Hi again all.... does anyone know of any other ways of face to face chat that's better than Skype...

For the last week or so I've had nothing but problems with chatting to my better half... the calls keep dropping and the pics and audio are terrible... I have a great internet speed and his is not too bad,

So I'm looking for another way of chatting to him, or any other suggestions as to why these problems have surfaced

Thanks in anticipation

Jan xxx

Here are some alternatives http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/fed-up-...-alternatives/

If you have an iPhone? - facetime is very good

Thanks Bob.... very interesting xxx

Don't have an Iphone missile.. but thanks for the thought xx

I also think you can video chat via Facebook? I seem to remember getting contacted that way.

Yes, sex.

Have you tried http://www.viber.com ? My brother lives in China and he finds it more reliable and less inclined to being " snooped" than Skype.

I never knew Skype was a snooper

It is full of security holes, most government agencies forbid their workers from ever using it, it's security is really poor but I was actually talking about China's snooping on anything that is sent from it's shores....

Check this link out
http://www.searchenginejournal.com/7...rtphone/73005/

you 'could' install video chat on facebook to chat F2F if your computer obviously has the cams

not sure if you still can but worth a look

thanks for the info... you've all been helpfull as usual xx

I'd recommend you try something else because it's easy and free to do so, so why not!

That said, Skype has been around for a long time (in Internet terms) and has always been a leader in the development of the software that does the job of enabling us to chat. Skype is good.

These days, now that we have streaming of TV going on, and other things that consume a lot of bandwidth, Internet service providers (ISP) resort to a few tricks to keep their networks running. One of them is Quality of Service, which enables them to prioritise certain types of network traffic over others.

A (semi) effective way of hiding what you're doing from an ISP is to use a VPN. In theory a VPN should be slower than a connection that isn't using one, as VPNs involve extra bits and pieces getting involved in the communication between two points. In practice they can sometimes speed things up, due to bypassing ISPs attempts to throttle traffic and other network issues.

You can take a VPN service for just one month, so you can try it out if you want to, it might improve things.

First, though, just try other software as you suggested.

Second, have you and the person you chat to run a broadband speed test (Google it) to make sure your ISP is giving you the bandwidth you're paying for.

Third, don't forget that the networks in your houses matter too. I have a computer in one room that has a poor wifi connection to my router. Must get that sorted!

And last... VPNs, ISPs, etc. Sorry if I am telling you something you already know. I know lots of expats use VPNs to watch TV.

I also recommend viber, each time we had problems with Skype, we used viber, which had no problems with audio (but I don't know if you can use video).

Hope you get a solution!.

As Concierge for the Spanish section of BE I would like to say hello and welcome.

BE is a very large expat website, so if you have problems finding your way around we have concierges who will try to direct you. The moderators for the Spanish forums are Mitzyboy and Fred James, moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderador who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge of the issues of living in Spain. At the top of the page you will find a quirkily named thread called Free Beer which is full of important and useful information. Hope you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary