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Is Skype to Skype actually free?

g nexta

g nexta

Well-Known Member
I thought Skype is free, but I can't seem to do it free. I want to Skype video with my wife on our phones but it says I need credits.
http://db.tt/cNBnodcM
Is there a different free video calling app?
 
Skype uses internet data, so if you don't have credits for internet, no go. There is no true free calling service, It uses either data (use WiFi so it can be free).
 
I use Skype for video calling all the time and it's free, but we're using wi-fi on both ends. Is that what you mean? I have it on my PC (in England) and my daughter has it on her iPhone (in Texas).

However, to call her home phone (not video call, just me to landline), I'd have to subscribe.
 
Looking at the screenshot, I would guess that you are trying to call a phone number (whether it's landline or mobile) and that is why you are being prompted to buy Skype Credits.

To make a free call you need to go to the "Contacts" screen, then select the contact to call and tap "Voice Call" (Or "Video Call" or whatever) but as has been mentioned, it will always use data either on your phone contract or the wifi you are connected to so may incur costs that way.

If you use Skype to call a phone number you will still incur those data charges but with an additional Skype charge, so it may not be cost effective unless the regular phone call would be expensive or outside the bounds of your contract like calling a foreign country.
 
yup Skype to Skype is free, provided its a call from one Skype account to another. which means you're NOT making calls to landline or mobile number.
 
Hi g nexta! This one is my personal favorite, Qik is an awesome app when it comes to live video calls. It has a clean user interface, signing up for Qik is absolutely free. And the best part; you can make live video calls to iOS counterparts as well. It supports live video calls over a 3G, 4G or WiFi network. Video quality is superb and supports up to VGA resolutions which is in my opinion great for a mobile device.
 
ForkliftFred said:
Looking at the screenshot, I would guess that you are trying to call a phone number (whether it's landline or mobile) and that is why you are being prompted to buy Skype Credits.

To make a free call you need to go to the "Contacts" screen, then select the contact to call and tap "Voice Call" (Or "Video Call" or whatever) but as has been mentioned, it will always use data either on your phone contract or the wifi you are connected to so may incur costs that way.

If you use Skype to call a phone number you will still incur those data charges but with an additional Skype charge, so it may not be cost effective unless the regular phone call would be expensive or outside the bounds of your contract like calling a foreign country.
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I finally had the opportunity to try this with my wife, but all it did was allow us to make phone calls. I don't even see any kind of option to video call.
 
AlphaWolf03 said:
Hi g nexta! This one is my personal favorite, Qik is an awesome app when it comes to live video calls. It has a clean user interface, signing up for Qik is absolutely free. And the best part; you can make live video calls to iOS counterparts as well. It supports live video calls over a 3G, 4G or WiFi network. Video quality is superb and supports up to VGA resolutions which is in my opinion great for a mobile device.
Click to expand...

Thank you. We just now got this on our phones. I think it's pretty cool. However, the video quality seems very low in my experience. You say it's good. My wife has a galaxy S 4G, I don't know if that's the reason. But maybe there's something I'm doing wrong? I couldn't adjust the video quality, but it said it was on "Normal".

and, What is your experience with Tango?
 
chrisluger2012 said:
Tango is a free mobile video communications service and its work for me perfectly.
Click to expand...

Thanks. We downloaded it and it works better than qik. I still can't figure out how to do anything but phone calls with Skype. Half the time it won't even let me do that either.
One drawback is that I couldn't find how adjust settings, particularly the video quality.
 
The only thing I can think of is that you might be going via your phone's contact list rather than starting in Skype. Just to be sure, I've made some screencaps... and if that's what you've been doing then I apologise but I had to make sure I'd covered everything fully.

Open Skype and sign in with your Skype account details (mine is set to log in automatically so I didn't get to grab the screen of that)

From there tap "Contacts" (image 1)
Then the relevant name (image 2)
Then you should have the various call and message options (image 3)

Hope that helps... otherwise I have nothing more to offer :o
 

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ForkliftFred said:
The only thing I can think of is that you might be going via your phone's contact list rather than starting in Skype. Just to be sure, I've made some screencaps... and if that's what you've been doing then I apologise but I had to make sure I'd covered everything fully.

Open Skype and sign in with your Skype account details (mine is set to log in automatically so I didn't get to grab the screen of that)

From there tap "Contacts" (image 1)
Then the relevant name (image 2)
Then you should have the various call and message options (image 3)

Hope that helps... otherwise I have nothing more to offer :o
Click to expand...

Thank you. I appreciate you taking the time and telling me that. For whatever reason, I'm just not getting the video call options :confused:
Maybe some day, but for now, I'll just use Tango.
 
g nexta said:
I don't even see any kind of option to video call.
Click to expand...
You must have a forward facing camera (or webcam if on a computer) for there to be a video call option. I have the option on my tablet with FFC but not on my phone that doesn't have one.
 
MacFett said:
You must have a forward facing camera (or webcam if on a computer) for there to be a video call option. I have the option on my tablet with FFC but not on my phone that doesn't have one.
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I have a Galaxy Nexus, which has a forward facing camera.
Strangely, I actually did Skype with someone who was at their desktop a while back. That was when I originally set up my account. I had 3G then and it worked. Could it be my wife's galaxy s that's the culprit? Even though it's "4G"?
 
I have never tried a video chat with someone who doesn't have video so I have never paid attention to it. I used to use it mostly when I played WoW with my bff (who lives 2k miles from me) so video was never a consideration and I know he didn't have a webcam.

I've skyped from my phone, again only voice. And I've skyped from my tablet with a FFC and did video with my sister who has a webcam (that doesn't work).
 
Good point about the front camera... It might be worth checking the Skype website for supported devices. I know (but had forgotten :o ) that video chat was still quite new to Skype on Android and there had been problems with pictures being upside down etc and they were still developing and improving it. Maybe the Galaxy S is still among the problem devices
 
Skype works perfectly with Galaxy nexus. Good sound and video and its free on WiFi. Only problem is it signs me out if i am not using it an hour or so.
 
jova33 said:
Google talk I think works better.
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Coincidentally, I just signed up for that, and want to soon try to get my wife on it.

I think my wife made a big mistake getting the galaxy S. They think they're doing so great by saving a hundred on the phone but spend 1200 a year on service like us all. Wtf
 
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