Skype for Smartphone? -VOiP

[Guest ghm101]

Is there a way to get skype to run on a smart phone? Ive got a C500 (app unlocked).

I thought I would give the Skype for Pocket PC a go and it failed.

"failed to install on your device because the installation file is not intended for this device" - anbody know a way around this?

I know you probably wouldn't use it on GRPS but how about on a pass thru connection - It would act as a VOIP handset and you wouldn't have to buy one 8).

Similar story if you get the C500 (or the next smartphone) WIFI'd up you could then pop into the local starbucks and start making calls and be completely off the mobile tariff!!

A fairly recent feature of Skype is the ability to dial land lines. You have to open an account with them but the call charges are tiny - especially for Long Distance.

I like the Idea anyway. Maybe we could all email skype and tell em we want it. www.skype.com

[Guest dynamo]

I totally agree, this would be a very nice app to have on the smartphone.

As you say, running it though pass-thru (especially on bluetooth) would be perfect for making calls whilst your at home!

[Guest fozzie]

A fairly recent feature of Skype is the ability to dial land lines. You have to open an account with them but the call charges are tiny - especially for Long Distance.

No way are their call charges tiny! www.18866.co.uk are tiny :)

[Guest ghm101]

Cheap when calling a land line in say Singapore or Australia

[Guest fozzie]

Australia - Skype 2 cents (~1.4p) & 18866 1p

Singapore - Skype 2.8 cents (~1.9p) & 18866 1p

Hmmm, which one's cheaper?

[Guest ghm101]

Confucius say don't forget 18866 connection fee.

But at these prices does it matter much with either?

I prefer skype as you get free VOIP to other skype connections - available anywhere you got the Kit and a connection

And there is a potentially cool applciation to get VOIP working on the C500. With the handset operating as a USB handset.

Just think we could all get sorted on it and have a huge conference call and all talk cr*p to each other instead of typing it. - for free.

(btw skype rate to oz =1.7cents)

[Guest fozzie]

btw skype rate to oz =1.7cents

.....and confucious say always compare like for like. i.e. don't forget the VAT. As I said, Australia with Skype = 1.7cents +VAT = 2cents which converts to ~1.4p - 18866 is 1p incl. VAT :lol:

If I'm out and about then I'll always use 18866 for their cost and quality benefits. From home, all calls to all UK landlines 24/7 are free! If I want to get geeky then I'll use my SIP phone :)

[Guest the_ugly_north]

I think that you are all getting excited over nothing.

Skype on a smartphone would make Orange the most profitable company in the world. VoIP is inherrently inefficient and uses significant bandwidth hence enormous GPRS charges. So unless you are using a pass through connection (and hence take your broadband connection and PC everywhere with you) it is a non-starter on cost terms.

[Guest ghm101]

I agree that GPRS powered skype on a C500 would not be worth it in itself but I’m not really thinking of GPRS usage.

As I said in the original post – GPRS – Maybe, maybe not, but nice to have the option. - Really just to see it done. Possibly be more viable on a 3G type connection.

I’m not an expert in VOIP, but I do know that they are working to make it more efficient all the time so it’s bandwidth usage will drop whilst, in general terms, bandwidth available to users is increasing. As a trend I am guessing this will continue.

Also when the time comes when you can get your smartphone WiFi connected then you could use a hotspot when out and about to connect. – Rather than take your connection with you would find one.

If you are calling another skype user, anywhere in the world, it dosn't cost anything (provided you have a Net connection)

So what would it give you right now? I was thinking more that you could use your phone on a pass thru to act as a VOIP handset and save you the cost of buying one for £50 ish quid (never really looked into it in detail).

And anywhere you can pass thru via a Bluetooth connection you would get a pseudo WiFi solution. - When traveling you might have your LT connected to your Hotel's internet connection for example.

& Just ads more convergence to the C500 which is one of the things I like about the phone - how many things can it do?

[Guest gv_synt]

Well, VoIP over bluetooth (if at home lets say) should be possible, I'm trying to get my C500 to properly connect to the network over it here, running into problems though. It seems ActiveSync doesn't support the pass through when connected via bluetooth. That's by the by though. A little research on the phones processor indicates that the SD card bus inside it supports SD, MMC and far far far more importantly, SDIO which means tasty WiFi goodness (possibly). I'm seriously considering getting an SD WiFi card just to test it, although it would need breakout wires from the phone, and the card would have to be mounted on the back. Given all the dll's and much of the reg entries are on the phone, it shouldn't be too hard to WiFi enable it, provided it is an SDIO connection in the back. If the phone supported them, then the rather nice SanDisk 256Meg+WiFi cards would solve all our woes.

[Guest beersoft]

well if someone wants to write a h323/sip client for smartphone look at www.openh323.org.

voip does rock, and i have seen 3g + voip working on someones laptop + highspeed travel but that was with a real voip soloution with real breakout onto bt's network

hey, im allowed to pimp my job here arn't i? *visit www.iptelecoms.com and spend lots of money*

later

Owen