Skype coming to Verizon Wireless on the Droid

[cincywolv]

Unfortunately, it wont work over wifi, meaning you cant bypass VZ intl rates entirely when abroad . It also means we are SOL on communicating via VOIP with the Droid if in a country with no CDMA. Question is, how long will it take before we see an app that will allow us to bypass this restriction and use Skype on wifi. For crying out loud, the communist nation of Apple even allows it to work over wifi!


"Other wireless carriers have blocked the Skype app from running all the time. It's available on the iPhone only in Wi-Fi hot spots. In October, AT&T said it would relent and let the program work over its cellular network as well, but Skype has not yet released an application to enable that. Verizon's version of Skype mobile will not work over Wi-Fi, the companies said."


Verizon Wireless to let some smart phone customers use Skype over its wireless network

YOU ARE WRONG ABOUT THAT! If you tried other working Skype apps right now in the market, they already work with wi-fi. In fact, they only work well with wi-fi right now. I'm actually the opposite in thinking if it will work well in 3G, since the current apps don't work well with 3G. Try the Nimbuzz IM client in the market. It has Skype in it. I've already made a Skype to Skype call with someone else from abroad over wi-fi with it and it works. 3G, on the other hand, won't work on it so hopefully the new dedicated Skype app that they will have for us next month should work nicely even on 3G. Again, right now you CAN use wi-fi for the available Skype apps right now in the market.

I also do not think that Verizon or Skype will block wi-fi access for the app since that defeats the purpose of unlimited calling for Skype to Skype users.

Per the article, Verizon would be controlling how you accessed Skype by not making it wifi enabled , not how much you can skype with others. Whether this is true or not remains TBD.

 

[bastosero]

Unfortunately, it wont work over wifi, meaning you cant bypass VZ intl rates entirely when abroad . It also means we are SOL on communicating via VOIP with the Droid if in a country with no CDMA. Question is, how long will it take before we see an app that will allow us to bypass this restriction and use Skype on wifi. For crying out loud, the communist nation of Apple even allows it to work over wifi!


"Other wireless carriers have blocked the Skype app from running all the time. It's available on the iPhone only in Wi-Fi hot spots. In October, AT&T said it would relent and let the program work over its cellular network as well, but Skype has not yet released an application to enable that. Verizon's version of Skype mobile will not work over Wi-Fi, the companies said."


Verizon Wireless to let some smart phone customers use Skype over its wireless network

YOU ARE WRONG ABOUT THAT! If you tried other working Skype apps right now in the market, they already work with wi-fi. In fact, they only work well with wi-fi right now. I'm actually the opposite in thinking if it will work well in 3G, since the current apps don't work well with 3G. Try the Nimbuzz IM client in the market. It has Skype in it. I've already made a Skype to Skype call with someone else from abroad over wi-fi with it and it works. 3G, on the other hand, won't work on it so hopefully the new dedicated Skype app that they will have for us next month should work nicely even on 3G. Again, right now you CAN use wi-fi for the available Skype apps right now in the market.

Dude, you need to chill. I was merely copying and pasting a piece of the article I attached to my post. It came from the source I included in this thread.

If you can give me a recommendation or two on a good Skype app, I would appreciate it.

Thx.

I think you misunderstood me, bro. I'm cool as ice. I didn't caps locked the first sentence to shout at you. I was just emphasizing it. Anyway, you can try out the Nimbuzz IM app since it supports Skype there. Also, another one that I heard of that supports Skype is Fring. Right now though, even if you use wi-fi the call quality isn't the best, but it works. Check them out and let me know if you find other Skype apps that are out right now.

 

[cincywolv]

Unfortunately, it wont work over wifi, meaning you cant bypass VZ intl rates entirely when abroad . It also means we are SOL on communicating via VOIP with the Droid if in a country with no CDMA. Question is, how long will it take before we see an app that will allow us to bypass this restriction and use Skype on wifi. For crying out loud, the communist nation of Apple even allows it to work over wifi!


"Other wireless carriers have blocked the Skype app from running all the time. It's available on the iPhone only in Wi-Fi hot spots. In October, AT&T said it would relent and let the program work over its cellular network as well, but Skype has not yet released an application to enable that. Verizon's version of Skype mobile will not work over Wi-Fi, the companies said."


Verizon Wireless to let some smart phone customers use Skype over its wireless network

If you get a good signal on the Verizon network, why would you use Skype in the first place. I don't understand this thinking.

Because if you are outside the US, why would you want to pay VZ international data or voice rates when you could use Skype via wifi and bypass VZ all together? Or what if you are in a part of the world that doesnt have CDMA (since the Droid is only a dual band)? How would you make/receive calls?

 

[cincywolv]

YOU ARE WRONG ABOUT THAT! If you tried other working Skype apps right now in the market, they already work with wi-fi. In fact, they only work well with wi-fi right now. I'm actually the opposite in thinking if it will work well in 3G, since the current apps don't work well with 3G. Try the Nimbuzz IM client in the market. It has Skype in it. I've already made a Skype to Skype call with someone else from abroad over wi-fi with it and it works. 3G, on the other hand, won't work on it so hopefully the new dedicated Skype app that they will have for us next month should work nicely even on 3G. Again, right now you CAN use wi-fi for the available Skype apps right now in the market.

Dude, you need to chill. I was merely copying and pasting a piece of the article I attached to my post. It came from the source I included in this thread.

If you can give me a recommendation or two on a good Skype app, I would appreciate it.

Thx.

I think you misunderstood me, bro. I'm cool as ice. I didn't caps locked the first sentence to shout at you. I was just emphasizing it. Anyway, you can try out the Nimbuzz IM app since it supports Skype there. Also, another one that I heard of that supports Skype is Fring. Right now though, even if you use wi-fi the call quality isn't the best, but it works. Check them out and let me know if you find other Skype apps that are out right now.

Its all good- I appreciate the explanation. I'll hit those recs up and let you know if I come across any good ones

 

[YA123]

This is sweet but I heard it costs a lot of money, 1 Buck a minute to be exact but there will be monthly plans too though.

 

[bastosero]

This is sweet but I heard it costs a lot of money, 1 Buck a minute to be exact but there will be monthly plans too though.

It's not that much. Here's the link for the domestic/international rates if you are going to call a regular phone number with your Skype account.


International Calling - Call Rates - Skype


And yes there also plans that you can get monthly. Personally, if I have to call an international regular phone number, I use Google Voice since I have it now. The rates for Google Voice is much cheaper than Skype.

 

[Jonny Kansas]

We use Skype via computer to keep in touch with my cousin (Who's like a brother to me) overseas in the army. Free skype-to-skype means I can call him on his computer for free, right? That's what I'm getting from having already read the article announcing it. If so, that kicks major a$$. Hope it works better than when he uses Skype to call my phone from his computer now. Can hardly hear him sometimes!

 

[vtrider159]

Yes, it should be free. CNET mentioned this in a podcast a few days ago and someone inevitably forsaw the future and mentioned that in due time, Skype could charge for use, but that was just a speculation.

I use skype the same way the poster above does, so this would be cool.

 

[Xsoldier2000]

I have Google Voice right now, and use it over 3g and wifi. When I read about the Skype/Verizon thing, I was overjoyed. After reading into it, I don't see any benefit with using Skype over Voice.

Am I wrong?

I've also heard Google voice is looking into porting over your number to Voice, if that is the case, Data Only Plan, here I come.

 

[huskur]

Verizon users to get Skype in late March

email i just got minutes ago. Probably already covered but here it is anyway

 

[Xsoldier2000]

Sorry...


Wanted to add, Voice works over wifi also....

 

[reykja]

That's cool....I started using Fring which allows me to use Skype, MSN live, Google Talk, Yahoo, AIM,Twitter, ICQ and SIP. I talked to my Aunt overseas the other day through it which logged me in my Skype account. I worked pretty good as long as I had a good WI-FI connection....

 

[Fraxinus]

Wanted to add, Voice works over wifi also....

Xsoldier - can you clarify this? Google Voice is not a VoIP service, it is simply a call routing service. When you use GV from your cell phone you are still routing the call over Verizon's voice network, not data. Are you using Gizmo5 in conjunction with GV? I was under the impression that this was the only way to utilize your Google Voice number over a data connection (as Gizmo5 is a VoIP service you can tie to your Voice account).

 

[bastosero]

Wanted to add, Voice works over wifi also....

Xsoldier - can you clarify this? Google Voice is not a VoIP service, it is simply a call routing service. When you use GV from your cell phone you are still routing the call over Verizon's voice network, not data. Are you using Gizmo5 in conjunction with GV? I was under the impression that this was the only way to utilize your Google Voice number over a data connection (as Gizmo5 is a VoIP service you can tie to your Voice account).

Let me help clarify this a bit. Yes, Google Voice is not a VoIP service. Xsoldier2000 is wrong by saying that it works on wi-fi the way other VoIP services do (I'm not sure though if that's what he's trying to imply) since, as you stated, GV is only a service for routing calls. You can, however, have a way around it with a SIP service app. Gizmo5 is a SIP app (something similar to VoIP). Another one is SIPDroid in the market. You have to set everything up with GV and a SIP service app and use wi-fi to connect, I believe, to use it that way for GV.

Xsoldier2000, you are somewhat wrong with your earlier post. Skype on Verizon, on a wi-fi connection, would be helpful if you are outside the USA. If you were outside the USA, you really can't use your phone service. Some of the countries do support CDMA, but it's very limited. Also, I don't think you would want to pay very high for the roaming charges for that. That's where Skype on Verizon comes in handy. If you can connect on a wi-fi connection outside the USA, then you can make a Skype to Skype call (which is free), or pay a much smaller amount to buy Skype credits if you want to call regular phone numbers with your Skype account. I hope this explanation helps a bit.

 

[bastosero]

Wanted to add, Voice works over wifi also....

Xsoldier - can you clarify this? Google Voice is not a VoIP service, it is simply a call routing service. When you use GV from your cell phone you are still routing the call over Verizon's voice network, not data. Are you using Gizmo5 in conjunction with GV? I was under the impression that this was the only way to utilize your Google Voice number over a data connection (as Gizmo5 is a VoIP service you can tie to your Voice account).

Let me help clarify this a bit. Yes, Google Voice is not a VoIP service. Xsoldier2000 is wrong by saying that it works on wi-fi the way other VoIP services do (I'm not sure though if that's what he's trying to imply) since, as you stated, GV is only a service for routing calls. You can, however, have a way around it with a SIP service app. Gizmo5 is a SIP app (something similar to VoIP). Another one is SIPDroid in the market. You have to set everything up with GV and a SIP service app and use wi-fi to connect, I believe, to use it that way for GV.

Xsoldier2000, you are somewhat wrong with your earlier post. Skype on Verizon, on a wi-fi connection, would be helpful if you are outside the USA. If you were outside the USA, you really can't use your phone service. Some of the countries do support CDMA, but it's very limited. Also, I don't think you would want to pay very high for the roaming charges for that. That's where Skype on Verizon comes in handy. If you can connect on a wi-fi connection outside the USA, then you can make a Skype to Skype call (which is free), or pay a much smaller amount to buy Skype credits if you want to call regular phone numbers with your Skype account. I hope this explanation helps a bit.

Also, not everyone has Google Voice Xsoldier2000 for now. That's another reason why it's a good idea to have Skype for Verizon.