[asterisk-biz] Skype

[Al Bochter]

So if I had a customer that wants Skype added to an Asterisk box
Is it worth the time to try to add a skype account to an Asterisk system?

Best regards,

Al Bochter
Bochter Services
http://www.BochterServices.com/?t=Email



Julio Arruda wrote:

>
> There are some (few) embedded systems now doing "skype" in non PC 
> based gear. A friend of mine got a Skype Wifi phone from Netgear and 
> seems to be happy with it.
>
> Still, is proprietary, and as such, an artificial constraint is 
> imposed in how you will use it.
>
>
> Peter Beckman wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 18 Dec 2006, Mike Hammett wrote:
>>
>>> I don't use Skype, nor do I intend to.  However, does anyone know of 
>>> any
>>> gotchas in addition to general Skype behavior of the new $30 annual
>>> unlimited plan?  How can a $25 or $30 a month unlimited plan compete 
>>> with
>>> that?
>>
>>
>>  Skype is heavily tied to a PC.  The PC has to be running all the 
>> time in
>>  order for you to receive calls.  For some, that's no problem, since 
>> they
>>  spend most of their time in front of their computer.  There are 
>> products
>>  that allow you to distribute the Skype signal throughout your house
>>  wiring, such as the $60-ish VoSky.
>>
>>  If one could port their number to Skype, it might be worth it.  I do 
>> think
>>  though that losing phone service when your PC breaks or gets a virus 
>> won't
>>  be acceptable to most, yet.  If someone builds an affordable box 
>> that runs
>>  Windows+Skype in a small, hardware/flash system (embedded Skype
>>  effectively), that will compete directly with Vonage.
>>
>>  A solution:
>>      * Port your current home number to TossableDigits.com (shameless 
>> plug)
>>      * Forward your number to your SkypeIn number
>>      * Buy a VoSky   http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/input/818a/
>>      * Run Skype on your PC with Windows (dunno of VoSky works on Mac)
>>
>>  Poof.  Now you pay $35.88/year + 8c/min incoming for your home number,
>>  plus $40/year for a SkypeIn number, plus $30/year ($15/year before 
>> Feb 1,
>>  2007) for all US/Canada calling.  Clearly if you could port your 
>> number to
>>  Skype you'd save the cost of Tossable Digits, but at this time you 
>> cannot.
>>
>>  So instead of the $300+tax ($350/year est.) for Vonage, you're paying
>>  $90.88 (assuming you sign up with Skype before 2/1/07) plus 8c/min
>>  incoming.  If you can avoid TD and run your own SIP channel 
>> forwarding to
>>  your SkypeIn number, or use the chanSkype service, you'll pay even 
>> less.
>>
>>  Still, you are ultimately responsible for all technical support, 
>> upgrades,
>>  firmware updates, software maintence, etc, and Vonage has been pretty
>>  solid for stability for the last year or two.  There needs to be a few
>>  more changes to service, such as Skype able to port numbers and Skype
>>  being able to be embedded into hardware without a PC tether before 
>> it will
>>  be cost effective AND low maintenance.
>>
>> Beckman
>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>>
>> Peter Beckman                                                  
>> Internet Guy
>> beckman at purplecow.com                             
>> http://www.purplecow.com/
>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>>
>
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