Skype has come out with version 3.0 and is changing up how they handle skype-to-phone calls in North America. Skype-to-skype is always free, but calling from the US or Canada costs money.
From thier Skype Blogs:
- * you go to Your Account. If you’re eligible for the Unlimited plan, you’ll automatically see the prompt to buy it.
- * the price is $14.95 if you buy before end of January 2007. From February, the price will be $29.95.
- * if you buy before end of 2006, you get free unlimited calls until the end of 2007. If you buy in 2007, you get free unlimited calls for 12 months after your purchase.
- * the calls continue to be totally free until the end of 2006 as we’ve previously said, no change in that. But there’s no risk in stocking up for 2007 so that you wouldn’t forget it in the Christmas and New Year holiday craze — if you go and buy the plan for $15 right away, you’re good to go in the new year.
- * you’ll get the partner coupons delivered in the e-mail that we send you after the purchase.
- * the details are mostly the same as with this year’s free calls — for example, it works within the US and Canada for both landline and mobile calls.
Pretty amazing if you ask me. $15/yr to call anywhere in the US and Canada? I’ve used Skype for both text IM and voice IM. If you haven’t downloaded Skype yet, now is a good time. It’s such a useful tool for communication.
4 Responses to “Skype Unlimited for North America”
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Any experience using a Skype-compatible wi-fi phone? The details of the free coupons you get for signing up (above) state that you can get up to $50 off the Netgear version of the wi-fi phone offered in the skype store. Could be a good deal. Yet, is it just frivolous hardware for the future as many cell phones/handhelds are coming wi-fi enabled anyway?
I don’t know. Seems the wi-fi would be great…you just have to find a hotspot. But the only person I’ve seen with a skype phone has it plugged into his computer. It replaces a headset and so it’s just like a normal phone, just plugged into a computer. Makes it more natural I suppose. It’ll be interesting to watch how the skype/mobile phone market shapes up in 07.
Just to clarify: here’s something I learned about the ‘Skype Unlimited North America’ calling plan during my last trip overseas:
I purchased the unlimited calling plan and traveled overseas thinking I could use my unlimited plan to make SkypeOut calls TO the USA FROM a non-north-america geographic location. In reality, unlimited (free) calls only apply if connecting from an IP address geographically INSIDE USA or Canada. I was charged the normal global calling rates when making SkypeOut calls from overseas. Maybe this was clearly explained in the calling plan fine print but I must have missed it.
I still love Skype and the quality of calls I make (and receive) is very good. The unlimited calling plan is still worth it for me.
Thanks for that clarification, David. I should have guessed that. Either way, like you said, it’s still the best deal in any town! I remember once I was traveling in Trinidad. My wife called my hotel at 15 cents/minute. We hung up quickly and I went and got on Skype. I called her back for 2 cents/minute.