Voip Dixons v's Skype

[Mike]

Hi all

I see dixons are charging a fee of 79.99 plus 6.99 per month !!! If so Skype looks a petty good deal or is it ???

Has anyone used Skype and if so what are your views?

Thanks

Mike

[Strzelecki]

FreeTalk Hmmph, as an employee, no comment. But I use Skype and will continue too!

[Mike]

Originally Posted by Strzelecki

FreeTalk Hmmph, as an employee, no comment. But I use Skype and will continue too!

Yes interesting point I thought that too !

I take it with Skype you need to have the PC on (what happens if it's switched off) and that other normal UK land line numbers can phone skype

Thanks

Mike

[Strzelecki]

Not true, http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...513876-1810034
So you can use the handsets in your house!

Edit: Oops on further investigation you still do with one of those!

[me283]

I use Skype, and think it's fantastic. I regularly speak to people long distance, and most of the time am on a mobile; that works out expensive. With Skype I can talk to people for free. I also use MSN Messenger a lot, and it saves having to type! Sometimes I use it with a webcam on MSN, and it seems OK.

The only problem is that sometimes it can have a long delay (a few seconds), but that's easy to live with. I haven't used it with a landline though.

[Chris W]

vonage is another VOIP provider worth considering...

[Shaun]

www.1899.com are worth mentioning also, FREE calls to UK landlines as well as some other countries, France, Germany etc.

http://www.voipcheap.co.uk/en/rates.html

[Mike]

Originally Posted by Shaun

www.1899.com are worth mentioning also, FREE calls to UK landlines as well as some other countries, France, Germany etc.

http://www.voipcheap.co.uk/en/rates.html

Do not like the sound of the 3 p connection charge !

With Skype do you get a number (free) ! so that a normal landland can phone ???

Thanks

Mike

[Shaun]

The 3p connection charge is for their landline product (still the cheapest around I think you'll find).

VOIP charges page states:

"Rates are in pence per minute and include VAT. Calls are rounded up to next minute. No callsetup/startup fee!"

As for recieving calls not really a problem for those who already have a land-line but if you want an incoming VOIP line then what's stopping you using the free part of Skype?

Saying that it looks like they are shortly to provision customers with new VOIP numbers

http://www.voipcheap.co.uk/en/free.html

[Mike]

Originally Posted by Shaun

The 3p connection charge is for their landline product (still the cheapest around I think you'll find).

VOIP charges page states:

"Rates are in pence per minute and include VAT. Calls are rounded up to next minute. No callsetup/startup fee!"

As for recieving calls not really a problem for those who already have a land-line but if you want an incoming VOIP line then what's stopping you using the free part of Skype?

Saying that it looks like they are shortly to provision customers with new VOIP numbers

http://www.voipcheap.co.uk/en/free.html

So if I get Skype in would have a number that other landlines could dail as normal and get through via VOIP ?

[Shaun]

To be fair I'm not that up on it all but there is a summary in this Post:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...13&postcount=2

And further info in here:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...d.html?t=33263

But my understanding is that you can get a program called firefly that will allow you to have several VOIP accounts with different providers. This allows you to use different features from different companys.

The example given in the thread above is for you to get an account with 1899's sister company www.voipcheap.co.uk for out going calls and an account with http://www.sipgate.co.uk for incoming calls. This gives you free outgoing calls and a landline number for incoming calls.

The only thing to mention is that voipcheap require a prepayment (of £5.00) to activate the free calls, it then just sits on your account until you make a chargeable call.

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by Mike

Hi all

I see dixons are charging a fee of 79.99 plus 6.99 per month !!! If so Skype looks a petty good deal or is it ???

Has anyone used Skype and if so what are your views?

Thanks

Mike

Fundamentally different products, dixons is a box you plug your land line phone into, skype is a softphone.

I've got a vonage account which is similar to dixons, but with a lower startup fee and a monthly charge (wheras dixons are frontloading the cost). Vonage works well, is a doddle to set up if you don't already have a router, or if you are prepared to plug your router into their router. You get a landline like phone number and can point virtual numbers to it also (also because they allocate a traditional number to it, you can point virtual numbers 0845 and the like to it).

[etccarmageddon]

Originally Posted by Mike

Hi all

I see dixons are charging a fee of 79.99 plus 6.99 per month !!! If so Skype looks a petty good deal or is it ???

Has anyone used Skype and if so what are your views?

Thanks

Mike

no, it's £20 plus £6.99 a month or £80 for a year up front followed by £6.99 a month after your year is up.

[etccarmageddon]

Originally Posted by Mike

If so Skype looks a petty good deal or is it ???

the dixons deal includes all you uk calls as 'free' plus calls to mobiles are 15p day, 10 evening and 5p weekend. the reason dixons charge you £6.99 a month (or £80 a year) is because you get the free uk landline calls. note that the £80 offer includes 'free' hardware.

skype charge 23 euro cents at all times to ring uk mobiles. they also charge you 30 euro dollars per year to have a phone number.

0845 numbers are 5p day, 3p evenings and 2p weekends on dixons.
0870 - 10p, 5p and 3p.

skype charge 12 euro cents at all times for 0845 and 16.9 euro cents at all times for 0870!

[Mike]

Originally Posted by Mike

Hi all

I see dixons are charging a fee of 79.99 plus 6.99 per month !!! If so Skype looks a petty good deal or is it ???

Has anyone used Skype and if so what are your views?

Thanks

Mike

Just released with the Dixon package the £79.99 covers the first year of free Uk calls. So I take it that means no line rental ??? It's getting better by the minute

Mike