[asterisk-biz] Skype

[Julio Arruda]

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/
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------