Wow - which corporation is paying for this article? This article is very misleading! I paid 14.99 for unlimited calls to the US and Canada for this year - Incomings calls cost me $30 per year

$45 A YEAR is more expensive than tradition phones??????

Don't like Ebay owning Skype - but so far it has been great and I have enjoyed the free call days and the free long distance calls to ordinary phones and cell phone they gave away last year

J Day, boise, idaho

What I have seen with Skype is that it took over this market because of its smart marketing. I have been using VoIP services for years through yahoo messenger, MSN and others but it's like Skype re-invented the wheel (or VoIP in this case) and everyone discovered the technology. That meant that since most people you knew were on Skype you had to be on Skype to talk to them. What's worse is that companies took Skype as a cheap way of communication which meant Skype's subscriber numbers went to crazy numbers. More or less how Microsft took over the market with MS Office, if everyone was used to it at home (even in illegal copies) companies had to buy it because that was cheapert than re training all their new employees on a new package.
I see it as a current craze and if I had skype shares (hypothetically speaking) I would keep them another few months and then sell them.

Alex, Manchester, UK

I am a young proffessional living overseas and skype is by far the best way of keeping in touch with family back home and friends around the world. Phone cards are a faugh and unreliable and pay as you go mobiles are a rip off for overseas calls. I do not have a landline, or an incomming number on skype so I can call people on my own terms! Skype also has the advantage of beiing able to easily monitor your useage and call costs - so there are no nasty suprises when you get the phone bill!

N, Bergen, Norway

When I signed up for Skype I laid out US$10 for any calls I might want to make to regular phones. Since then I have made over 25 relatively short calls; one or two to mobile phones; about half in the UK to UK phones and the other half from the US to the UK. I have US$6.27 left in my account. Only one call has had a bad connection. I'm glad there's something cheaper out there if you say so but Skype's good enough for me!

Richard Evans, Midlothian, Va, USA

I don't really think that Martin Lewis has got it completely right about Skype as his numbers don't add up. I live in Spain and pay 54 cts or 36p for that 30 minute Skype out call when I call a UK or US land line number from Spain. Thats 54p less than the cheapest low UK cost provider and I dread to think what BT will charge. Maybe rip off Britain is alive and well even with Skype and UK users get charged 16p a minute instead of the 1.2 p a minute I pay for Skypeout. He also mentions calling a mobile number but the article doesn't say whether its a UK mobile number dialed from the UK or outside the UK. Mobile charging is a minefield and unless its with the same service provider for both ends and a special deal, its anyones guess what a call will costs you. This isn't just Skype its the same for all call providers.

Mike, Alicante, Spain

Good article. The hype made me look into Skype at the time. We use PC to PC calls very rarely, the people I tend to call will not have their PC switched on all the time. I suppose you can negate this with a phone into your hub/router.

I decided to go to one of the override providers, 18185 and talktalk and have saved me lots. Free national weekend calls and all national calls 4p (regardless of time spent) at other times. I call S.American phones both mobile/fixed and 18185 was MUCH cheaper than Skype out...

You're the only journo who bothered checking it out.

Terry, london,

Skype has provided great deals for it's US (and Canadian?) customers as Dan and Sean mention. Sadly, they have not provided the same deal to customers in Europe or elsewhere. Instead in this part of the world they have slapped a 'connection fee' charge on every skypeout call made in addition to the usual charge per minute.
That's why europeans now only use it for skype to skype calls.

N, Trogir,

I have championed Skype to all my friends. However, a numebr of hidden charges such as connection fess have crept in. This si an underhand mean practice aimed at connign the consumer.

I have moved to VOIPCHEAP.COM. Easy to use cheap (or FREE) to call landlines and transparent charging.

Peter, seoul, Korea

I have been using Truphone for mobile VoIP calls for almost 2 months now. It takes the whole Skype concept into the realm of mobiles phones, and when Im travelling on business it's dramatically reduced my phone bills. I dont even really touch my Skype now except for when Im in the office, taking calls. It seems that VoIP is definitley moving forward and something that I think we will all be using as everyday technology in a very short space of time.

Jo, surbiton, surrey

I also recently signed up for the unlimited long distance and local calls for 24.95 a year. The Sound quality is every bit as good as Vonage! The Article is very misleading!

Ashtonford, Woodbridge, Va

I have been using Skpe and Skpeout for nearl 2 years for all my Telephone calls both in the U.K and the USA where I spend the winter. In the USA I used to use phone cards but as I regulary transpose figures the long number chains become a problem with calling cards or special numbers.
Skype have constantly improved their product so that if I see a telephone number on a web page I just click on it and Skpeout dials it. Then there are the free Video calls to other Skype using friends.I reckon I am saving at least a third of my previous non Skype costs and I always have a free incoming line as I still keep on my PSTN line

Len_H

Leonard Heitt, Laguna Woods, USA California

I can only speak on issues I am familiar with in the states but I signed up for a year of SkypeOut for $30 and can call anywhere in the US and Canada w/o any additional charges. I have not heard if there are any similar deals for the UK.

Sean, Detroit, MI, USA

I can call any non cell no. in US or Canada for 1 year for $30 -- actually I got in on the $15 deal a week or so ago. I call UK, Ireland, and many other lands for a little over 2 cents a minute with a piddling connection/service charge. The interface is moderately intuitive, buisiness-like and direct. Compared to what I used to pay to call Ire or Eng, it's peanuts.
You're quibbling about a few cents a minute for this user.
I'm happy w/SKYPE.

Dan, NYC,