I can’t find this on the Skype page, but is there a way for an ordinary phone to call a Skype account? I know Skype can call a phone number if you pay a fee, but is there a way to make it work vice versa? To make a Skype address function like a phone number?
-TomHookers use Skype now?
The link above is for Europe. However, the U.S. link has substantially similar information.
No emergency calls with Skype.
Skype is not a replacement for your ordinary telephone and can’t be used for emergency calling.
With no connection fees or long term contracts and a 2.95 monthly rate + 30 dollar annual fee for you own number, why would you want Vonage or Lingo? Do Vonage and Lingo have 911 service?
My wife and I have cell phones, broad band Internet, and a positive experience with Skype for international outgoing calls. I am looking to replace my AT&T landline. My research into Vonage and Lingo shows that their customer service is not the best and that some people have trouble when trying to cancel the service. Is Skype a viable alternative to a standard land line or a Vonage type of VOIP service?
thank you, jafi!
Vonage does. Vonage also uses, you know, real phones that you buy at Walmart. It does not require a computer.
/em has nightmares of booting Vista to place a phone call…
You can buy hardware Skype phones as well.
I just replaced my regular phone line with the Skype fixed phone number service. The cost is 3 bucks a month + 30 dollars a year for the fixed phone number i.e., less than six dollars a month.
PROS
[ul]
[li]Cheap anywhere in the US and Canada unlimited calling for 3 bucks a month.
[/li][li]You can use your phone and check your messages from anywhere you can get to a computer with Skype on it.
[/li][li]Free features such as voice mail etc.
[/li][li]No hassles with 3rd party billing scams(cramming) requiring odious phone calls and follow ups month to month
[/li][li]No more crappy AT&T customer service
[/li][li]No more hidden costs and taxes[/ul]CONS
[/li][ul]
[li]No emergency dialing!
[/li][li]If you are using a computer to receive calls, your computer must be on , Skype must be running, and you must be in earshot of the one computer that can be logged in to Skype.
[/li][li]There are Skype phones that can be used with a wireless connection i.e., no computer needed. However, the Skype phones I have investigated are expensive (100+ dollars) and get mediocre reviews for voice clarity and dropped calls.
[/li][li]No electricity or no Internet access <> no phone calls
[/li][li]More prone to dropped calls?[/ul]Other
[/li][ul]
[li]I assume I am not listed with this number which may be a bonus for some and a negative for others.[/ul]I will investigate to see if I can get a special connection to my router so I can use a wireless phone system I was using with my fixed phone line.
[/li]
My wife and I have cell phones and we have broad band Internet access, a wireless router, and several computers including a laptop with a wireless card. This alternative seems viable and it seems more attractive than just canceling our land line and using our cells.
If you have the balls for the comittment, Ooma is my favorite. You pre-pay for lifetime service – $250! – but you get a set of free hardware and from then on, there are no payments.
Basically, it’s an extra router you put between your modem and your normal router, and which you plug into your home’s phone cabling. You just keep your old handsets. If you don’t like being double NATed, you can just plug it into your normal router, though QoS is then yours to maintain. (Or you can put your normal router into bridge mode)