5/5

posted May-09-2012
Skype probably isn't for everyone. Anyone who considers anyone who can figure out how to work a Windows PC, Use an Android Phone, or program a DVD recorder a geek will likely find Skype frustrating and blame their lack of basic understanding on Skype.
I've had and regularly use Skype since Feb, 2012 and I find it an outstanding buy. In order to keep calling costs very low, Skype operates on a shoe string budget. Microsoft bought the company last year but doesn't seem to be investing into it, just making profit from the 11 cent charge for a text message.
I use skype only to make Internet calls to non-Internet and Internet phones (comcast, U-Verse, etc). For this, I pay only $3.95 a month for unlimited North America. Like most Americans, my wife and I have cell phones. We use pay as you go cell service so it is beneficial to make calls with Skype.
We use Skype with laptops and Android Tablets, having our account configured in all of them. Skype is consistently good for us. In fact, we have never gotten the long delay we often get when we make a call with our Verizon or U-Verse phones.
All business calls that will involved being on hold for a while we make on Skype. So far we have not been dropped once, which is more that I can say for any cell phone service.
Many of the people who report an extremely negative experience with Skype had a poor outcome for the same reason many people report a poor result with a Roku box, a major brand Wireless Router,Internet Radio or a new Laptop. THEY FAIL to REALIZE these devices are internet devices and as such are only ONE PART OF A PROCESS.
Most often, the problem lies with YOUR INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER, which in most cases is YOUR TV & HOME PHONE SERVICES PROVIDER. ALL INTERNET DEVICES MUST HAVE A MINIMUM CONSISTENT LEVEL OF INTERNET DOWNLOAD SPEED. Your service provider is about as honest as a automobile dealer. When they are not outright lying or deceiving, they use deceptive and vague language.
Take a look at your bills. You assume you pay for and receive 3Mbps download speed, but the provider's exact language is "Up TO". What does that mean? Very few people pay attention to two things. One, the very unclear meaning of "High Speed Internet" or "High Speed Broadband". The terms are used for speeds from under 1Mbps to 114Mbps. Two, You never get the speed you think you are paying for and two people in the same neighborhood get different speeds when they pay for the exact same service.
Before you buy any Internet device, visit the Roku site and use the free Internet Download speed meter. You must check your speed several times at different times of the day. You will be surprised at how much less download speed you get than the speed you think you are paying for.
For example, the U-Verse "node" for my U-Verse line is one foot from my house. The fastest download speed I ever get for my "Up To 12Mbps is 9.9Mbps and I get that only very early in the morning week days. I had the better performing Comcast Cable Internet Service. I paid for "Up To 24Mbps" The fastest I ever got was 18.9Mbps.
Most people have "Up to 1.4 to 3.0Mbps Service. If you have had bad experience with a Roku box, a Wireless Router, Internet Radio, Skype, etc check your actual Download speeds.
I find you need service that does not dip below 2.4Mbps in order to get decent results.