What is Skype?

1. What is Skype? Skype is one of the pioneers in voice communication over the Internet. Skype is the most popular voice communication service in the world with more than 350 million registered users. Skype makes local and international calls to landline and mobile phones, through PSTN networks, and also receive calls from these phones on your PC. That is not free, but are very cheap compared to traditional landline and mobile international rates. Skype is used in nearly all countries of the world.

2. How Does Skype Work? • Skype, like many other VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) clients available, has changed the way we think about communication • VoIP owes its versatility to another fantastic technology, the Internet. Instead of sending signals via a PSTN network, be it analog or digital, a VoIP application usually uses SIP (a variation of the standard TCP/IP protocols) to create data packets, and sends them on the same network you use for email and web surfing. • By using data packets, the technology can be used to carry more than the standard mono voice your old telephone does; VoIP can carry text, images, live video and high quality stereo sound as well as ’screen sharing’, depending on the speed and reliability of your internet connection.

3. Where is Skype? • In everyone house who has Skype. • Skype Technologies S.A.22/24 Boulevard Royal, 6e etage,L-2449Luxembourg

4. What do you need to have to be able to use Skype? • A computer with decent processing power and memory, including generic peripherals likes keyboard and mouse. • A good Internet connection, preferably broadband. • Sound. Make you your sound card is working properly. • Speakers or headphones. • A microphone. • The Skype software, which is freely downloadable from www.skype.com • One or more persons to communicate with. They need to be Skype users as well. If they are not, you can still access them through their normal phones, but then you have to pay for extra services with Skype.

5. Is Skype secure? Yes. When you call another person on Skype your call is encrypted with strong encryption algorithms ensuring your privacy. In some cases your Skype communication may be routed via other users in the peer-to-peer network. Skype encryption protects you from potential eavesdropping from malicious users.

6. See what Skype can do for you http://skype.com/allfeatures/

7. Five main services on Skype • Voicemail • Text messaging • Call forwarding • Your personal online number • Skype on your mobile

8. Never miss a call with voicemail • Let Skype take incoming calls when you’re busy, unavailable or simply offline. • Voicemail is the simple solution to never missing a call. • Your unanswered calls are sent to voicemail and you can listen to messages when you want, wherever you are signed in to Skype. • Pick up your voicemails anywhere in the world.

9. How much does Skype Voicemail cost? Voicemail is included with the purchase of any of our subscriptions. Otherwise, it’s just $6 for 3 months or $20 for a full year. You’ll need to buy Skype Credit to purchase voicemail but you can also use the credit to call landline and mobile phones and send SMS directly from Skype. http://skype.com/allfeatures/voicemail/

10. SMS – the quick and cheap way to text friends instantly. • Easy and fast – text message directly from Skype. • Type long and eloquent messages from the comfort of your keyboard. • Reach friends instantly anywhere in the world. • Show your own cell phone number when sending text messages from Skype.

11. How much does Text messaging cost? Just like sending text messages from your mobile, you pay per SMS message you send from Skype, but the costs are usually much lower. The cost of each text message depends on where in the world you’re sending it to (but not where you’re sending it from, however). It’s just 9¢ to most places, but there’s a big list of rates to destinations worldwide. http://skype.com/allfeatures/sms/

12. Answer calls on the move • Receive your calls when you’re offline in Skype. • No additional cost for friends to call you. • Call forwarding at great low rates. • Get hold of friends who are out and about.

13. How much does call forwarding cost? • With a subscription you can forward calls to landlines in any country within your subscription at no extra cost. To countries outside of a subscription (and if you don’t have a subscription) you’ll pay a per minute rate charged at our rates for calling phones and mobiles. However, if you make a Skype-to-Skype call to someone who has their calls forwarded, you won’t pay anything. • If you want to use call forwarding without a subscription you’ll need Skype Credit. You can also use your credit to make calls to phones and mobiles and to send text messages directly from Skype. http://skype.com/allfeatures/callforwarding/

14. Your personal online number • An online number (SkypeIn) is perfect if you have friends, family or business colleagues who don't use Skype. • Anyone can dial your online number from any phone or mobile, and your Skype rings and you pick up the call – wherever you are in the world. • Numbers are now available in over 25 countries. • It just costs $18 for 3 months or $60 for a full year. You can get up to 50% off this cost with the purchase of a monthly subscription.

15. Skype on your mobile http://skype.com/mobile/