bingobob777

Anyone using the skype on their phone to phone the UK on a regularish basis? If so what sort of download usage are you roughly getting?

freebo

Skype is a proprietary implementation of the VOIP/SIP protocol, when making VOIP calls on my iphone I use about 300k/min, skype should be very similar to that. To put this in perspective my monthly data allowance is 1GB, which would be enough for 50 hours of calls.

The reason I don't use Skype (have in the past) is that they charge by the min, I use a VOIP provider (pennytel) which allows me to call the UK for a flat fee, wife talks to her mum for an hour at a time and costs me only 8c. However I mostly do this using my home phone via a VOIP router.

Fluid36

If you are at home and on wireless then any calls from your iphone using skype are free anyway as you are not using 3G.

freebo

Just to clarify that, on wifi the data usage comes from your home broadband/wifi allowance but the calls still cost the prevailing skype rate.

DadAgain

Agreed - I'll use skype from time to time for Video conferences with home. But if its just a phone call I'll use our landline which is connected via a VOIP service with 'mynetphone'. Calls are untimed and free (for 60 calls a month)

Skype on the iPhone does work - but to be honest I find the iPhone to be seriously crap as a phone. Its a neat device for doing lots of things - but its ability as a phone (bad speaker, bad microphone) is just not good enough.

freebo

Doesn't that have a monthly fee? At the moment I'm only paying for individual calls at 8c a time with PT, and since I make no more than 20 calls per month its less than $2 per month for all international calls, looking on MNF's website they seem to charge per min for international calls and a monthly or annual fee.

Also, never had issues with the speaker/mic on my IP4, did have horrible problems with the proximity sensor but that was fixed by a firmware update.

DadAgain

$5 a month. Thats my total phone spend.

Other plans might work better for others (e.g. the $5 a year plan with 10c calls and 1.9c per minute to UK) - but the $5 a month with free calls works out best for us. https://www.mynetfone.com.au/whirlpool/VoIP/Plans

Steve2009

I use Skype on Android (Acer Liquid), it's reasonably reliable although the call quality isn't always the best. Data usage is insignificant.

freebo

I'll bear it in mind should I fall out with PT, but right now our costs are less than $2 per month, no monthly fee and 8c flat call rate on PT. The $3 is neither here nor there, I just wanted to see how cheaply I could do it for.

Steve2009

I frequently have to call mobiles so I doubt my bill would be so low. There wasn't a decent VOIP app for Android the last time I checked too. One handy thing is that my incoming number is portable between providers so I can switch easily if someone introduces a decent VOIP app.

freebo

10.5c/min for calls to mobiles, not sure what Skype charge I use my mobile for all Aus bound calls, and only use VOIP for overseas though. Fring for Android seemed to work OK when I tried it.

Steve2009

I used an early version of Fring and wasn't impressed. I might give it another try. Pennytel is 40 cents per minute to Ireland Mobiles. Skype is 32.2 incl VAT, which reminds me I must make sure Skype are not charging me VAT.

EDIT: Just checked and they're not charging me VAT so it's actually 28 cents per minute.

Fluid36

Correct - home wifi obviously has a huge usage limit which will almost never be reached. Also skype to skype is what I'm talking about which has no usage costs and is free.

freebo

Fair enough - I don't call overseas mobiles at all.

Steve2009

The folks are seldom at home and my siblings don't have landlines. The disparity between landline rates and mobile rates is a bit of a joke in this day and age. I wonder how they justify it, the infrastructure can't be much more expensive?