Skype... its free communication

Hi. Im new to the boards and a few people helped when I posted extremely stressed and saddened by visas. So I thought I'd put something out there, Im sure its been mentioned before but... well, its the thought that counts 

www.Skype.com  has a free web program, called Skype.  Both you and your signifigant other download the program and then can connect to each other to talk, unlimited and free, via headphones and microphones (headsets).  If you both have web cams, you can use those as well to get live video of one another.

You can also buy skype credit.  Skype credit allows you to make phone calls to places outside of your country, from your computer (where you would use skype credit and dial the number) to their cell phone or land line phone, for the long distance rate of a local call. Call your love, for the rate of a local call. My bf calls me at work occationally and we can talk for 30-45minutes for less than 1 dollar.

You can see where this would be valuable 

well, if I've notified only one person, the post has served purpose 

- Nicky

Hi. Im new to the boards and a few people helped when I posted extremely stressed and saddened by visas. So I thought I'd put something out there, Im sure its been mentioned before but... well, its the thought that counts 

www.Skype.com  has a free web program, called Skype.  Both you and your signifigant other download the program and then can connect to each other to talk, unlimited and free, via headphones and microphones (headsets).  If you both have web cams, you can use those as well to get live video of one another.

You can also buy skype credit.  Skype credit allows you to make phone calls to places outside of your country, from your computer (where you would use skype credit and dial the number) to their cell phone or land line phone, for the long distance rate of a local call. Call your love, for the rate of a local call. My bf calls me at work occationally and we can talk for 30-45minutes for less than 1 dollar.

You can see where this would be valuable 

well, if I've notified only one person, the post has served purpose 

- Nicky

Skype is nice....but just to note, you have to use headphones while using a cam, due to echoes. The quality in sound is actually better than a phone, but visually, it's a bit jerky. It's nice to use when ichat isnt being as user friendly.

Oh...and computer to land lines in the states and canada....are free. I've tried.

Actually Trickynicky if you search back, there was a long thread about Skype a few months ago.  I've been using Skype for over a year now without any problems. We use it mainly to make video calls to my wife's family back home. The faster your internet connection, and the better your webcam, the better the video looks.  We also signed up for "SkypeOut" and got a US area code phone number, so our relatives without computers or Skype can call us for free just as if they were making a local call.  The sound is perfectly fine, although sometimes there is a slight delay depending on the internet connection.

I LOVE Skype. We started out using Yahoo Messenger with Chat and oh man, it sounded like there were fighter planes goin' at it in the background. We switched to Skype and it has be glorious.

I LOVE SKYPE OUT!!  I have a British number at the mo and when I move over to england will get an American number for my family!

Skype is the best!!!  I use it to talk to many of my friends over in the UK and that special guy as well.  Sound is always great....cam is nice to although it may lag a bit now and then.

I am sure once I am in the UK I will be Skyping people back home!

Skype's what enabled us to still have a relationship over the distance.  It's great!!  I've only had problems with it with my mother's calls--her internet provider sucks since she lives clear out in a rural area, all my other calls are clear as can be.  I find I prefer a microphone to the headset--the echo isn't really there if you aren't right by the speakers.  It all depends on the quality of your microphone though.  I haven't had a problem and the sound is better usually than my phone.

Getting rid of the cost factor helped us normalize our lives more during the LDR phase.  We even had a few date nights with it--left Skype running while we put in the same movie at both homes and watched them together.  It was totally cheesy, but it made it feel more real that we were still with each other.  By the end of our engagement, we usually fell asleep with my laptop on my bed and him on the futon and the computers going.  It was a funny thing to wake up with the alarm and hear him saying "good morning beautiful."

Alex and I can definitely recommend Skype!  We'll probably get my Mom & Dad set up on it when we visit them so she can call and pester me about when we're giving them grandchildren as often as she likes. 

Skype pretty much rocks me. The only real issues we've had is the video getting choppy or freezing up, but logging out and logging back in again seems to solve that issue for us.

Seconding the headphones suggestion though--the echoes did get annoying. It's also been great because FH and I can conference call with my mother about wedding planning!! (I'm pretty sure you can conference up to 10 people, if I'm not mistaken.)

that's one of the things I've loved.  My stepfather recently passed away, and while things were happening, we needed to communicate with each other all the time.  It helped my mom so much when I would call her and conference my sisters as well so we could all talk together-one sister and my mom were on Skype and I'd call my other sister with skype-out credits (only 1.2p per minute!).  I think it brought her comfort to hear us all at once.

i love skype. been using it since late 2004 and will recomend it to everyone. its how my family and i stay in touch with each other for very little money. it costs me 2p a minute to have my skype calls forwarded to my landline so i dont have wait in front of my computer to chat. my mum uses it to call my granddad from her computer in florida to his landline here in the uk. i think shes charged about 3 US cents a minute as well. when we move were getting one of the skype phones that will allow you to use the wireless connection in your hose to make calls as well.

I love skype, very often I set it up so my parents can just watch my son playing in the living room, they love it!!!