or computers over the Internet. Installing Skype gives you a great opportunity to communicate with the world for free.
Call encryption on both ends provides your security and privacy, and the sound is crystal clear. To stay secure you have no necessity to set up the router or firewall, or anything you use to protect the connection.
Skype is compatible not with Windows only. It may be installed on PDAs based on Pocket PC, Linux, and Mac OS X, with no difference in interface and performance. Any platform makes it easy to speak, exchange instant messages and files.
Making calls: now you can make calls in several clicks, having on hand a panel which looks as a common telephone.
Video calls: making calls now means looking into your friend’s eyes, though in a webcam video.
Find SkypeOut and Skype contacts: increase your calling boundaries by adding people who use common phones, as well as those who are Skype users.
Form groups: make a group of your contacts and spread it to your friends to give them a new communicating experience.
Standard chat and smileys: use instant messages or chat to communicate with your friends when you can’t speak.
Group chat: in case you have some information for several or all of your contacts.
Profile tweaking: let others know you better by leaving some crucial information about yourself.
Conference calls: an opportunity to make a call to several friends at once.
Contact importing: a look through an address book will likely result in adding some colleagues of friends who use Skype and initiating a communication with them.
Viewing Microsoft Outlook contacts: use your Skype list to communicate with contacts from Microsoft Outlook in a direct way.
Speed-Dial and QuickFinder: a quick way to search for recent chats, Skype and SkypeOut contacts, which needs typing a name to make a call-back.
Skype
Skype is popular among its users for the opportunity to make video calls it provides, while other functions it has are less remarkable. The number of people who really know that Skype offers VoIP services for a fixed payment is much less than those who use its free tools. Charges which are laid by Skype on VoIP telephone connection are much lower than those proposed by the majority of competing companies. The absence of some additional functions and lacking fields for contact information mark the only drawbacks this software has to deal with. Video calling is the sphere of Skype’s absolute leadership, while it certainly needs some time to upgrade its VoIP services to stay in line with other businesses. Still, its flexible services compensate for this negative point.
Fees and Charges:
The most wonderful thing about Skype is the diversity of ways in which you may make payments. The plans can be paid through Moneybookers, PayPal, credit card or prepaid cards which are available at any corner. Besides, there are several paying options you may choose from: monthly payments, pre-pay or pay as you go. The last one is not very convenient in comparison with monthly fees or pre-pay, as you have to carefully track and manage your expenses. Still, it has the advantage of being free to choose any plan and not to stick with one you don’t want to use any further. Pay as you go charges are realized through a system called Skype Credit, similar to a common bank account, but attached to Skype. While refilling your Skype balance with money you keep the service active, and if you are not going to use it further, you may just stop paying, and your account will soon lose its functionality.
If you choose paid services from Skype you will be offered to select from three options: Unlimited World ($13.99), Unlimited North America ($7.99) and Unlimited Canada and US ($2.99). The plans differ by the calling destination you may connect with. Unlimited Canada and US is used for making calls to Canada and US. Monterrey (only landline phones, the rest of the country is reached at discount rates), Guadalajara and Mexico City belong to Unlimited North America. Unlimited World gives you an opportunity to communicate with more than 40 other countries. But what more, even unlimited communication with the world isn’t costly enough to think of.
Functions:
Skype users can help themselves with 17 functions integrated into the application. These differ from the feature set of competitive programs by the presence of video-calling realized through VoIP. Consequently, you also have an opportunity to share your screen and files with a contact. Another benefit consists in calling Skype users for free. What you may do for free with Skype is also using a group chat, sending an instant message, conference calling (between Skype users), and video calling.
To reach a person who has no Skype connection won’t cost you much, rating at no more than two cents per minute. Not higher are the rates for voicemail services, text messaging, and receiving phone calls from mobiles and landline terminals. All of the Skype plans include these services into their list for free or at discount rates. Using Skype on a WiFi hotspot is a feature which is also offered at low rates.
Easy Setup and Installation:
Skype setup is a no-problem task, especially if compared with setting up the products offered by other VoIP companies. To use Skype you should not purchase any devices, and thus have problems with their installation. Downloading the product from the Internet and installing it on the system is all you need. To make a call and have a conversation you should have a microphone or a headset. Compatibility issues are not the question for this program, as the software has Windows and Mac editions. The main requirement for Skype usage is the presence of internet connection. When it is more or less speedy, you should worry of nothing else.
Support and Help:
Skype users may find the answer to their questions in FAQs and help sections, which are organized in special categories by different topics: Using Skype, Technical Issues, Skype for Business, Products and Features, as well as Payments and Billing. To have additional information you may address the right side of the menu, where you may find thorough instructions and guides, glossary, some tips on how better find the answer to your questions, user forums, reports on Skype functionality, information on charges and fees, purchase limits and a link for having additional support. This link will give you no further reference but rather redirect you to the FAQ’s search bar.
There are no contacts which you may use to apply to the Skype’s customer service. The email addresses which are published on web-site pages are dedicated to general questions and press. The Contact Us menu found under the hood has a link which follows to Skype’s non-detailed support page.
Summary:
Due to its personalization opportunities Skype has become one of the highly popular VoIP service applications. It offers a wide range of useful features, which may be paid with any means you can imagine. Skype services do not have any serious drawbacks to be considered when switching to them from common phone services. This is the very reason for which you should definitely prefer Skype over other applications which have various limitations.
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