Yesterday Skype released Skype for Windows 5.6 continuing the process of new releases every two to three months. This release incorporates several incremental changes that modify the user experience. And expanding on the recent incorporation of advertising into other Skype clients (Mac/iPhone/iPad/Android), Skype for Windows now has advertising for those who do not have one of Skype credit, a Skype Calling Plan subscription or a Skype Premium subscription.

The changes involve:

• Screen sharing improvements
• New “getting started” experience
• Moved “Call Phones” button into the frame at upper left with Skype Credit
• Call monitor window widget with call controls when in another application
• Compact mode viewing does not launch Skype Home window on startup

Installing this version from the file download (automatic update was not available at time of writing) takes one through the startup process to set up audio and video devices as well as the profile picture:

Of course for a new user, the Skype account creation process precedes this setup wizard.

If you are in a call and move to another application window a “Call Monitor” widget pops up on the desktop, as shown on the right, with call control buttons for mic muting and ending the call. This is one feature that had been on Skype for Mac 5.x for a while.  Returning to the Skype client’s window restores the full call window with the profile picture or video image.

While the call management bar icon for going to full screen has changed slightly, one can still go full screen for video to get a telepresence effect on larger displays.

One major change relates to screen sharing. Whereas previously one could only share a full desktop, it is now possible to select a window to share; this certainly assists with any privacy issues when sharing a desktop.

On selecting the sharing icon from the call management bar, one selects “Share entire screen” which, in turn brings up the Sharing Screen (below, left). (Might the availability of screen sharing options be more obvious if the menu item simply said “Show Screen Sharing”.)

Clicking on the arrow at the lower right brings up the selection of the Full Screen or a Window. The latter will show thumbnails for all the windows open on the desktop; select one for sharing:

The other party’s screen is shown below where the sharer’s avatar remains; recall that screen sharing takes over the video channel’s stream:

While this change certainly is an enhancement of the screen sharing feature, there is still no screen sharing available for Group Video Calling, a feature that was introduced on the recently launched Skype for Mac 5.4.

Finally there were many complaints from those using Compact View about having Skype Home coming up when they logged in. This has been addressed; now when a user logs in and has selected Compact View they will not get a Skype Home display.

Bottom Line: Several “incremental” changes but combined they are significant enough to improve the overall user experience. Lack of screen sharing for Group Video calling is a disappointment; let’s hope it’s in the next upgrade. On the other hand the Call Monitor window is very handy allowing some level of call control while in other windows/applications. And I would still like to see the Call Quality Information feature over in Skype for Mac; it’s the handiest tool for ensuring a caller has the appropriate hardware and Internet connection.

At the time of writing the automatic update to Skype 5.6 had not been triggered; this will occur within a few days. In the meantime download Skype for Windows 5.6 here.

Ever wonder if Skype could replace your home phone line? Borderless Communicator publisher and independent Skype “statistician” Hudson Barton has outlined, with encouragement by Skype Journal‘s Phil Wolff, the complete details of how he has deployed Skype to become his home phone.

If you are considering this option here are some of the considerations:

• Skype Online should be offering numbers in your local calling area.
• Create a separate Skype account solely for the home phone configuration
  • There are no Contacts associated with the account (optionally you can create a separate set of contacts)
  • All inbound calls are concurrently forwarded to their two  iPhones (leaving one more PSTN call forwarding number available)
  • They still use their original Skype accounts for making and receiving Skype calls with their Skype Contacts

• Hudson and his wife answer ALL calls on their respective iPhones using the carrier’s voice channel
  • not on Skype for iPhone
• They also subscribed to a North American unlimited US and Canada Skype Calling Plan
  • $60 per year (vs $360 for a Time Warner home phone line)
  • Results in a 50% discount on the cost of their Skype Online number (net $30 per year)
  • Required since all inbound calls are forwarded to their iPhones on the PSTN
  • Provides outbound calling options (see below)
• Hudson has outlined the issues with respect to outbound calling.
  • Where a SkypeOut call would be the lowest cost, he uses Skype for iPhone logged into the same “home phone” Skype account.
  • However, due to battery issues he closes Skype for iPhone when not making Outbound calls. (recall that they answer inbound calls on their wireless carrier’s voice channel).
  • For outbound calls he can optionally set either his Skype Online number or a mobile number as the callerID for SkypeOut calls.
• There is no 911 service for the Skype Online number; however, it is provided by their iPhone carrier.
• Voice mails are left on the iPhones’ carrier accounts for ready access, not Skype voice mail.

With Hudson’s implementation, the Skype client is never open except when required on the iPhone for SkypeOut calls; Skype’s infrastructure works in the background to forward calls. No PC is required once the account is set up and call forwarding configured. Other than the mobile phones, no PC hardware is required for the ongoing use of the service.

Over the years I have experienced a couple of other situations where, while it may not be their only home phone service, users have taken advantage of Skype.

Use a PC-free Skype-enhanced phone. While there were once several offerings for this, the current offerings are the RTX Dualphone 3088 (cordless, landline and Skype) which can combine a landline service and Skype into one platform and the FREETALK Office Phone (Ethernet, Skype only) . Since the Dualphone works via a DECT-supported base station, you can have as many as four handsets around the home. Once again:

• create a separate Skype account for your “home phone” service
• ensure that you can obtain a Skype Online number that is toll-free to most of your callers
  • low cost unlimited calling US/Canada landline subscriptions are very common
• you have configured call forwarding options to send unanswered calls to a mobile phone
• obtain a Skype subscription appropriate to where you expect to place outbound calls
• 911 calls can be made via the landline or the user’s mobile phone.

In one instance the user is moving amongst several countries over a few months and they simply take their Dualphone with them and obtain a local landline service if needed.

My own home phone is a Dualphone equivalent; but our landline uses the Rogers Home Phone service where the plan includes 1,000 minutes of US/Canada calling and free calls to other Rogers Home Phone customers as well as any Rogers wireless phone in Canada. But a similar Skype configuration is not feasible in Canada as Skype Online numbers are not offered for Canada.

Bottom line: Yes, with the appropriate services available in your local calling area, you can replace your home phone with a Skype service. However, understand you will need a smartphone for 911 calling and you need to ensure your iPhone is kept charged to be able to receive calls.

Other posts:

• RTX Dualphone 3088: The Bloggers’ Have Their Say
• RTX 3088 Dualphone: An Ideal Home or Small Office Solution for Easy Worldwide Calling

Related articles

• Skype hits 145 million users monthly (voiceontheweb.biz)

Note: While eBuyNow (formerly In Store Solutions and producer of the FREETALK Office Phone) was a client of the author’s, this is no longer the case. The author currently has no interest in any product sales resulting from links within this post. He has been using the no longer available Phillips dual mode cordless phone for his Rogers Home Phone service.

Following the Mood Messages of a Skype employee in my Skype Conversations window I came across this last Friday: “brand new version of Skype To Go available. Dead simple to use, nothing to download, call directly from your contact list !” Curious, I went to my Skype To Go subscription where I found all six of my Skype To Go contacts had suddenly, and spontaneously, sprouted individual 647 numbers (647 being the overlay area code for Toronto’s legacy 416 area code).

Previously I had a single Toronto-based Skype To Go number which I would call to access one of my six contacts by selecting a number between “1” and “6” when I called the number. This process, using a Bluetooth connection between my BlackBerry and car audio system,  meant my “hands free” calling to this number in my car required that I actually use the keypad on my car’s “phone” panel. The new Skype To Go resolves this issue and more.

Here’s what’s new:

• Up to nine Skype To Go contacts can be designated; each with an individual Skype To Go number
• Up to five of your mobile or landline phones can be registered as valid phones to use these numbers
• When calling from a registered phone to one of the nine contacts, there is no need to wait for any voice prompts; the connection is now immediately made.
• Validated with a PIN and entering one of the registered phones’ numbers, one can call these numbers from any other phone.
• You register also the Country and Area Code you are calling from. When you move to another Country you can change the registered Country and get new local phones numbers for each of your Skype To Go contacts. But when you return to your “home” country you will get back your original Skype To Go numbers.
• The listing also shows what your charges are to these numbers below the destination number.
• You can select which of the registered numbers you want to display as your callerID when making these calls.
• What’s not changed? Your old Skype To Go number which you can still use for calling numbers not included in your Skype To Go contact list.

Skype To Go numbers can be obtained in 23 countries (note that Canada was added earlier this year):

So what’s the cost?

• If the number called is on one of your Skype subscription plans, there is no charge to landlines and mobiles in the eight countries with totally unlimited calling; for the 33 countries with unlimited calling to landlines only you pay the going Skype calling rate for calls to mobile phones (for instance, $0.317 per minute to mobile numbers in Spain). Note that Skype’s fair usage policy applies.
  
• If not on a subscription you pay, via Skype credits, the normal SkypeOut charges plus a connection fee.

Bottom line: I can now make totally hands free calls to these nine “most frequent” contacts using Skype To Go from my car via my BlackBerry or iPhone simply by pressing the “Enter” button on my steering wheel and saying “Call [Name] Other”. To simplify this process I have recorded these Skype To Go numbers under “Other” in my smartphone and Outlook address books. Back to total compliance with Ontario law regarding use of mobile phones while driving.

The bonus: I added my wife’s BlackBerry as a registered phone and she gets to call three relatives in another Canadian city at no cost when calling from Toronto’s rather large local calling area, encompassing four area codes. (With 90% of  its population spread out across a belt 100 miles wide and 4,000 miles long, Canada still has long distance charges, although they are gradually evaporating into carrier calling plans at low or no cost.)

Normally when Skype has made a major release, Skype PR will provide a heads-up to bloggers and other technology media a day or two ahead of time under an embargo until a defined time. This allows Skype to better manage the message to the market in terms of at least answering initial questions that may arise as a result of a pending release. However, when i returned home from a Saturday evening dinner today I started to find Twitter messages about Skype for iPhone over 3G becoming available.

Turns out that I had updated my Skype apps earlier today with no sign of a new version of Skype for iPhone. But when I checked again a few moments ago, sure enough, there was a new version of Skype for iPhone ready to download – the long awaited and much anticipated Skype for iPhone that works over 3G. But most interesting is the lack of the usual Skype blog post(s) announcing the availability of this release. Given that Skype does not have final control over Apple App Store releases, it should not be a total surprise that this has happened during the “quiet period” of a weekend. .

On downloading Skype for iPhone version 2.0 I found the overview screen shown on the right. Most interesting is the comment:

“Call using your 3G connection. Skype-to-Skype calls on 3G are free until at least the end of August 2010, after which there will be a small monthly fee (operator charges for data will still apply).” Update: according to the eventual press release, the free period has been extended to the end of December 2010.

Here’s the probable explanation: For Skype on 3 and Verizon’s “Skype mobile”, you need to be on a carrier voice and data plan that incorporates Skype calling, including free Skype-to-Skype calls. As was explained by iSkoot (who wrote the original code for Skype on 3) at eComm 2008, Skype receives a monthly royalty for each data and voice plan subscriber; effectively it is a royalty for licensing the Skype software.

But Skype for iPhone 2.0 is carrier-agnostic and involves no agreements with the various individual GSM/HSPA+ carriers. As a result it appears that Skype intends to charge a “small fee” for Skype-to-Skype calls after September 1, 2010. Some points:

• this eliminates the need for Skype to make agreements with individual carriers, who will already have the potential to benefit from the extra data usage (and new service subscribers) Skype for iPhone over 3G will generate.
• Skype already has a billing engine in place for acquiring Skype credits and Skype calling plans
• Skype for iPhone over 3G should also support SkypeOut calls over 3G with Skype using a Skype calling plan or Skype credits but paying no “affiliate commission” back to the carriers.
• Will the current calling plans incorporate an option for Skype over 3G?
• Question: will we see similar charges for Skype-to-Skype calls made using Skype for Symbian (which runs over 3G), a much rumored Skype for Android or, if we ever see it, a Skype for BlackBerry?
• Will be seeing a “less small” for Skype video calling over 3G, such as I experienced from a Nokia N900 user a few days ago?
• Be wary of using Skype for iPhone over 3G when roaming. Remember that those relatively expensive roaming charges will run up quickly during a Skype-to-Skype call made over 3G. This would even apply when you answer a Skype-to-Skype call via your 3G service.
• Stay with using Skype for iPhone over WiFi when roaming; after all WiFi is becoming the stealth carrier of choice.
• Skype for iPhone 2.0 with 3G support will be the true test of carriers’ willingness to allow IP-based voice communications services.  My local test will be Rogers’ adherence to its previously announced support of Skype operating over any of their services.

Of course attempting to make a Skype-to-Skype call late Saturday evening presents one other challenge – most of my Skype contacts whom I would call at this hour (11:00 p.m. GMT-4 or EDT) are offline. But I’ll make an attempt during the day Sunday and report on the actual call experience and the other new features mentioned in the App Store overview screen.

Meanwhile you can download Skype for iPhone 2.0 at the Apple App Store.

Note: This post has been mildly updated from the original posting made at midnight Saturday; a few hours’ sleep tends to generate a couple of additional points.

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Yesterday Skype introduced new subscription or calling plan options that provide more flexibility in terms of matching a subscription option to an individual user’s specific needs. In summary:

Ongoing Plans

The previous local country, regional and worldwide calling plans remain in place with three two changes that I have encountered:

• some price increases: for instance, while “Unlimited US and Canada” remains unchanged, “Unlimited North America” and “Unlimited World” have gone up by $1.00/€1.00 per month
• acknowledgment that the Canadian dollar is now close to or at par with the U.S. dollar
  • effectively a cost reduction for C$-denominated purchases
  • in the example below C$=US$ when changing currency
• continuation of the 15% discount for a 12-month subscription
  • not changed; discount applied during the purchase process
  • also 5% discount for a 3-month subscription

New Plans

The new plans offer three new options that have the potential to reduce calling costs for specific user segments:

• select an individual (termination) country from over 170 countries (would be useful for Canadians with family ties back to one specific country outside North America, such as India, Italy or Argentina)
• time caps (for example calling to Spain offers 60, 120, 400 minutes or unlimited per month) that provide reductions from the ad hoc pay-per-minute rates using Skype credits
• addition of time-capped mobile phone subscriptions for individual “caller pays”countries (again with a reduction from the pay-per-minute rates)

Bottom line:

• There are $1.00 or €1.00 increases for some of the previous calling plans
• Choices to be made by the individual:
  • What country(ies) or regions do I want to call?
  • Do I want a “time cap” or unlimited calling?
  • Do I want to call landlines only  or “landlines and mobile”
• When my Unlimited World is renewed later this month:
  • $12 per year increase in basic 12-month cost
  • $23 increase with loss of 15% discount (no change discount applied during purchase process)
    
  • $20 saving due to exchange rate fluctuations
  • it’s still a bargain relative to legacy PSTN long distance charges for calls outside North America

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Pardon my exuberance but I am about to write about a product that I have been beta testing for the past few months. Seven months ago I knew very little about small business PBX’s other than to know they had big $$$ signs associated with their operation.

Back in 1992 my employer of the day paid $28,000 for a PBX that would service our local Canadian office of six to ten employees – and all the extensions had to be physically in the same office. Of course we would also be paying significant long distance charges, especially for out-of-country calls. The same employer was paying about $10,000 per month for a T1 line between California and their European office in Ireland. The economics of worldwide communications has changed somewhat since then; today’s announcement from In Store Solutions of the FREETALK Connect small business PBX takes small businesses further down that path.

About six weeks ago, while visiting In Store Solutions head office in Spain, using Skype for iPhone in a WiFi zone at my hotel room, I called a SkypeID that gave me the options to press 1 for Jim, 2 for another person and 3 for another person. I pressed 1 and a few seconds later my BlackBerry was ringing me back in Spain, But the PBX was at my home near Toronto, Canada as was an attached Linksys VoIP phone that the PBX also rang simultaneously with my BlackBerry in Spain. Had I answered my BlackBerry the only charge would have been my voice roaming package $1.25 per minute. Had somebody else originated that call in the way I did, I also would have had the option to answer the call, with no resulting charges for either party, on my PC’s Skype client which at the time was also in my hotel room in Spain¹.

Bottom line: any Skype user worldwide could have reached me via this PBX on a “local” or “remote” phone, a mobile smartphone or my Skype client with minimal, if any, costs for the call. And, in practice, geography as a factor to Find Me or Follow Me was not in the equation.

Today In Store Solutions announced FREETALK Connect, a small business PBX that changes the algorithm and business model for small business voice communications. With FREETALK Connect a business can benefit from:

• accepting inbound calls made via Skype, a Skype Online number, a SIP client, Asterisk (IAX2) or the PSTN, via either an analog line or a VoIP service provider.
  • incorporating Find Me, Follow Me features
• accept calls on local analog phone lines, local or remote VoIP phones, mobile phones anywhere or remote PSTN-accessed phones – all provisioned within the PBX.
• placing outbound calls over Skype, SkypeOut, a SIP-connected VoIP service or an analog PSTN line.
• managed voice mail including consolidation of voice mail and email into one mailbox

As I experienced the different communications paths this product opened up, I realized that this box can revolutionize how small business communicates with their suppliers, customers and business partners – worldwide.

The press release lists all the services that will be on board the FREETALK Connect when it becomes available for purchase by U.S. registered Skype users in March on the Skype Store:

Some of the key features from the Jazinga platform found in the FREETALK Connect include:

• Callback / Dial-around
• Access to Skype Buddy lists
• Auto Attendant / IVR
• Paging
• Call Parking
• Remote Extensions
• Music on Hold
• Conferencing

The FREETALK Connect also has an easily configured and updated:

• Managing routes to users, telephone services, and applications
• Providing SIP/Skype telephone service management
• Router management (networking, port forwarding, DNS, DHCP)

“Jazinga’s products consistently ensure call integrity by integrating quality of service and prioritizing voice traffic on the network into an affordable, simple product,” said In Store Solutions COO Craig Smith. “There was no question that FREETALK wanted to partner with Jazinga to develop the FREETALK Connect, because it continues our goal of working with the best providers to distribute outstanding products around the world.”

“FREETALK Connect is designed for small businesses with between 2 and 49 users, an undersold market that desperately needs UC functionality,” said Randy Busch, CEO of Jazinga Inc. “As a result of our partnership with In Store Solutions, the telecom technology playing field is much more level between larger enterprises and their smaller competitors.”

In terms of the technology within FREETALK Connect it incorporates both Skype for SIP and Skype for Asterisk to provide an optimum level of Skype-based services but at the same time providing inbound calling flexibility and optimizing outbound calling expenses, all combined with the call integrity features quoted above.

FREETALK Connect will requires users to have a Skype for Business account, available through the Skype Business Control Panel, associated with each unit. More on this aspect of FREETALK Connect is the subject of a future post.

Bottom line: Targeted at small businesses with 2 to 25 employees and/or business partners with its wide range of inbound and outbound calling options, an attractive price point, incorporation of Skype for Business infrastructure and the ability to self-configure via wizards, FREETALK Connect represents a game changer in the small business communications market. Lots more will be written about this product as the applications experiences evolve.

¹In this situation I could not have the Skype client answering option since I was using my Skype account to originate the call.

Full disclosure: In Store Solutions has become a client of Denali InterConneXions, publisher of Voice On The Web, building on the author’s previous business development experience with establishing partnerships that can assist with the promotion of a primary vendor’s offerings. A more complete statement will follow shortly.

Other posts:

Saunderslog: FREETALK Connect, the worlds first Skype-enabled Unified Communications system.

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The past six months, with three trips to Europe, have given me the opportunity not only to experience roaming on European 3G wireless services but also the strategies and alternatives that allow me to minimize roaming charges while traveling with both a BlackBerry and iPhone. A key to the achieving this goal lies in the support available for WiFi access points in hotels, restaurants, airports and at conferences that provide robust, scalable WiFi support. But the question outstanding is why would I use both devices? The answer lies in the applications and content.

While one can theorize academically about various low cost scenarios and one attempts to use WiFi wherever feasible, in actual travel, you need access to some form of wireless service wherever you may be. For instance, if lost in a city where you don’t speak the language, Google Maps can often help get you sorted out quickly. Or find the nearest restaurant district (was a big help in Paris, for instance). But you need wireless carrier access to use these services.

So what measures can I recommend?

First step: buy an International roaming package from the home wireless carrier. Over the summer Rogers introduced European roaming packages; here’s the comparison:

The good news about these packages is that the per MB and per minute charges remain the same for any overage over the minimum expenditures. The bad news is that roaming charges are still “huge” compared to the $0.03/MB or approximately $0.10 per minute paid when on my home Rogers network. U.S.-based users should check with their “home” carriers to see if similar plans are available. Rule of thumb and current reality, however: roaming charges remain the last ultra-high margin service for wireless carriers.

So, while relatively expensive, these packages are helpful when away from a WiFi access point; however, as mentioned above, the real saving comes when you set up for using WiFi wherever possible. (In addition I encountered a couple of situations where 3G coverage was weak or non-existent; in these cases access to WiFi became essential.)

Second step: ensure you have installed both Skype and Truphone on your iPhone; you can then make voice calls from WiFi access points at prevailing Skype or Truphone rates. For instance, Skype-to-Skype calls are free while SkypeOut calls are based on using either a Skype Calling Plan subscription or Skype credits.

Third step: buy, at a minimum, a Boingo Global Mobile plan; while WiFi in hotels and restaurants is usually free or has a daily charge, Boingo Global Mobile provides access in over 70 countries at airports and often at hotels where, otherwise, you would pay a daily fee that is usually more than Boingo Global Mobile’s monthly charge.

Fourth step: put the iPhone in Airplane mode but with WiFi access turned on. In this way, no voice calls are received via a wireless carrier; also the iPhone specifically requires proactive user permission to roam on data – leave this turned off. But the iPhone applications, including Skype and Truphone, can all be used when attached to a WiFi access point. (Note: I do not give out my iPhone voice number but do use it for various tests; Google Voice is not yet available in Canada to provide multi-smartphone calling.)

So here is where I use each device:

BlackBerry Bold 9000: email (both BlackBerry email and GMail), BlackBerry Messenger 5.0, Google Maps, SocialScope – still the most comprehensive Twitter application on a smartphone; SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry. Keep in mind that BlackBerry is overall more efficient for handling data due to the data compression provided by the BlackBerry Network Operations Centre architecture for managing data traffic. This ongoing wireless data compression feature is a major reason why I prefer BlackBerry for services such as Google Maps or downloading/uploading pictures in SocialScope as opposed to the iPhone when on a 3G wireless carrier network.

iPhone: main application is Skype, followed by Truphone. Very handy for making calls back to North America from hotel rooms or lobbies, restaurants as well as offices and conferences supported with WiFi access. (But you must have the relevant application open to receive calls and receive/send chat messages.) Other preferred applications include the Safari web browser (faster and more versatile than BlackBerry’s) and Facebook (which has a richer user experience than on BlackBerry) and a few applications that are unique to iPhone. Also comes in handy if the BlackBerry battery has died and I need immediate access to, say, GMail or a browser.

Bottom line: the feature that continues to dominate my preference for BlackBerry over iPhone is the keyboard; it’s a real time two-way communications device whereas the iPhone, with its superior browser capability, continues to be an information delivery device but works best for one way communication. My use of its touch screen keyboard tends to be limited to entering user names and passwords.

A few comments:

• There’s one major application missing on the BlackBerry – with its full multi-tasking capability the BlackBerry is ideally suited for Skype as a VoIP client. One can have real time chat sessions continue in background while using other applications; we experienced this with iSkoot but at this point one would expect to have seen the Skype for BlackBerry that was announced by Skype around the time of last spring’s launch of Skype for iPhone. And now that Skype for Symbian beta supports both 3G and WiFi and the FCC is supporting for “net neutrality”, the “carrier-support” argument for avoiding VoIP clients over WiFi on the BlackBerry no longer holds water. In fact, Rogers has made it clear that they have no issue with running Skype over 3G networks. Let’s hope that Skype and RIM can get the act together such that we can see a product introduction early in 2010.
• On my most recent trip I only bought the 15 minute voice package; with BlackBerry Messenger and SocialScope (for Twitter) available I found little need to make voice calls while in 3G only mode. Skype on my PC at hotel rooms and conferences as well as Skype and Truphone over iPhone addressed 95% of my voice calling needs. (Now, if I could just learn how to order a taxi in Spanish!)
• I realize most smartphone users will only have one phone. I present this post simply to provide an overview of my experience using both these devices while optimizing my roaming experience when traveling out of the home country. I need to have both devices due to not only their popularity but also the different content exchanged and user experiences for each smartphone.

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Canadian iPhone and iPod Touch users will be able to celebrate all 9’s day (today is 09-09-09) by participating in Skype conversations from their iPhone. At 12:01 a.m. the Canadian Apple App store will be making Skype for iPhone available.

Breaking news (12:04 a.m. Sept. 9): I have just successfully downloaded Skype for iPhone from the Canadian Apple App store and sent my first chat message to the Skype 5.x Public Chat session.

When Canadians woke up on the March 31 worldwide launch date of Skype for iPhone they learned they could not be amongst the over 6 million iPhone users who have since downloaded Skype for iPhone from Apple App stores worldwide, except, of course, in Canada. A shock to the country where Alexander Graham Bell made the world’s first long distance call to Brantford, Ontario across a six kilometre wire from a nearby telegraph station back in 1876.

The Canadian launch of the Skype for iPhone was delayed while Skype and Apple Canada’s licensing teams worked out “ambiguity” issues related to Skype for iPhone’s use of the G729 codec in Canada. In an interview with Skype personnel yesterday I was advised these issues are now resolved with the Canadian launch set for 12:01 a.m. Sept. 9, 2009 when they will be able to download the recently released Skype for iPhone 1.2.

From the press release:

“We are delighted to bring the Skype for iPhone application to Canadian iPhone and iPod touch users as it opens up new ways for them to stay connected with family, friends and colleagues for free or minimal cost,” said Tom Yeung, Skype’s director of market development, Americas. “With more than 6 million downloads from the App Store so far, the Skype for iPhone application is one of our most popular mobile offerings so we’re delighted to say that Canadians can now also carry their Skype conversations with them wherever they go.”

Where can it be used: All Skype for iPhone features are available at any WiFi access point on both the iPhone and iPod Touch; however, when an iPhone is on a 3G wireless carrier the voice application is not available to be in compliance with the terms of Apple’s Software Development Kit licensing agreement. However, chat and presence activity can continue over a 3G carrier’s network.

To review Skype for iPhone’s feature set:

• What’s free:
  • Skype-to-Skype calls (only via a WiFi access point)
  • Skype IM: presence information and chat sessions between individuals or across groups
• What’s requires payments:
  • Calls to landline or mobile phones using either a Skype Calling Plan subscription or “pay-as-you-go” Skype Credits (requires WiFi access; connection fees may also apply)
  • Receiving calls at a Skype Online number (requires WiFi access)
  • Voicemail retrieval
  • Call Forwarding: (new in version 1.2) when the Skype for iPhone is not open on the iPhone, calls will be forwarded to the iPhone’s mobile number under the same terms as calls to landline or mobile phones.
  • SMS outbound messaging (new in version 1.2)

How useful is Skype for iPhone? when I was at a business meeting in Spain in early July, I found two North Americans using their Skype for iPhone as a “walkie-talkie” to communicate with each other while on the hotel property using its WiFi connection. Neat actually. With the rapid spread of WiFi access points as an alternative to using wireless carriers iPhone users should find many public and private (home, office) locations where they can use Skype for iPhone.

Rogers is ready to run Skype for iPhone’s voice calling over their 3G network whenever Apple removes their licensing restriction on VoIP applications employing 3G protocols. (But AT&T in the U.S. is probably nowhere near being able to handle the data traffic load that would result from lifting this restriction.)

Skype for iPhone suffers from one limitation of the iPhone: the lack of background processing. You must have the application open, not only to send and receive voice calls, but also to follow chat sessions. Hopefully the previously announced Skype for BlackBerry will address this issue where the BlackBerry supports background processing.

Bottom line: with Skype chat as over 80% of my Skype activity I look forward to being able to track chat sessions while riding buses and commuter trains (but not while driving a vehicle – text messaging while driving becomes illegal in Ontario this month). And making Skype voice calls from my home as well as hotels, restaurants and other myriad of locations with a WiFi access point.

P.S. – Is it coincidence that Skype for iPhone became legally available to Canadians so soon after the announcement that 17 million Canadians will have a shareholder interest in Skype? Probably not.

• Globe and Mail: Canadians, rejoice: Skype for iPhone is here
• CBC.ca: Skype finally hits iPhones in Canada includes a more detailed discussion about the licensing issue.

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Voice On the Web’s Subscription Calling Plan page has been updated. Also Skype is offering a 25% discount on Skype Calling Plans if purchased prior to May 6, 2009.

Earlier this week Skype announced the addition of an “Unlimited Country” plan to the three plans available to Skype users in the U.S. and Canada.  At the same time Skype announced the addition of seven countries to their Calling Plan Subscriptions program which now supports 42 countries. Learning of these changes triggered a review of Skype’s Calling Plans.

One of the goals of Voice On The Web is to provide longer term reference information about Skype and other IP-based communications services. This overall reference guide is accessed via the links in the light green navigation bar above or further down the first sidebar on the right. (Improving this navigation is one of the goals for the next upgrade to Voice On The Web.) Many of these pages were written a year ago and are in the course of being updated to reflect current offerings and policies.

As a result of Skype’s announcement referenced above I have reviewed and updated the Skype Calling Plans page as there have been several changes since Skype Calling Plans were first announced a year ago:

• Six countries – India, South Africa, Argentina, Bulgaria, Columbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Thailand have been added to the various Skype Calling Plans worldwide
• An “Unlimited Country” plan has been added for Skype users in North America, providing a subscription option for those who want to call U.S. and Canadian numbers plus one additional country selected from the other 42 countries participating in the Skype Calling Plans.
• Rates for Skype “”Unlimited World” subscriptions, which now provide unlimited calling to 44 countries worldwide (up from 36), have increased to US$12.95 per month from US$9.95 per month
• A 25% discount applies to these plans if purchased prior to May 6, 2006. Click here to extend your current subscription at these discounted rates during the discount’s availability.
• Mexico remains a special case. Plans provide for unlimited calling to landlines Mexico City, Guadlajara and Monterrey. Discounted rates (which vary by plan) apply to calls outside these three cities and calls to mobile phones.
• There are unique plans for calling to Brazil, India and South Africa. None of these countries are included in any basic “Unlimited World” plan.
• Skype has modified their Fair Usage policy to a maximum of 50 numbers per day, six hours of calling per day and use by one Skype account only per subscription. All this in addition to the previous 10,000 minutes per month. Don Kennedy has written a utility, Subscription Monitor for Skype, that provides an real time accounting of your subscription status so that you know when time’s up.
• The 2 million Skype users who downloaded and installed Skype for iPhone can take advantage of these plans from any WiFi hotspot supported by the iPhone (not available to Canadians, argh!!)

Of course the most effective way to reduce SkypeOut and subscription usage is to have your contacts sign up for Skype. Skype-to-Skype voice and video calling is at the best price of all – Free!

When Skype’s Unlimited Calling Plans were modified last May, the only “Fair Usage” limitation was 10,000 minutes per month on any of the plans. Recently my attention was drawn to a modified Fair Usage policy. Primarily it would appear that the new Fair Usage policy would apply to businesses using SkypeOut for customer service and customer acquisition activities.

The new policy adds:

• calling to a maximum of 50 numbers per day
• maximum six (6) hours of SkypeOut calling per day
• each subscription is to be used by one person only and not to be shared with any other user (whether by a PBX, call center, computer or any other means).

On considering these further:

• a user can make repeated calls to a single number without impacting the “50 numbers per day” limitation
• each employee using call center or PBX services, such as OnState’s Call Center or Virtual PBX requires a separate Skype calling plan subscription for outbound calling
• the six hour per day limitation could build up quickly on a Skype multi-party call with multiple participants connected via SkypeOut
• these limitations only impact Skype services where third party termination charges are involved – all Skype-to-Skype calling remains free
• they would not appear to affect services such as Skype Trunking via a Vosky Exchange where they talk only about “call Skype users for free” and “low cost SkypeOut rates as low as 2.2 cents per minute to most landlines worldwide”

Upon exceeding any of these limits, normal SkypeOut rates and connection fees will apply for additional minutes, Of course this requires that you have Skype credits available; otherwise you may find a call cut off in the middle of a heavy conversation.

Two observations:

• When business is generating revenue or providing support via Skype’s outbound services, one should expect some cost. Skype continues to provide competitive rates for reliable, robust business calling.
• New Skype management is obviously reviewing all its business activities with a view to ensuring that consumer users can continue to benefit from the low cost of services available via Skype Calling Plans while those who are incurring heavy termination fees (and other costs) will support the cost of such usage levels.

Hat tip to participants in the Skype 4.x Discussion Public Chat for bringing this to my attention.

Update: UberOverLord developer Don Kennedy has published “Subscription Monitor for Skype” to track your Skype subscription usage in real time.

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Having spent three days with Nokia personnel based in Finland, my need to make calls to Finland on my Skype Unlimited World subscription has just increased. And with all the technology development going on in Israel (for instance, iSkoot’s and Fring’s developers are based in Israel), Israel becomes another high demand country for inclusion in Skype’s various Unlimited subscription offers.

Today Skype announced the addition of Finland and Israel to their Unlimited subscription offerings. For instance they are now included at no additional charge to the various Skype Unlimited World, Unlimited Europe (20 countries with Finland as the only addition), etc. subscriptions. Finland and Israel are also included in the 36 countries for which you can obtain an Unlimited Country subscription. (Mexico remains a 37th country special case.)

Additionally, administrators of Skype Business Control Panels can now purchase Skype Unlimited subscriptions for any employees, business colleagues and others whose Skype activity they administer.

With the ongoing 10,000 minute per month fair usage cap, I guess I’ll have to reduce my time spent making calls to Chile and Estonia via SkypeOut. (10,000 minutes/month represents about five and a half hours/day.)

(Note: Links in this post will probably go to the pages for Canadian users; simply change your pages via the “change region” drop down box on the leading Skype subscription page for each region.)

Tags: Skype, Skype Unlimited, Finland, Israel, iSkoot, Fring, Skype Business Control Panel

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Back in April we talked about Skype’s new Unlimited Calling Plans. Just a heads-up that Skype’s introductory offer expires this weekend (June 1). They offer 3 months for the price of two or twelve months for the price of eight. For a review here are the basics:

What’s Free (world wide):

• Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls
• Instant Messaging
• File Transfer
• Skype Conference calls (up to 10 participants, all on Skype)

Skype Calling Plans are full service plans, based on the originating geographical location of calls. They may be purchased as a monthly, quarterly or annual subscription; no contracts are required. They combine:

• free calls to any designated phone within the designated territory for the plan
  • no connection fee
  • landline and mobile for Canada, U.S., China, Hong Kong, Singapore
  • landline only for other 29 countries
  • subject to a fair use policy of 10,000 minutes/month
• free call transfer from/to SkypeIn/SkypeOut numbers
• Skype voice mail
• up to ten party conference calling to a combination of Skype contacts worldwide and SkypeOut contacts within the geographical region of the respective plans

Important: All rates shown below are as of May1 , 2008 and subject to change at Skype’s discretion. Click on the various “signup” links below for details at Skype website.

North American Plans:

• Unlimited US and Canada: $2.95 per month
  • 50% discount off one SkypeIn (online) number
• Unlimited Mexico: $5.95 per month
  • Unlimited US and Canada plus:
  • unlimited to landlines in Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey
  • discounted rates to other locations and mobile phones in Mexico
• Unlimited Worldwide: $9.95 per month
  • Unlimited Mexico plus:
  • unlimited to 32 worldwide countries
  • 50% discount off three SkypeIn (online) numbers
• Sign up here

European Plans

• Unlimited Country: €2.95 or £1.95 per month
  • landline calls within “local” country
  • one free SkypeIn (online) number
• Unlimited Europe: €3.95 or £2.95 per month
  • landline calls within 20 European countries
  • one free SkypeIn (online) number
• Unlimited Worldwide: €8.95 or £6.95 per month
  • landline calls to 34 countries plus to cell phones in US, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Singapore
  • three free SkypeIn (online) numbers
• Sign up here (Euros, GBP)

Asia: click here for details and signup (US$, Euros, GBP)

• Unlimited Country: Chose a single destination country independent of originating country

Brazil: click here for details and signup (US$, Euros, GBP)

• Brazil 400 limited to 400 minutes within Brazil

Rest of World: click here for details and signup (US$, Euros, GBP)

• Unlimited Country: Chose a single destination country independent of originating country

Tags: Skype, Skype Calling Plans, SkypeOut

Yesterday’s announcement of new international calling plans available from Skype probably set a record for generating press traffic about Skype. Certainly my “:Skype” keyword feed in FeedDemon has been gone off the end. Most of the reports were simply rehashes of the original two press releases (Global and North America). But some bloggers’ observations are worth mentioning.

Pat Phelan at Cubic Telecomm (MaxRoam) thinks these plans will seriously impact the phone card market:

This a serious blow to the phone card market and with the multicountry plans to launch prepaid Skype cards now starting to ramp up this could spell the end. ….

These packages are certainly going to make me re-examine my Skype usage, couple this with the excellent quality I have been getting on my 3Skypephone lately and its time thr a package change on my Vodafone corporate account

Mark Evans thinks the sexier story is Skype’s growth:

There’s lots of excitement today about Skype unveiling a new plan offering unlimited long-distance calls to 34 countries but the far more interesting story – at least from this corner’s perspective – is Skype’s strong growth, which has been chronically unreported.

Andy Abramson, at VoIP Watch gives his take:

1. Revenue can become more predictable as it will be charged monthly. Unlike the Skype Unlimited plan which was a one time purchase, this allows users to change plans and also drop or add it as they need it. That means students and vacationers are ideal targets.

2. The charges can be to PayPal or any credit card. This opens up the universe of potential users to non-PayPal users.

3. The plan is changeable between hemispheres so if you buy one in say the USA and end up in Europe working, in school or on vacation the Skype users can swap out as needed.

While I know road warrior and world traveler Andy immediately signed up for a World plan, PhoneBoy’s selection is more typical of North Americans with no overseas family ties:

This certainly makes it easier for people to justify giving Skype more per-month. If I made a couple of calls to Mexico or to the countries that are supported, I would certainly do it. However, I find the current Skype Pro offering–and the Skype Unlimited U.S./Canada plan–suffciient for my needs.

Dan York, who gets a bird’s eye view of the telecomm world from his work with Voxeo sees it, for the U.S. market, as a step up from “unlimited” domestic calling plans in the U.S. He also comments on telcos’ use of the term “unlimited” (to really mean “lots and lots” but “enough is enough”):

Of course, I had to laugh at Skype joining into the game played by all the major carriers here in NA known as “redefining the word ‘unlimited’”. Several of the carriers here in the USA and also in Canada have at various times trumpeted their “unlimited” data plans… which of course were “unlimited” only according to the carrier’s definition of unlimited… really something more like:

“Unlimited” = “unlimited calling up to a certain point that our finance folks have determined you start to impact our profit”

My thoughts on that issue: if you’re using that many minutes (over five hours of calling per day)

• it’s only fair, and does not hurt, to pay for excessive use if you’re running a (revenue generating) business
• figure out a way to get your contact onto Skype.
• get a life!

Certainly these plans could have a major impact in the Canadian market where we have many families with roots in the overseas countries serviced by the World plans. From my own anecdotal contacts, Skype attracts two major demographics in Canada: (i) family calling back to the “home country” overseas and (ii) small businesses wanting to grow worldwide. Unfortunately Skype’s “World” plans do not cover India, Pakistan and the Philippines where many Canadians have strong family ties. (I’m especially surprised by the lack of India since we know Skype has termination arrangements for both Canada and India through VSNL.).

The consensus in this morning’s Squawk Box call (recording link to follow when available) was that these plans are evolutionary while setting new pricing benchmarks for flat rate calling. It’s more a matter of working out the various terminating carrier agreements as opposed to any major new technology developments. And the biggest challenge is making access to Skype calling easier for the consumer through increased distribution of dedicated Skype-enabled hardware platforms with the familiar telephone touchtone interface in various markets – but especially in Canada and the U.S.

Tags: Skype, Pat Phelan, Mark Evans, MaxRoam, Andy Abramson, VoIP Watch, Dan York, PhoneBoy, VSNL, Skype Calling Plans, Squawk Box

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Just a few pointers resulting from a day of using Skype and assisting acquaintances who run a couple of small businesses get going with Skype. The day started with three concurrent chat sessions with contacts in London, New York and Munich; why does everybody make contact at the same time and then it’s quiet for hours?

In order to keep in touch with reality, it is sometimes useful to go out and help someone start their Skype experience to see what new Skype users come across as they install Skype (currently version 3.5). This was a case where my acquaintances are paying over $300 per month on North American long distance; they have been doing a number of three-party calls (telco limitation) and they do a couple of desktop sharing sessions each week via a GoToMeeting account. Here are some of the issues that arose:

• When you install Skype fresh, it seems that “Show Outlook Contacts” (in the View menu) is now turned on by default. I have never used this feature as I have over 1,000 Outlook contacts, most of whom I might contact once or twice a year at most. I don’t need the Skype Contacts window clutter that would result. I would much prefer to access my Outlook Contacts phone number information via the Skype Email Toolbar installed into Outlook.
• This feature should either be left “off” at startup or be proposed as a parameter to be set during installation. Contributing to the problem is that, if you have a large number of contacts, it actually can take some time (like up to 15 to 30 minutes) before the Outlook contacts appear in the Skype Contact window as Skype needs some time to load up these contacts. And then the new user becomes very confused; “what did I do to make this happen?”. So, on installation, make sure this option is turned off.
• They asked why one of them, who has a significantly more expensive (than Skype’s) fixed rate North American long distance service, should buy SkypeOut credits. (I’ll discuss the Unlimited Calling Plan later) We came up with four solid reasons for using SkypeOut beyond her existing plan:
  • To make multi-party calls beyond three participants
  • To make calls from the laptop while away from the home office
  • To make inexpensive calls outside North America
  • For desktop sharing, even if using GoToMeeting (they will be evaluating the Skype Partners’ desktop collaboration tools in due course).
• Why not just go to the Unlimited North American Calling plan immediately? Because, in spite of the low cost via Skype, the most important criteria for this very non-tecnhical user is reliability of service. She knows the other plan, even though it is more expensive, works. She needs a few weeks’ experience with Skype to gain the confidence required to be able to use it as her primary long distance service and to drop the other “telco” flat rate long distance service. It would definitely be helpful to build this confidence if two weeks of unlimited North American calling could be provided to new North American Skype users.
• I was asked if Skype chat windows would recognize numbers for use via SkypeOut when entered as part of a Chat message. We tried “(416) nnn-7890″ and did not get a link. A quick Skype chat enquiry to an expert on Skype’s phone number recognition brought back the answer that you can’t forget the country code; so “+1 (416) nnn-7890″ is recognized just fine as a SkypeOut hyperlink within a chat window.. For the most part North Americans have no idea of what the “+CountryCode” phone number format is all about (although the presence of “+” on wireless device keypads is increasing awareness).

Upon completion of the initial installation there can be a lot of settings to review initially especially to ensure privacy. A starter wizard could set the following as the more critical parameters, phone numbers and settings for personalized Skype operation::

• Entry of mobile and office numbers (see this post for reasons)
• Basic Sounds: Classic or Modern
  • a single selection to cover all settings
  • frankly most people I encounter prefer the Classic settings to the default Modern
• “Allow calls from”, “Allow chat from” settings
• Show Outlook Contacts (Yes/No)
• When someone calls me
  • {Show Skype call alert, Show Windows tray alert} (with examples)
• Automatically answer incoming calls selection
• Call Forwarding Number(s) entry
• SMS message option

And finally, doing a purchase of Skype Credits during this setup demonstrated new international economic paradigms. Whereas the Canadian dollar has traditionally tracked the US Dollar in relationship to European currencies, it now appears the Canadian Dollar is tracking the Euro and not the US Dollar’s downward drift over the past few months..

And how is Skype contributing to this massive international economic change? Since the beginning of SkypeOut two years ago, SkypeOut rates to major countries were US$0.021 or less per minute but C$0.024 per minute (reflecting an earlier 15% premium for the US$ relative to the C$.). When looking at SkypeOut rates today, we found that the US rate has risen to US$0.024 per minute while the Canadian rate remains unchanged. Friday was the first time since the mid-1970′s that the Canadian dollar traded above the US Dollar on foreign exchange markets. And Skype is pegging the C$ to the Euro.

By taking this direction in pricing changes, Skype is not only disrupting communications but also disrupting long standing international foreign currency trading traditions. My macro-economics prof told me that ongoing massive government operating deficits will eventually devalue a currency — and he is getting verification during this period of high U.S. federal deficits and economic turmoil in the U.S. Proof again that there’s no free lunch!

It also corroborates that Skype does most of their interconnect contracts in Euros – to be expected given both its headquarters business office location and much higher base of European relative to U.S. users.

Tags: Skype, Skype Unlimited North American Calling, Skype Credits, Skype Email Toolbar, Skype installation, Skype pricing, Skype Sounds

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