We have used Skype for several years, and it has been a great program for us. We have family in other parts of the US and in Africa, and it is always great to be able to video-call with people that we have not seen in person for a long time. I also greatly appreciate that Skype to Skype video calls are free, as this is the feature that we use most often. Even calling a regular landline is pretty reasonably priced. For some family members in Africa who do not have good Internet service, we can still call their landline for a lower rate through Skype than any other method that we have found (phone cards, paying regular long distance, etc). I also appreciate the feature that allows Skype to open automatically when the computer is turned on. This allows us to know if someone is calling even if we were not expecting a call at a particular time. I was a bit apprehensive about what changes might take place when Microsoft bought Skype, but so far we have not found any negative changes.

utlegospam

USA

I have been using Skype for a few years. I don't use it very often, but I enjoy it when I do. It is a really great way for me to keep in touch with family that live far away. I also use it at college for when students are sick, we have them Skype into class so they can participate and get credit for attending. Setting up Skype does take some work. First, since I didn't have a built in camera, I had to purchase one, install the software and drivers that came with it, and make sure the video and audio worked. Then, I downloaded Skype online (their free version) and set up an account. Skype requires giving some personal information to do this. Then I tested the camera with Skype. On one computer I was using I couldn't get the sound to work and it took some investigating until I clicked the red bars icon on Skype, selected the speakers tab, and changed the drop down menu. The nice thing is that Skype has a "test" video call feature so that you can get everything working prior to making a real video call. Next, I looked up my family and friends on Skype and invited them to join my contact book. There are different privacy settings to choose from, such as, whether anyone can call you or not, whether you want to be available for calls all the time or not, etc. Finally, (and here's the easy part!) using Skype is very simple. You click the icon on your computer, sign in (if you need to, or you can stay logged in all the time), select the person you want to call from your contact book and click "video call". Skype has a fun little "boop boop boop" dial tone, which I enjoy. Within a few seconds, you see your family or friend on the screen. While you chat, you can make it full screen, take pictures of each other, and send IM messages, too.

willde

USA

Two years ago I moved back from the UK. I had been using Skype weekly to keep in touch with family and friends. . .especially my mother. Some weeks, the clarity was perfect, there was no delay, and it had such a great picture and sound that you could hardly believe it was a free service connecting people that were 6,000 miles apart! Other times, the connection would suddenly drop or the picture quality would be all pixilated and choppy. . .or even freeze for minutes at a time. The voices would have a delay, which made it very frustrating to carry on a conversation, or they would not be clear. Sometimes, just disconnecting and calling again would improved the situation. Other times, nothing worked. And that is the great frustration with Skype. . .you just never know! For a free service, it's pretty dang great. Calling people in other parts of the world, or even in the US, and getting to hear their voice and see their face for FREE is just awesome. But if you are counting on it for something more. . .like a crucial conversation that you NEED to have happen, or, God forbid, a business purpose, well, Skype is WAY too dodgy and unreliable for that. Now back in the US, my Skype calls go in the other direction, and it is just as unreliable as it was coming from the UK. So, I don't think it was my connection or phone lines or anything country-specific. Just seems to be the case with Skype. Still. . .it is a free service!

RobynneDF

USA

My spouse and a friend signed up for Skype, and the website led him to believe that he had to make multiple premium service purchases in order to use. He tested the service briefly with a buddy. When I informed him that he can use Skype for free, he requested refund, which Skype refused, stating that the services were "used." Even upon explanation of the 1-minute test, Skype refused refund. This is the wrong way for Microsoft to go about monetizing the service. Beware.

maryrs

Issaquah, WA

I just recently switched from Century Link phone service to a wireless Skype phone. I was amazed at how few problems I have had. I am using the unlimited calling plan with my Skype phone and use it for all of my home calls. Most are very clear and despite my fear that calls would "drop" as they had on my computer, that has not yet happened. I have noticed an occasional lag to what I am saying and when the other party hears it, but that had happened even with my old phone service. I find this to be an excellent alternative to being forced to pay the high prices associated with other services. The only negative is that when I call someone their caller ID never shows the same thing, but they usually figure it's me.

Buffy17

Hanover, PA

I thought I was up on most of the new technology and of course I knew skype existed but I did not know it was available on my computer! I have a granddaughter that lives several hours away from me and this has been the most wonderful experience to communicate with her. She is only 6 mos. old but it seems as I am actually playing with her when I get toys here and show them to her. I am quite sure I find it more humorous and entertained than she does but it is invaluable, highly recommend to those who have friends and family that are not close by.

wjm0720

Port Saint Lucie, FL

I first learned about Skype right before I left to study abroad in China during the summer of 2007. Despite the fact that I had lived overseas before, my mom was worried. When I hurt my ankle two days before my flight, she became *extremely *worried. Like any mother, she wanted frequent status updates. The price of the number of cell phone calls it would have taken to appease her anxiety would have been astronomical. Fortunately, I had discovered Skype before my trip and set my mother up with a Skype account and a webcam. Calls over the Internet are completely free, and calling landlines from my Skype account is a fraction (a *tiny *fraction) of the cost of a regular phone call. But the price isn't the only benefit. To be able to see my mom as I talked to her was fantastic. It made an opportunity like living in China for a few months seem a lot more manageable and less intimidating. While there are bugs in any program, Skype is pretty reliable and very straight-forward. The call clarity is great and webcams (either built in to your laptop or otherwise) generally give great video quality. Setting up an account along with audio and video is really easy to do. So I became a fan of Skype in 2007. But I didn't become a Skype devotee until this year. A few months ago, my dad was transferred to Singapore. My mom can't move there for another year, so until that time, their main form of communication is over Skype. They both dreaded this year, but a quarter of it has already gone by and Skype has made things so much easier on both of them. For years, my dad's job has required him to make international business calls during non-business hours due to time differences. He's found that Skype provides a great cost and convenience solution. My dad says that he uses Skype to call the landline, and that the call quality was so good that the people on the other end never realized that he wasn't using a traditional phone. Also, I find that I actually talk to my dad more often now because of Skype than I did when he lived in the States. As a full-fledged member of a very tech-savvy (and tech-addicted) generation, I am on my computer all the time. I may lose my phone, or let the battery die, or leave the ringer on vibrate, but I am pretty much ALWAYS online. With Skype, I get an alert as soon as my dad gets online, and I usually call him right away. Now I get a chance to talk to my dad multiple times a week, instead of a couple of times a month. My family and friends are not only spread across the country, but also spread across the globe. Having a tool like Skype makes living in a globalized world so much easier.

rma288

Chicago, IL

There have been times when I've used Skype when I was disconnected several times.  But, I really believe it was the location of the party on the other end.  I don't think it works as well out in the desert.  And I also think that your internet connection and speed have an awful lot to do with it.  When I first downloaded Skype it was free, and that was wonderful!  Now, however, you do have to pay for it.  It's pretty cheap, especially over the phone companies.  I downloaded this to be able to talk to my grandsons and my daughter, and am pretty happy with it to this point.  I guess it all depends on what you use it for!!

imbunne23

Erie, PA

Skype is wonderfull communication tool. When you are out traveling to other countrys its is a life saver for communicating with family and friends. It has many features such as, web calling pc to pc,sending data files and pictures and multiple user chat which is great for buisness conferencing. I have to say this becomes your new best friend when your traveling abroad. You can sign up (for a extra fee) to use pc to land line calling for very low rate troughout the world and use of voicemail while you are out. This is the next generation of communication so sign up and join the many users of this free service, you wont be dissapointed...

orlandoshoppingspy

Orlando, FL

Skype is a great service when trying to contact friends and business assciates internationally.It is very easy to set up.  The online chats are easy to use.  Phone services to call standard phones are cost competitive.It is amazing how clear the sound quality is especially when you see that there are 8 million people on at the same time that you are.

JohnWayne

Fallbrook, CA