Have You Tried Skype Yet?

Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice calls over the Internet. Calls to other users of the service are free, while calls to other landlines and mobile phones can be made for a small fee. Additional features include instant messaging, file transfer and video conferencing.

Skype, an application that has enjoyed rapid growth and popularity since the launch of its services, is a free software that makes it possible for people around the world to communicate via voice, video and IM over the Internet, and at a lower cost than traditional methods. It is free when making calls to other users of the service, and calls to toll-free numbers are also free.

When Internet telephony first began in the 90's, it was limited to PC to PC use. This required that both users have the software on their computers and that both computers were connected to the Internet. Both computers also had to have sound cards, microphones and headphones. You could only speak to someone who was using a computer. This was because Internet phones utilized packet-switched networks and regular phone lines utilized circuit-switched networks. At the time, the technology to connect these two networks was not available, which made it impossible for a PC to call a regular telephone number.

PC to PC calls still were quite popular, especially as instant messaging programs became commonplace. Chat rooms with voice capabilities were added, and many people began using their computer to talk to their friends instead of utilizing a traditional telephone.

The problem was that although you could talk to anyone with a computer, you could not use your Internet phone to speak to people who had a regular telephone line. You also had to utilize a headset and a microphone in order to talk to anyone, and many people found this cumbersome.

The solution came when VoIP phone service was introduced. This new technology allowed users to utilize a regular telephone to make phone calls. The telephone was connected to a router which then used high speed Internet connections to transfer the voice signals. Once the system was set up, there was virtually no difference between Internet phone service and a traditional phone line.

Voice over Internet Protocol, VoIP or Broadband phone service as it is often referred to, has made great strides since 1998 and is changing the telephony world. Traditional phone lines are slowly being phased out as businesses and households around the world embrace the benefits and features that VoIP technology has to offer.

Skype is a fast-growing business, currently adding about 150,000 users a day to its member base of 54 million in 225 countries and territories. Skype is attracting hundreds of thousands of new users each week and is publicly talking about growth rates of 30% to 40%. That's not bad in an economy where flat is the new 30%.

Skype is a very useful program; it allows calling from one computer to another computer free of charge anywhere in the world. Thus it doesn’t matter that one person is, for example, in the USA and the other is in France. But, Skype isn’t just about free Skype-to-Skype calls. You can also make easy, low-cost calls to landlines and cell phones around the world, plus so much more.

For starters, you can send a text message directly from Skype; forward a call to your mobile; or set up an online number for friends, family and colleagues to make a local call from their old-fashioned phone to your Skype, wherever in the world you are.

All you need to get going with these snazzy products is "pay as you go" Skype Credit. Alternatively you can get unlimited calls to landlines and a great bundle of useful features with a subscription – it’s one neat little package for a low monthly fee. Skype is a revolutionary product. These are the guys who showed the world that Voice over Internet Protocol can be acheived with good voice quality.

The popularity of these services continues to grow, and advancements are constantly being made. Work is being done to improve the ability for the phone lines to identify locations for 911 calls and to improve the quality of the voice transmissions. Currently 911 calls are not allowed on Skype. However, many people use these services now because they find they can actually save money over traditional phone services. Internet telephony has come a long way from its beginnings and the technology will undoubtedly continue to improve.

Take a look, and give it a try today!