Skype

[chris1317]

Dont know if this is the right place to post this or not so feel free to flame the post if its wrong.

Ive been looking into skype a lot recently and just have a few questions as the more i read about it the more confused about the features that it offers and the costs involved.

Does anyone here use Skype for their phone, if so is it just for a business line or does it take over from your existing landline?

Do you keep your BT number or is a skype number totally different?

When replacing/working along side a landline did it make a big difference to call costs?

Do you know the minimum ammount you have to pay BT for rental of the line so that you can use skype as main phone?

Thanks
Chris.

[Rob Holmes]

Does anyone here use Skype for their phone, if so is it just for a business line or does it take over from your existing landline?

We have a couple of skype numbers and a landline, You have to have an internet connection to use skype. It sounds like you're a bit confused as to how it works, so I'll try and break the rest of your questions down...

Do you keep your BT number or is a skype number totally different?

It's totally different and works through your internet connection a bit like msn and icq if you've ever used them. You keep your BT number and broadband connection IF you want to login at that point, your skype ID is totally different, your PC/Laptop will login to skype wherever it connects to broadband, so if it's installed on a laptop and you take it on holiday people will be able to call you wherever it's pluggid in (If you turn skype on of course).

When replacing/working along side a landline did it make a big difference to call costs?

Skype needs an internet connection to work and for an internet connection you require a landline :) As for call costs - we dial out through http://www.18866.co.uk it's far cheaper than skype for uk calls.

Do you know the minimum ammount you have to pay BT for rental of the line so that you can use skype as main phone?

Call BT but I think their minimum line rental is around £11 now.

I'd also add that we don't dial out using skype unless it's a dire emergency because we have found a varying call quality and we don't consider this acceptable when on a sales or support call!

Hope this helps,

Rob