Skype to be shutdown in May

[KhunBENQ]

For the few who still use it, look for alternatives.

 

https://www.geekwire.com/?p=861243

[jaywalker2]

So what's the best alternative to Skype for making toll-fee calls to the U.S.? Any suggestions?

[rough diamond]

Shame to see it's demise!

It was great for those once in a year emergency calls to the bank or pensions etc.

Every six months I made an SMS between two of my phones to keep it active.

[Harrisfan]

24 minutes ago, jaywalker2 said:

So what's the best alternative to Skype for making toll-fee calls to the U.S.? Any suggestions?

Line

[it is what it is]

 

skype was great, but possibly old tech now.

 

apparently users are being migrated to Teams, i'm not familiar with Teams, is it possible to call uk landlines using Teams?

[Thailandbuckeye]

Doing some quick searches Sonetel looks like a viable alternative. I will try it out in the next couple of days.I didn’t find anything else of interest but someone else may come up with something.

 

It appears that you can no longer add credit to Skype.

[PomPolo]

Skype was Sht anyways used it a few times to make phone calls to landlines but many other viable, cheaper and reliable options.

[Jingthing]

I just signed up for the 99 dollar "lifetime" Phone2 plan.

Apps for Android, IOS, and web. 

You get a U.S. or Canada number. Expanding to other countries.

1000 minutes outgoing calls a month, unlimited incoming.

Unlimited incoming texts, outgoing texts are more complicated if you want to use them.

They claim that banks accept their number for 2FAs.

Problem -- the google app is blocked for download in Thailand.

A member here said IOS isn't blocked but not 100 percent certain myself.

The web app can be used though. 

[scubascuba3]

7 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

Line

Can't use Line to call landlines or mobiles.

 

Kinda explains why Skype stopped the top up option, subscription only until they close

[Crossy]

It had to come 😞 

 

It's really bad news for my parents, we've been using Skype for our weekly chats for something like 25 years!

 

Both are now in their 90s and dad is registered blind so getting used to something new, isn't going to be easy 😞 

 

Possibly Whatsapp would be easier than getting to grips with Teams.

 

Luckily my sister lives local to them and is tech savvy. She'll do the necessary.

[Harrisfan]

44 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Can't use Line to call landlines or mobiles.

 

Kinda explains why Skype stopped the top up option, subscription only until they close

Whatsup then. 

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

28 minutes ago, Crossy said:

It had to come 😞 

 

It's really bad news for my parents, we've been using Skype for our weekly chats for something like 25 years!

 

Both are now in their 90s and dad is registered blind so getting used to something new, isn't going to be easy 😞 

 

Possibly Whatsapp would be easier than getting to grips with Teams.

 

Luckily my sister lives local to them and is tech savvy. She'll do the necessary.

 

I'm in the same situation. 

 

I need to find something to replace Skype that supports calling landlines inexpensively.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

7 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I just signed up for the 99 dollar "lifetime" Phone2 plan.

Apps for Android, IOS, and web. 

You get a U.S. or Canada number. Expanding to other countries.

1000 minutes outgoing calls a month, unlimited incoming.

Unlimited incoming texts, outgoing texts are more complicated if you want to use them.

They claim that banks accept their number for 2FAs.

Problem -- the google app is blocked for download in Thailand.

A member here said IOS isn't blocked but not 100 percent certain myself.

The web app can be used though. 

 

Where did you find the option for the lifetime plan at $99? Their website seems to only offer a business plan at $15 per month.

 

 

[scubascuba3]

24 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

Whatsup then. 

Won't work, same problem, maybe need to call bank etc, elderly parent technophobes

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

 

Where did you find the option for the lifetime plan at $99? Their website seems to only offer a business plan at $15 per month.

 

 

Very good question and timely question.

They were saying before it was a limited time only until the end of February.

I think their office is in a western time zone in the U.S. meaning it's still Feb. 28 there.

Their offer still stands here:

Business Phone: 4 users included.

www.phone2.io/ltd

 

That said, I would be very surprised if they don't extend the offer. But no way of knowing yet.

 

But be clear. This is very new to me. 

The phone voice and voice mail works but so far no luck getting test texts.

I am in communication with them about the issue. 

I bought it because of their claims for texts.

So I can't in good faith suggest that you rush out and buy this, unless you don't care about using for 2FA texts.

Also to send texts is a big hassle registering with the government which is something I won't do and don't care about anyway.

Cheers.

[steve187]

7 hours ago, PomPolo said:

Skype was Sht anyways used it a few times to make phone calls to landlines but many other viable, cheaper and reliable options.

such as 

32 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

Whatsup then. 

only to contacts, not banks, government departments  etc

[baansgr]

55 minutes ago, Crossy said:

It had to come 😞 

 

It's really bad news for my parents, we've been using Skype for our weekly chats for something like 25 years!

 

Both are now in their 90s and dad is registered blind so getting used to something new, isn't going to be easy 😞 

 

Possibly Whatsapp would be easier than getting to grips with Teams.

 

Luckily my sister lives local to them and is tech savvy. She'll do the necessary.

Used Skype to call my Mum for years. She came here 2 years ago, got her an Android phone and loaded Whatsapp and messenger..she never uses the laptop anymore, only the phone...get your Sis to do the same 👍 

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

12 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Very good question and timely question.

They were saying before it was a limited time only until the end of February.

I think their office is in a western time zone in the U.S. meaning it's still Feb. 28 there.

Their offer still stands here:

Business Phone: 4 users included.

www.phone2.io/ltd

 

That said, I would be very surprised if they don't extend the offer. But no way of knowing yet.

 

But be clear. This is very new to me. 

The phone voice and voice mail works but so far no luck getting test texts.

I am in communication with them about the issue. 

I bought it because of their claims for texts.

So I can't in good faith suggest that you rush out and buy this, unless you don't care about using for 2FA texts.

Also to send texts is a big hassle registering with the government which is something I won't do and don't care about anyway.

Cheers.

 

Thanks. 

 

In the meantime, I've downloaded Viber and purchased a subscription that provides unlimited calls to the US for 59 baht per month.

 

I've used Viber in the past, but haven't done so for a number of years now. I'll see how it works.

 

Unfortunately, Viber does not seem have an option for providing a US phone number the way Skype does, at least as far as I can determine. But that's a minor issue compared to being able to make calls to landlines in the US.

[carlyai]

7 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I just signed up for the 99 dollar "lifetime" Phone2 plan.

Apps for Android, IOS, and web. 

You get a U.S. or Canada number. Expanding to other countries.

1000 minutes outgoing calls a month, unlimited incoming.

Unlimited incoming texts, outgoing texts are more complicated if you want to use them.

They claim that banks accept their number for 2FAs.

Problem -- the google app is blocked for download in Thailand.

A member here said IOS isn't blocked but not 100 percent certain myself.

The web app can be used though. 

Can't you use a VPN to download it?

[johng]

What's going to happen to the 9 euro's stlil left in my Skype account ?

I hope there is some sort of compensation/refund...perhaps I can trade it for a valid genuine Windows 7 key

[Jingthing]

Just now, carlyai said:

Can't you use a VPN to download it?

You could but the company strongly advises if the country blocks it, they will not support. So use the web version or perhaps IOS which I have one report isn't blocked. 

[Kinnock]

Skype was a good, low cost option to call the UK pension department to listen to 45 minutes of hold music.  

 

What alternatives are there to call official landlines such as government departments and banks?

[hotsun]

Skype actually saved my life. Long story. I dont use it anymore but thats too bad. Good times

[simon43]

This is bad news for some of my online students in Myanmar.  Due to the international bandwidth restrictions imposed by the junta, for an online video/audio lesson. one needs to use an application that uses a minimal bandwidth as possible. 

 

Skype meets that requirement.  Zoom and Voov require more bandwidth, and ClassIn is unbelievably greedy/wasteful of bandwidth  (I know - I've done tests on all these apps...)

[thesetat]

10 hours ago, jaywalker2 said:

So what's the best alternative to Skype for making toll-fee calls to the U.S.? Any suggestions?

The story in the link said to begin using the Microsoft Teams app. They will shut down Skype in May. 

I am curious what happens to the money I have in Skype for Skype calling. I have sent a request for information relating to this already with Microsoft. Awaiting a reply about it. 

The Teams app automatically added all my email contacts with Outlook email. Which I was not happy about. It does not import previous Skype messages also. 

[mikeymike100]

4 minutes ago, thesetat said:

The story in the link said to begin using the Microsoft Teams app. They will shut down Skype in May. 

I am curious what happens to the money I have in Skype for Skype calling. I have sent a request for information relating to this already with Microsoft. Awaiting a reply about it. 

The Teams app automatically added all my email contacts with Outlook email. Which I was not happy about. It does not import previous Skype messages also. 

According to the email  i received.....

"Skype Credit users can also continue to use their remaining Skype Credit. After May 5, 2025, the Skype Dial Pad will be available to remaining paid users from the Skype web portal and within Teams."

 

Whatever that means!

[impulse]

50 minutes ago, baansgr said:

Used Skype to call my Mum for years. She came here 2 years ago, got her an Android phone and loaded Whatsapp and messenger..she never uses the laptop anymore, only the phone...get your Sis to do the same 👍 

 

That works if you're calling your family.  But I use Skype because they allow me to show my US cell number as the caller ID number.  That way, my banks know it's me when I call them to authorize overseas transactions on my debit cards.  They still ask me to answer some security questions, but that's not a problem.

 

[Briggsy]

I need to find an alternative to Skype for phoning UK landline numbers cheaply. My 92-year-old mum can only use the landline. And phoning government departments in the UK with long wait queues was no problem with Skype as govt. depts. use landlines and Skype gave me unlimited minutes to sit and wait on hold.

 

Will I be able to call UK landlines from Teams?

[wasabi]

I've been using 

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

It had to come 😞 

 

It's really bad news for my parents, we've been using Skype for our weekly chats for something like 25 years!

 

I've been using Skype for 25 years too. I expected Microsoft was going to sunset it at some point since VOIP technology has changed a lot and they were not making many updates to the software anymore. I am considering Google Voice to replace Skype. ChatGPT indicated it's $0.01 a minute to make calls to landlines and cell phones and free to receive calls. It also said they can provide a US phone number just as Skype has. I have Google Fi but Google will penalize you if you use it extensively outside of the US even though they claim it's unlimited worldwide.

[isaanistical]

Hardly any of the 'alternatives' to Skype enable Skype's basic advantage: calls to landlines worldwide. Like many here, I have a sub and rarely use it, but I also have several Skype numbers - with annual sub - that enable me to be "based"  in other cities so someone calling me from (eg) Melbourne thinks it's just a local call.

Does anyone have any serious ideas for an alternative to these numbers? Would appreciate constructive suggestions.