Avoid Skype for International calls- use LINE premium

[ghworker2010]

I'm a bit late to the party on this issue but I would highly recommend using LINE premium for international calls from Thailand to abroad. Its cheaper and call quality is significantly better than Skype.

The call quality on Syype has been poor ever since I started using the service and its expensive.

Need I say anymore....

<I recommend mods include this in the daily email to TV esteemed members>

[CharlieH]

MOVED to Telecoms

[benden25]

I use the Magic Jack app to call the US. Call quality is perfect and its free to call home, you can all anyone regardless if they have the app or not.

[BngkkB]

I thought Line was being monitored by the military? I may be wrong but I thought I had read that someplace?

[Loretta berry]

I am using boh for calling.

Bt i think skype is much better then line.

But everyone have different choices and taste. Maybe thats why you like line more than skype.

[nikster]

I thought Line was being monitored by the military? I may be wrong but I thought I had read that someplace?

So is Skype.

Skype originally was end-to-end encrypted but then the US government requested access. So it no longer is end to end encrypted. Not sure it's encrypted at all at this point.

Skype is pretty terrible really. It now no longer notifies me of incoming calls. The iOS version has a bug where notifications simply don't work. That means somebody calls you, but you don't see that on your phone. You only see it after you open the Skype app - then you see missed calls.

Last time this happened I had the desktop version of Skype running as well - and that didn't show anything for the incoming call! Not even a missed call.

I connected only because the guy sent me a text message that he was Skype calling...

As communications apps go, Skype is the worst. Not only does it not notify you of incoming messages and calls - the other party will also assume that you're not around, or worse, that you're ignoring them. I tell everyone to not contact me on Skype.

[GinBoy2]

I have to concur with Loretta.I use both Line & Skype but I find Skype to be the less problematic of the two. Especially when it comes to video calling Skype, IMHO beats Line hands down

[BB1950]

IMO Line sucks bigtime!

For me, I found it to be much more invasive than Skype.

I've removed it from all my computers and devices, never to be used again.

Skype is far better!

[ghworker2010]

I thought Line was being monitored by the military? I may be wrong but I thought I had read that someplace?

and the relevance of this comment is?

[clokwise]

I've had similar issues with missing calls on Skype for ages, it's really quite frustrating.

FWIW, if you need to call any number in North America, just install the free Google Hangouts app - all outgoing calls are free. Quality is as good if not better than Skype. Next, get a free Google Voice virtual number and now you've got a US based phone number which will ring your Hangouts app here in Thailand for free.

[kkerry]

Everyone I need to talk to has Skype or I can use Skype credit for land-line and mobile calls. Outside of Thailand I don't know anyone who uses Line.

The government has been reported as monitoring all Line traffic. Not so sure if they are able to do the same with Skype.

As for cost. Most of my calls including conference calls are free.

My paid calls are mostly 1-2 cents a minute... fortunately I can afford this...

Think I will stick to Skype for now...

[steelepulse]

Whatsapp now has a calling feature to other whatsapp users.

[jdinasia]

I use Skype. We pay a low monthly rate for unlimited calling to the US. I get great call quality. I see absolutely no reason to change.

Edit - note that I am using Skype to call mobile phones and landlines only.

Edited April 29, 2015 by jdinasia

[Loptr]

I use both Skype and LINE, but for different purposes... Skype international calls to the US for me are peanuts, plus I have a US telephone number that rings through to any device I have Skype installed on... No dual-sim phone necessary and I get mobile international calls to my cell phone for next to nothing...

[thaimite]

qnd then there is Viber

[i claudius]

I use LINE to the UK never a problem and as for the military monitoring it,well can't really see how they would be interested in my granddaughter and her. New toys

[nikster]

qnd then there is Viber

I use Viber or FaceTime audio (only on Apple). Skype quality is kinda OK, the software is just so buggy.

Haven't had good results with Line calling.

[Naam]

I use the Magic Jack app to call the US. Call quality is perfect and its free to call home, you can all anyone regardless if they have the app or not.

Magic Jack is the best option because we are all Americans and the homes we call are all located in America

[sirineou]

I tried Skype last year, My wife was able to place calls and talk to her Mom and sister for a few days, and then their numbers were blocked, we tried to have the problem resolved with Skype and we were told the problem was not with them but at the Thailand side,and it was only for those numbers but we could call any other numbers we wanted, These were the numbers we needed to call so Skype was useless to as

We then Got Vonage we could place call from a telephone at home, or with our Cell phones when we have a WiFi connection at no extra cost,

in fact we rarely use the home phone now and we exclusivly use our cell phones

Unlimited international call on Vonage costs us a litle over $30 a month and the service and call quality has being perfect

We mostly place calls between the US, Thailand, Greece, and Italy where we have family. In some countries there might be a small charge if making a call to a cell phone rather than a land line, but not in Thailand

[IMHO]

I use Skype all day long to call and chat with our OS offices, and never have issues. However at home we use Line as our family 'intercom' because it just connects voice calls (user-to-user, not over PSTN) so much quicker than Skype.

[Anthony5]

I use Skype all day long to call and chat with our OS offices, and never have issues. However at home we use Line as our family 'intercom' because it just connects voice calls (user-to-user, not over PSTN) so much quicker than Skype.

The OP is talking about calls to landlines and mobiles overseas, not skype to skype or line to line, and in that case Line beats skype hands down in call quality.

I have both installed and to make a call with Skype I need a very good signal, otherwise people on the other side will complain that they can't hear me and there will be a noticeable lag in the sound , while with Line that has never been an issue.

Since you use 3G on a mobile phone, so your data allowance is limited, a 1 minute call with skype is 1.6Mb where 1 minute with Line is 0.5 Mb.

Also watch your Ram usage on your phone when you fire up Skype or Line premium call.

Wanted to add, Line shows your Sim card number when making a call to an overseas phone, while Skype and most other VOIP sevices show a one time number, so in case that the other party isn't able to answer your call they can see who called.

Edited April 29, 2015 by Anthony5

[Anthony5]

I thought Line was being monitored by the military? I may be wrong but I thought I had read that someplace?

Oh that explains why the local cops offered to plow my dads garden for free after I told him that I still had some savings buried somewhere.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

We use all of them, for different purposes.

But the one we pay for is a $9.99 per month Skype subscription, something like Skype Unlimited World. As long as you have wifi, it's unlimited calls to both regular mobiles and landlines in Thailand, the U.S. and dozens of other countries, some mobile only numbers, some landline and mobile. AFAIK, LINE doesn't have anything to match that, especially for call volume in our case that exceeds 1,000 minutes per month.

My wife calls her mother every day, sometimes several times. So instead of burning through mobile plan minutes, since the MIL doesn't have Internet, smartphones or any fancy stuff at her home, I got the wife into the habit of using our Skype subscription to call Mom's regular Thai mobile number, as often and for as long as she wants. Hard to beat that for roughly 300 baht per month (the Skype subscription cost) for unlimited voice calling.

Meanwhile, I can use the same subscription to make local calls inside Thailand -- such as when I'm going to be on hold with TrueVisions or True Online for an hour -- or even for regular calls to the U.S. Though I tend to use our MagicJack USB device for that, which is unlimited mobile and landline calls to the U.S. and Canada for an annual renewal of about $35.

Normally I get pretty good voice call quality with Skype, as good or better than LINE. But where I like LINE more is I find the Skype Windows PC and Android apps to be pretty instrusive and resource hogging vs LINE that pretty much just stays quiet and invisible in the background until you need it.

[Anthony5]

We use all of them, for different purposes.

But the one we pay for is a $9.99 per month Skype subscription, something like Skype Unlimited World. As long as you have wifi, it's unlimited calls to both regular mobiles and landlines in Thailand, the U.S. and dozens of other countries, some mobile only numbers, some landline and mobile. AFAIK, LINE doesn't have anything to match that, especially for call volume in our case that exceeds 1,000 minutes per month.

My wife calls her mother every day, sometimes several times. So instead of burning through mobile plan minutes, since the MIL doesn't have Internet, smartphones or any fancy stuff at her home, I got the wife into the habit of using our Skype subscription to call Mom's regular Thai mobile number, as often and for as long as she wants. Hard to beat that for roughly 300 baht per month (the Skype subscription cost) for unlimited voice calling.

Meanwhile, I can use the same subscription to make local calls inside Thailand -- such as when I'm going to be on hold with TrueVisions or True Online for an hour -- or even for regular calls to the U.S. Though I tend to use our MagicJack USB device for that, which is unlimited mobile and landline calls to the U.S. and Canada for an annual renewal of about $35.

Normally I get pretty good voice call quality with Skype, as good or better than LINE. But where I like LINE more is I find the Skype Windows PC and Android apps to be pretty instrusive and resource hogging vs LINE that pretty much just stays quiet and invisible in the background until you need it.

Skype world unlimited is 13.99$ + vat, not 9.99$, and you can call mobiles in Thailand, the US and 6 other countries, not a dozen.

https://www.skype.com/en/rates/?nu=subs-calling

Unlimited World, $13.99 per month

[JMWPACIFIC]

Agree that LINE is good quality but skype is just as good or better. Maybe it's your set up that causes you to get poor quality.

[Anthony5]

Agree that LINE is good quality but skype is just as good or better. Maybe it's your set up that causes you to get poor quality.

What is there to set up in Line or Skype?

You don't get to choose the audio codec as with VOIP clients, all is done by Skype or Line.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Skype world unlimited is 13.99$ + vat, not 9.99$, and you can call mobiles in Thailand, the US and 6 other countries, not a dozen.

https://www.skype.com/en/rates/?nu=subs-calling

Unlimited World, $13.99 per month

Skype offers promotional pricing from time to time. I signed up for a $9.99 a month promotion for that Unlimited World plan, and the pricing has continued at the promotional rate ever since, more than a year now.

As for the calling countries, yes, I should have been more clear. The list of mobile AND landline-eligible countries to call is shorter at eight countries/areas, but does include the U.S. and Thailand, among others. The list of landline-only-eligible country numbers to call is much longer, with Skype's website saying 63.

Call landlines and mobiles in: Canada, China, Guam, Hong Kong SAR, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Thailand, United States.

Call landlines only in: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guadeloupe, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia (Jakarta), Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom, Venezuela.

[Torrens54]

What is all this about PAYING.

My wife uses LINE when talking with her daughter in the US....for FREE and they Yack away for ever.

I use SKYPE for lengthy calls to Australia...also FREE!

[IMHO]

The OP is talking about calls to landlines and mobiles overseas, not skype to skype or line to line, and in that case Line beats skype hands down in call quality.

I am talking about Skype to PSTN (that's why I made the distinction when I mentioned Line) - on an average day I spend around half the time speaking to manufacturers and vendors all over the world over Skype to PSTN, the other half Skype-to-Skype with colleagues, and a (very) little time on VOIP. Skype call quality has been always excellent. I'm not using 3G/4G however.

Wanted to add, Line shows your Sim card number when making a call to an overseas phone, while Skype and most other VOIP sevices show a one time number, so in case that the other party isn't able to answer your call they can see who called.

Skype shows your real number if you spend a couple of minutes to validate it

[Langsuan Man]

I use the Magic Jack app to call the US. Call quality is perfect and its free to call home, you can all anyone regardless if they have the app or not.

Magic Jack is the best option because we are all Americans and the homes we call are all located in America

And they can call you using your American number, another advantage and plus