Skype Guide

Would you like to call family and friends overseas more often, if you could only find a cheaper way to do so? Have you ever thought it would be great to see the people you talk to, whether it be someone who lives near you or on the other side of the world? Would you like to make voice and video calls for free, or at a great rate? With Skype, all of this is possible.

Skype is a software program that people can download for free. Once downloaded, users can call other Skype users for free, and they can also call people on mobiles and landlines for a small fee. Users can even make video calls with Skype, also free to other Skype users. Other free services offered include instant messaging and conference calls. You can quickly and easily download Skype here. Simply click on the "Download now" button, as seen below, to begin downloading if your computer uses Windows 2000, XP or Vista. On the right of this page, you can also choose to download the software if your computer uses Mac OS X , Linux or Windows business version.

Skype uses your internet connection to carry the data that makes your voice or video calls possible. You will need a microphone and speaker to use your computer as a phone. Many computers have a microphone and speaker built in, which may be fine, but you should probably buy a headset for better quality calls and/or comfort. You can buy a suitable headset from Ezy Electronics here or from the Skype Store. To make video calls, you will also need a webcam, a small video camera that can be attached to your computer. Some computers nowadays come with one already built in, but many people will need to buy a webcam, or perhaps buy a webcam that is of better quality if you are not happy with the one your computer came with. You can also buy a suitable webcam from Ezy Electronics here or from the Skype Store.

After downloading and setting up the software, you should search for family and friends who also have Skype. An email will be sent to you after you download the Skype software, and you can click on "Add friends now" which will bring you to the Skype website. If you want to search later, simply click on the "Use Skype" tab in the menu at the top of the Skype website, and click on "Get Connected". This will bring you to a very useful page full of hints and guides to getting the most out of Skype. To begin with, click on the "More about adding contacts" in the middle of the page, as shown below.

This will bring you to the same page as provided by Skype in the email they send you after you download their software. At this point, it is a good idea to click on the "add contacts" link at the bottom of the page. You can search by typing in a person's full name, Skype Name or email address into the search bar. All possible matches will come up, and you can then add a person as a contact if you find the person you are looking for. It is also possible to import your contact list from your Microsoft Outlook or Yahoo email accounts, and you should then invite them to download Skype if they haven't already. Once you have a friend or family member on Skype, you can chat with instant messaging, send them a text message or call them for free.

Not everyone has the Skype software or a computer and access to the Internet. With Skype however, you can also call anyone on a landline or mobile phone anywhere in the world. To make priced calls through Skype, you simply need to purchase credit that is debited every time you make a call at the rates specified, or you can select a monthly plan. With monthly plans you can choose unlimited calls (fair usage policy applies) to landlines in one country for $6.95 per month, or you can choose unlimited calls (again, fair usage policy does apply) to landlines in over 40 countries worldwide. Some countries also include calls to mobile phones. The great thing too with a monthly plan is that you can use your Skype account when you travel, so you can call Australia or anywhere else in the world and it is covered under the monthly charge. Buy Skype Credit now to make cheap calls internationally.

Even if you do not have a computer, you can use Skype on certain mobile phones, such as 3's INQ mobile. You will receive the same benefits with Skype as you would on a computer - free calls to friends and family who have Skype, and cheap calls to other mobiles and landlines with the purchase of credit or a monthly plan.

Questions? Comments?

Are you a user of Skype? Would you like to be, but have some questions first? Want to talk about the good and the bad about Skype? Would you like to find people to chat to using Skype?

Join the community discussing Skype on our forum here.

Skype Guide

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