Skype

[Guest bingobob]

I'm skyping a fair bit - the IM client is fantastic!

However I know that skype on the PC is a peer to peer technology that uses peoples "spare" bandwidth to enhance the network for all. I don't care for skype voice so much, but if i use only the chat client on 3G am I likely to get into trouble with my 7.50 web'n'walk package (i.e. over quota) ?

cheers

bb

[Guest bingobob]

I'm skyping a fair bit - the IM client is fantastic!

However I know that skype on the PC is a peer to peer technology that uses peoples "spare" bandwidth to enhance the network for all. I don't care for skype voice so much, but if i use only the chat client on 3G am I likely to get into trouble with my 7.50 web'n'walk package (i.e. over quota) ?

cheers

bb

anyone have a view on this?

I'd like to know as the new skype client is SO elegant for IM. its great (and it seems that messages get through even when the signal goes down - unlike MSN). Pity I can't just get the chat client without the skype voice part, don't need that. Out of interest though how will t-mobile know if skype is being used for voice calls ?

[Guest robertchinneck]

anyone have a view on this?

I'd like to know as the new skype client is SO elegant for IM. its great (and it seems that messages get through even when the signal goes down - unlike MSN). Pity I can't just get the chat client without the skype voice part, don't need that. Out of interest though how will t-mobile know if skype is being used for voice calls ?

Hi bingobob

I bought a MDA Vario II from a T-Mobile store recently and asked a similar question - why should they say that you must take the top webnwalk option in order to use Skype infrequently or to chat? Or even to use the device as a modem and use skype from a home PC. I assume as did the rep in the store that the Skype IM client will send/receive data more than you think (MSN Messenger uses a lot of traffic just to sit there idly signed in! Just watch your modem stats with only that app going!).

As to how they know that you are using Skype; by scanning traffic going through servers and seeing what port it is destined for. Skype has associated port numbers (as does Messenger - port 1863 I think). I guess there's software in place to check stuff now and again if not constantly. (By the way you can do this yourself on a simple home router with the firewall creating rules to only allow a few ports through so you can block use of ftp/peer2peer etc or anything you feel is unwanted.)

I use Skype a little bit from the Vario and I am only on the middle wnw tariff and have used it OK although so far I've only checked voicemails left for me. However Googling will reveal at least one horror story where someone allegedly intentionally got a £7.50 wnw tariff then racked up loads of data use and got an extra £170 bill. Be careful.

I'll also say that for phones like Sonys etc with no MSN client you can use websites like www.iloveim.com to chat via a web page to your msn contacts. I assume such traffic must just show up as web port 80? Anyone confirm this?

Rob.

[Guest bingobob]

ok, i follow, I don't think they block ports, probably just monitor data usage over a rolling period of some sort. Not sure on this though, I like using skype and a headset on my home WIFI router, works great, and chatting via skype when out.

I don;t understand what you say about the potential to rack up large data bills if on Web n Walk. As I understood it, the data charges are CAPPED at 7.50 a month regardless of usage. I understand that abuse may mean that you get capped or asked to upgrade or something, but I certainly don't expect to see a bill for more than 7.50 for data usage.

Can someone just confirm I got this right, just for peace of mind! :-).

[Guest robertchinneck]

I don;t understand what you say about the potential to rack up large data bills if on Web n Walk. As I understood it, the data charges are CAPPED at 7.50 a month regardless of usage. I understand that abuse may mean that you get capped or asked to upgrade or something, but I certainly don't expect to see a bill for more than 7.50 for data usage.

Can someone just confirm I got this right, just for peace of mind! :-).

Hi

Look at this page:

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/personal/pages.d...eeplink=fairuse

Your £7.50 plan could in theory start charging after you exceed 1GB. My £12.50 after 3GB. Again I don't think they immediately enforce this but it is there in black and white.

What I am not so sure about is the 'horror' story I read - if you look at the Terms&Conditions on that page you'll see that under the £7.50 option they can only charge extra at up to £1 per day so for 1 month I would only expect a maximum extra charge of £31.

Anyway bookmark it for your future reference :)

Rob.

[Guest Keith Ericson]

ok, i follow, I don't think they block ports, probably just monitor data usage over a rolling period of some sort. Not sure on this though, I like using skype and a headset on my home WIFI router, works great, and chatting via skype when out.

I don;t understand what you say about the potential to rack up large data bills if on Web n Walk. As I understood it, the data charges are CAPPED at 7.50 a month regardless of usage. I understand that abuse may mean that you get capped or asked to upgrade or something, but I certainly don't expect to see a bill for more than 7.50 for data usage.

Can someone just confirm I got this right, just for peace of mind! :-).

For what it's worth, I called T-Mobile and (finally) got to the Tier 3 data (pda) support. I was told that they do not block any ports, not even thoe ones for VoIP. I asked specifically because I'll want to be able to ssh, VNC and possibly RDT, when/if I get this thing and use it for a wireless modem.

He did say that while VoIP would be able to connect, the connection speed (150k-180k, symmetrical) might be a problem trying to do it.