Has anyone used skype? What are the basics? I notice that some rental agencies use skype. Would a laptop and skype serve as substitute for a phone in a Roman apartment?
Posts: 62 | Location: Minnesota | Registered: 20 January 2008
Skype is best with high-speed or wireless internet; call quality is best to other Skype users. You'll still pay about .28 per minute for euro cell phones, land phones cost only a few cents per minute, but the call quality can vary. A message chat can come in just is handy sometimes, however.
Install and try Skype now while you're still at home; you'll also want to look into headphones and a mic...together or separate.
(This topic's been discussed in previous threads, you might want to do a Find to see what else is out there.)
I think Skype is great.....with high speed internet access, it works as well as my cell phone at a fraction of the cost. I use it to check messages on my home phone and keep in touch with family and clients. The chat feature is also very useful but it is the similar to AIM or Yahoo Messenger.
It even works (sometimes) with a good dialup connection but I wouldn't count on it.
Another thumbs up for skype. Amazingly easy and convenient - wherever you have your laptop. I've found the call quality very good to other computers (when the calls are free), to cellphones or to landlines (very cheap, even internationally). You need some headphones to plug into your lap top or put the microphone function on. Excellent.
We lived for a year in Italy and used SKYPE as our phone. We did have a cell phone for local calls. We had linksys phone to use with SKYPE which works just like a wireless home phone, including voice mail. It is not directly connected to the computer and so you are free to wander while talking, etc. We use it now that we are back in the US to call Europe.
I used Skype on my last trip (to Thailand and Cambodia) and it worked just great! I was able to call home, and with a webcam, see my husband and well as talk to him and he could see me. It was wonderful and free, because wifi was free in my hotels. All you need to do is make sure you have a strong internet connection. Yes, it would substitute as a phone in your apartment, but only if the apartment comes with internet access or someone in the area has an unsecured wifi. The only drawback is at times there is a delay on each end while speaking. But phones used to be like that too.
Net Gear makes a Skype WiFi phone for $150. So you can carry it with you just like a normal cell phone, but this one does not work with wireless cell towers. Instead it only works with wireless internet hot spots. Find yourself a Wifi Hotspot and make all the calls you want.I bought both of my parents one for Christmas so that we can have free calling between us. They love it!
Or, if you have pc phone or a smart phone that is enabled with WiFi, you can download skype mobile onto it and do the same thing. That way you have both cell and Skype usage on the same handheld device.
Originally posted by Tony da Roma: ...Instead it only works with wireless internet hot spots.
How do you Romani find the availability of public wi-fi there (free or not)? We have so little up here, and I haven't found Florence to be terribly wi-fi wired. When I seach hotspot lists, I find mostly hotels...
I use skype every single day and could not survive without it. Last 6 months or so has been computer to computer and I do not have a fast connection - 54mps. Probably 80% of the time it is OK, the rest not so good and we have to resort to skype to mobile. I do use a headset but works fine with the inbuilt microphone in the computer.
I also make a lot of calls skype to landline and that is fine too - there is always a delay but most people are fine with it - except my sister who persists in hanging up as she thinks it is crank caller.
I just installed it yesterday and man is it cool! I need to go play around now but I'm thinking it will be great for talking to Becky when she's in Australia this summer!
Where I live in the country skype as phone doesn't work. no fast internet, so bad for speaking but when I am in Florence I can use it.
My mom loves it and calls China all the time, my brother in Belgium uses it to, actually he has something there that is FREE for calls as well as computer to computer. I will find out what it is. Rome should be fine.
if you are renting an apartment, find out about internet access.
Never took the trip to Sweden. My friend went by himself. I decided to save my money. I am now in Croatia. I arrived last night. A little later in the month then I had wanted, but oh well.
quote:
How do you Romani find the availability of public wi-fi there (free or not)? We have so little up here, and I haven't found Florence to be terribly wi-fi wired. When I seach hotspot lists, I find mostly hotels...
There are a few bars in the center with free WiFi. McDonalds at the Spanish Steps has it, as well.
I have been using Skype with my computer for a while now but I recently bought a mobile phone with Skype built in through my network here in the UK ( Three). It works very well and allows me to talk to people wherever I am in the UK and abroad and frees me from having to be at my home computer.
Three network is also available in Italy so for anyone based there, you should be able to get a similar deal. In fact this was the deciding factor for me in buying this phone because Three are also based in Italy I can use the Skype function as if I were in England (i.e. for no extra charge to my monthly subscription).
The other great feature (that I haven't used yet) is that I can access TV programmes via Slingbox if I wish! I love gadgets.
Beebee
Posts: 1955 | Location: London, UK | Registered: 09 September 2002
The other great feature (that I haven't used yet) is that I can access TV programmes via Slingbox if I wish! I love gadgets.
Beebee
We used a Slingbox when we were living there. Or rather, I should say, my husband did. He would catch up on local news (which I successfully ignored), and watched sports. It worked really well.
have not traveled to Italy/Rome so have no idea of how well this feature works but on mappy.com
if you search a Rome address you can also click the WiFi feature on the map legend to left of map--it will show icons for local Wi-Fi spots-- used address of b/b someone was asking about on TA that was close to Termini and it showed about 10 different spots--some with hotels but some also labled FON and something--if you put the cursor on the icon it shows the provider the WiFi uses... like I said--have no idea if it is free or you have to be member of provider or the distance available--it it does show ones in area...
Skype is great, but keep in mind that Internet service in Italy can be flaky. The problem is that they oversell their bandwidth a huge way, so slowdowns are common... expecially at night. The pipes between th US and Italy are not that great, so when you get a slowdown you get extreme latency between the US and Italy... which effectively kills VOIP calls (Skype)
Originally posted by Michael - Soriano: The pipes between th US and Italy are not that great, so when you get a slowdown you get extreme latency between the US and Italy... which effectively kills VOIP calls (Skype)
I notice this on Skype-to-landline calls, but less so on Skype-to-Skype, and even less on the voipyourlife (paid) service I have...although this wouldn't be a temp service that a traveler would use.
Originally posted by Michael - Soriano: The pipes between th US and Italy are not that great, so when you get a slowdown you get extreme latency between the US and Italy... which effectively kills VOIP calls (Skype)
I notice this on Skype-to-landline calls, but less so on Skype-to-Skype, and even less on the voipyourlife (paid) service I have...although this wouldn't be a temp service that a traveler would use.
Skype to landline calls will never be as good as skype to skype calls, because you are now throwing a digital to analog conversion in the mix.
