From Skype to LaLa Land.

[swissie]

Have you tried to switch form Skype" to "Teams"? I did.

 

Easy at first: Just transfer your Skype adresses to Teams. I did. Next day they were gone and had to repeat the process. But with the transferred adresses I can only send written messages, No audio or video communication possible. (Yes, I clicked "allowed" for those sevices).

 

A smorgasboard of options, that nobody needs. Clearly designed to collect more data. By clicking through all those options can make a person dizzy, granted that he only wants to audio/video communicate with someone.

 

Digitalised overkill that nobody needs or wants. I can only hope that the "wizards of digitalisation" will repair the system that finally will enable users to communicate by way of audio/video again.

 

PS: Someone receiving "remedy options" in English may be blessed. Remedy options in other languages read like they were written by an 8 year old. Chat GTP could do better.

 

[samtam]

Yes, I too have tried Teams as the alternative to Skype, but it in no way replicates it, as in being able to make cheap voice calls to landline numbers, (typically banks etc). There must be a better alternative, but I haven't come across it yet.

[KhunHeineken]

No need to start a new thread. 

 

Viber is the new Skype. 

 

https://www.viber.com/en/

 

[KannikaP]

2 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

No need to start a new thread. 

 

Viber is the new Skype. 

 

https://www.viber.com/en/

 

Just tried to set up an account and it will not accept either my Thai or UK phone number. 

[KhunHeineken]

7 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Just tried to set up an account and it will not accept either my Thai or UK phone number. 

You can use a "virtual number" but it should accept Thai and UK numbers.  I didn't have a problem. 

 

I suspect as the 5th May approaches, some of these providers will be upgrading their systems to cope with a spike in new accounts.  Perhaps try later. 

[KannikaP]

25 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

You can use a "virtual number" but it should accept Thai and UK numbers.  I didn't have a problem. 

 

I suspect as the 5th May approaches, some of these providers will be upgrading their systems to cope with a spike in new accounts.  Perhaps try later. 

Actually, Teams doesn't seem to work to UK landlines, for Banks, Taxman etc etc.

[KhunHeineken]

12 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Actually, Teams doesn't seem to work to UK landlines, for Banks, Taxman etc etc.

I checked out Teams.  Straight away I could see it was business orientated, and nothing at all like Skype.  Even "Teams Free" which is their basic offering, was nothing like Skype. 

 

I will not be migrating over to Teams.   I doubt Teams will get a high percentage of the 30 million Skype users around the world. 

[KannikaP]

2 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

I checked out Teams.  Straight away I could see it was business orientated, and nothing at all like Skype.  Even "Teams Free" which is their basic offering, was nothing like Skype. 

 

I will not be migrating over to Teams.   I doubt Teams will get a high percentage of the 30 million Skype users around the world. 

Microsoft are getting on my wick with this. And stopping the 100 minutes of calls included in 365. 

How do you install Linux?  555

[KhunHeineken]

6 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Microsoft are getting on my wick with this. And stopping the 100 minutes of calls included in 365. 

How do you install Linux?  555

Microsoft is going down the same path as Nokia, just more slowly.   Had a huge slice of market share, but ultimately went broke. 

[Surasak]

May I suggest to those who are about to be cut off by Skype, to take a look at "Mytello". Calls are cheaper than Skype  but you don't get the same service. For instance:- My UK Skype number could be dialed and the caller would be charged at the local rate, for that call, to be transferred to my mobile anywhere in the world. If you download the Mytello app, it gives the charging rate for all countries worldwide. They are CHEAP, give it a look and I feel sure you will be impressed.

No, I do not get commission!

[marcho]

On 4/20/2025 at 5:03 PM, samtam said:

Yes, I too have tried Teams as the alternative to Skype, but it in no way replicates it, as in being able to make cheap voice calls to landline numbers, (typically banks etc). There must be a better alternative, but I haven't come across it yet.

I switched to Yolla and it is great and cheap to landlines like Skype

[kingstonkid]

32 minutes ago, Surasak said:

May I suggest to those who are about to be cut off by Skype, to take a look at "Mytello". Calls are cheaper than Skype  but you don't get the same service. For instance:- My UK Skype number could be dialed and the caller would be charged at the local rate, for that call, to be transferred to my mobile anywhere in the world. If you download the Mytello app, it gives the charging rate for all countries worldwide. They are CHEAP, give it a look and I feel sure you will be impressed.

No, I do not get commission!

Tried setting it up but mytello will not accept canadian phone numbers for contacts

[marcho]

19 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

I checked out Teams.  Straight away I could see it was business orientated, and nothing at all like Skype.  Even "Teams Free" which is their basic offering, was nothing like Skype. 

 

I will not be migrating over to Teams.   I doubt Teams will get a high percentage of the 30 million Skype users around the world. 

Try Yolla is realy good. Cheap cals to Landlines like Skype

[maxx58]

I use Viber to call my friends & family in the USA, $1.99/mo.

I use WhatsApp to call friends in other countries.

Can call +1 800 numbers using Viber, which is important to me. 

[Mario Cosmopolite]

1 hour ago, Surasak said:

May I suggest to those who are about to be cut off by Skype, to take a look at "Mytello". Calls are cheaper than Skype  but you don't get the same service. For instance:- My UK Skype number could be dialed and the caller would be charged at the local rate, for that call, to be transferred to my mobile anywhere in the world. If you download the Mytello app, it gives the charging rate for all countries worldwide. They are CHEAP, give it a look and I feel sure you will be impressed.

No, I do not get commission!

Agreed. I started using MyTello  earlier this month and so far calls to Channel Islands and Singapore successfully completed. It looks like for someone who makes only a few calls a month or a year to overseas landlines this fits the bill.

[Digitalbanana]

Existing Skype credit holders are supposedly getting dial pad option coming to Teams from 5-May onwards to allow them to use up the credit until its zero at same rates as Skype charges to land lines. After that need to move onto something like MyTello for the occassional once a year call to the bank etc.

[samtam]

59 minutes ago, marcho said:

Try Yolla is realy good. Cheap cals to Landlines like Skype

 

Thanks!

[impulse]

20 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

I checked out Teams.  Straight away I could see it was business orientated, and nothing at all like Skype.  Even "Teams Free" which is their basic offering, was nothing like Skype. 

 

I will not be migrating over to Teams.   I doubt Teams will get a high percentage of the 30 million Skype users around the world. 

 

I migrated to Teams.  They ported over my contacts and I now have 4 of the 200+ Skype contacts.  That's all that have joined Teams.  3 of them are vendors I haven't used in a decade.  No phone calls enabled. 

 

I'll let it sit on my computer for a few weeks, then wipe it if it gets no better.

 

[Lung Mark]

Finally found a replacement that gives me a US phone number for incoming and outgoing calls. I set up an account with VOIP.ms which lets me chose a phone number in many countries for (mine was US 89 cents a month). Then you patch the settings into a software phone on your cell phone (download the suggested  free Zoiper app) https://wiki.voip.ms/article/ZoIPer_for_Android.

Very cheap calls internationally and free within US and Canada. The setup is a little cumbersome, but support staff is absolutely fantastic.

Basic cost 10 USD, rechargeable through the website. Once set up works great for me. Works out a lot cheaper than a Skype number.

[KhunHeineken]

5 hours ago, Surasak said:

May I suggest to those who are about to be cut off by Skype, to take a look at "Mytello". Calls are cheaper than Skype  but you don't get the same service. For instance:- My UK Skype number could be dialed and the caller would be charged at the local rate, for that call, to be transferred to my mobile anywhere in the world. If you download the Mytello app, it gives the charging rate for all countries worldwide. They are CHEAP, give it a look and I feel sure you will be impressed.

No, I do not get commission!

Mytello does not offer free voice / video calls.  Not a problem for some, but a feature that many used to catch up with friends and relatives back home. 

[KhunHeineken]

4 hours ago, marcho said:

I switched to Yolla and it is great and cheap to landlines like Skype

Yes, but Yolla do not offer an unlimited paid call subscription. 

[KhunHeineken]

4 hours ago, maxx58 said:

I use Viber to call my friends & family in the USA, $1.99/mo.

I use WhatsApp to call friends in other countries.

Can call +1 800 numbers using Viber, which is important to me. 

As I posted in another thread, Viber is the closest product on the market to Skype that I could find. 

 

If another member has found a product that has free voice / video calls, credit / mins for paid calls that do not expire, and unlimited subscriptions to individual countries and a package of multiple countries, all in the one program / app, then please put it forward.  

[KhunHeineken]

4 hours ago, Mario Cosmopolite said:

Agreed. I started using MyTello  earlier this month and so far calls to Channel Islands and Singapore successfully completed. It looks like for someone who makes only a few calls a month or a year to overseas landlines this fits the bill.

I agree.  Mytello is for the infrequent user, but without an unlimited paid call subscription, it's not for the frequent / heavy paid call user. 

[KhunHeineken]

3 hours ago, Digitalbanana said:

Existing Skype credit holders are supposedly getting dial pad option coming to Teams from 5-May onwards to allow them to use up the credit until its zero at same rates as Skype charges to land lines. After that need to move onto something like MyTello for the occassional once a year call to the bank etc.

That is my understanding, but I believe Skype users with credit will still be able to use the web portal as well, which is what I will be doing.  If so, I will not be using Teams at the end of Skype, or anytime into the future.

[KhunHeineken]

2 hours ago, impulse said:

 

I migrated to Teams.  They ported over my contacts and I now have 4 of the 200+ Skype contacts.  That's all that have joined Teams.  3 of them are vendors I haven't used in a decade.  No phone calls enabled. 

 

I'll let it sit on my computer for a few weeks, then wipe it if it gets no better.

 

They say it will be all ready for complete migration by the 5th May. 

 

It should have been ready for complete migration before they even announced the Skype shut down.  

[KhunHeineken]

2 hours ago, Lung Mark said:

Finally found a replacement that gives me a US phone number for incoming and outgoing calls. I set up an account with VOIP.ms which lets me chose a phone number in many countries for (mine was US 89 cents a month). Then you patch the settings into a software phone on your cell phone (download the suggested  free Zoiper app) https://wiki.voip.ms/article/ZoIPer_for_Android.

Very cheap calls internationally and free within US and Canada. The setup is a little cumbersome, but support staff is absolutely fantastic.

Basic cost 10 USD, rechargeable through the website. Once set up works great for me. Works out a lot cheaper than a Skype number.

Can you do free voice / video calls? 

[Surasak]

1 hour ago, KhunHeineken said:

Mytello does not offer free voice / video calls.  Not a problem for some, but a feature that many used to catch up with friends and relatives back home. 

What do you want? Cream on your choice of fruit?

[KhunHeineken]

2 minutes ago, Surasak said:

What do you want?

The same everyone else wants, the closest thing to Skype, and that's Viber. 

 

Can you name another product that is as close to Skype as Viber is? 

[impulse]

42 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Can you name another product that is as close to Skype as Viber is? 

 

Honest questions to Viber, MyTello and Yolla users...  Can you sign up from Thailand?  If so, I'll try them on my next monthly visit.

 

Also, are they phone apps, or can they be used on a Windows computer?  And can you get a phone number from your home country?  (And, creamy dream here...  Can you have them use your back home cell number as your caller ID like Skype?)

 

I'm asking because I'm not getting much luv or info from China here.  (And my antivirus is flagging some of them)

 

[Captor]

2 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

As I posted in another thread, Viber is the closest product on the market to Skype that I could find. 

 

If another member has found a product that has free voice / video calls, credit / mins for paid calls that do not expire, and unlimited subscriptions to individual countries and a package of multiple countries, all in the one program / app, then please put it forward.  

But they want to have access to all your contacts in your contactlists. If you not accept that you can not create a Viber account.