Yes, by using Skype, you are [in]voluntarily "donating" your bandwidth and CPU power to their network.

From their EULA (http://www.skype.com/company/legal/eula/index.html):
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/...2570A1001698C0
http://blog.drinsama.de/erich/en/200...r-network.html

"Reader Julian Bond wrote in to say that the relay traffic in question only occurs if the Skype PC becomes a "supernode". This is only possible the PC is connected directly to the internet without an intervening firewall. Even then, Bond says that Skype only relays signalling and not voice traffic, to a maximum of 40kbit/s in both directions."

The famous civil rights scholar??

Each 'user' needs an individual user name. You can't call yourself from one pc to another, RobertS on laptop A can't call RobertS on laptop B.

But you can sign up for multiple user(s)....as others have said, skype calls btw skype users are free; it only costs when you call landline or mobile phone.

So if RobertS signed on via laptop A, he could talk with RobertSS on laptop B. Hope this helps newbies

Certain conditions do, in fact, need to be met in order for one's PC (or other device) to become a "SuperNode". Depending on the configuration of the firewall, it may or may not prevent this behaviour.

Even at 5 KB/sec in each direction, that's ~864000 KB/864 MB (5x2x60x60x24) per day, and ~26 GB per month.

Also see this link http://www.skype.com/products/explained.html

This is one of the main reasons I very seldom use Skype. Regardless of what people write, I see a noticeable negative impact on my network connection when Skype is running, even behind my firewall. Free is not always free.

I use internetcalls.com and find it's pricing to be so close to free that I don't see the need to use skype very often. It allows me to call land lines or mobile phones in many countries for close to free via a SIP phone/client or my Trixbox setup.

The SKYPE forum might be just what is needed to answer more technical question such as the use of a SMART cell phone to make and receive Skype-based calls from anywhere in the world. The SMART cell phones are currently the only phones one can use for this Skype service, as far as I know.

BTW, calling an 800 via SkypOut is free and does not count against ones credit which I like very much.

Before my first $25 credit was depleted my Skype account suddenly become restricted. You just see an error message about a connectivity problem and nothing else.

You have to send them a message and about a day later you will get a response where they inquire about the four first and last cc numbers that you used to pay for the purchase and your street address.

I found this "verification" process cumbersome especially because of the really low dollar amount and for the fact that I was on Cambodia and didn't really wan't to use my calling card to make phone calls.

skype has been hit with tremendous volume of cc fraud, mostly from eastern europe/russia...so they've been more difficult for first time users. i had same problem when i first set up accounts for my wife and kids.

however, note they now have automatic top-off feature - if you go below $2.00, they'll automatically add either $10 or $25 to your account.

I have never heard of this before. Was this some sort of function of PayPal (of which I am NOT a fan) PayPal seems more and more to require you become "verified" by submitting your bank account information. I have NO intentions of giving my banking information. Credit card charges can be disputed and, if necessary, the card can be canceled if unauthorized activity begins to appear but my bank account is too personal for me to open to anyone.
I think I have been a member of Skype long enough that PayPal has not required this of me however I have heard of others that have had difficulty with PayPal because they wish this verification process.

Perhaps this was your difficulty?

When I opened the Skype account I simply funded $25 from my Citi CC using my US street address.

I just didn't like the fact that my account suddenly (month or two later after the funding) became restricted without any reasons really. I could have understood it if the amount had been significantly higher. I believe that I had depleted only $15 or so from my initial funding.

They could have send an email or had a clear message about the restriction. The only way I found the real reason for the "connectivity" problem was when I Googled the error message.

So if you travel a lot it might pay having another account i.e. Yahoo open as well. I think that the process from disabling my account and reopening took about a week.

Just to clarify:

I will be in Sydney for several weeks and want to use Skype.

If I sign up for SkypeIn, I can get a Seattle 206 area code number and family here can call me for free. If I call Seattle from Australia, the cost is .021 per minute.

If I sign up for SkypeOut, I can have calls forwarded to my cell phone (will have a SIM card for local use in Sydney) for an additional .024 per minute.

Skype 101
 

So far, you've got good coverage for Skype dummies and some "advanced" discussion. :)

Basically, there are three kind of services:

1. FREE Skype for making computer-to-computer calls:
This was originally how Skype got started as a pc-to-pc calls. As a registered Skype user, when your computer is equipped with the hardwares/accessaries & internet access (broadband preferred but dial-up acceptable), you can "call" other registerd Skype users for free. You make calls from your computer by using their user names, instead of phone numbers. You only need to download the program and get yourself a Skype account to start with. You will need to know people's Skype user names in order to make the free calls.

2. Paid SkypeOut:
By adding this service to your Skype account, you can now make calls from your computers to any phone number in the world. It's a pre-paid service and the credits you buy will stay good for 180 days. As long as you have at least one Skypeout activity, your unused credits won't expire. Your credits always stay good for 180 days from your last Skypeout activity. It's similar to pre-paid calling cards and Skyepout does have reasonable rates.

3. Paid SkypeIn:
With a SkyIn number, people can call you from a "real" (lanline or mobile) phone, instead of using a computer. You answer the phone from your computer.

It all depends on your needs and travel patterns. Most people don't need a SkypeIn number. You don't have to buy Skypeout credits if your mobile already meets your needs when you travel.

Being in the States, currently all the 1-800 calls are free. Also there's Skype Unlimited (paid) Plan for calls made from within the US and Canada.

You can also go "advanced" and get yourself some nice gadgets so you can make Skype calls without a computer. But I think that's beyond "Skype for Dummies." ;)

lin821, could you expound a bit more on these WiFi phones that can make Skype calls without the computer? How do they establish themselves on a wireless network, even if a free one?

Skype 101.5
 

Glad you enjoyed our 101 class. :)

I never use the Skype WiFi phone but I will try my best. I am not sure I am tech savvy enough to explain it correctly though. I am just a technology-curious soul without any tech background. ;)

I believe Skype authorized those WiFi phone manufacturers so the Skype/Out/In becomes a built-in interface on those models. The way I understand it, these wifi phones are like "Skype mobiles." Different from the "true" mobiles (such as TMobile, Verizon..), these "Skype mobiles" communicate via internet (in this particular case, wifi). You do need to have access to the wifi so the phones can be in active duty. (Just like when you take your laptop on the road and need to get online.) I assume the phone can scan for the wifi signals similar to the way laptops do. When the phones are first set up, you should have provided all the required info already. It should be very easy if a free wifi is used, since the "Skype mobile" is ready to go. I am not sure what's the extra step when using the "restricted' wifi though.

What I do know is that these Skype Mobiles are a bit more expensive ($110-$199?) than the USB phones. On the other hand, they give you the computer-free convenience. Sometimes they are bundled with mail-in rebates or some SkypeOut credits.

I suspect there might be some hackable models that would "transform" them into "Skype Mobiles," just like hacked iPhone on non-AT&T network. I don't have further knowledge on this though.

Not sure I am answering your questions. That's pretty much all the juices I have. If you will spell out more clearly on your "projected" needs, phone usage, and travel patterns, I am sure our fellow FTer experts will chime in and point you to the right direction.