Skype alternatives?

[Farang]

Skype is fucking awful. And I'm going to blame Microsoft because the last time I used it, it was great and that was years ago.

However I absolutely have to make international calls frequently. Recommendations?

 

[beachchica]

Is this for work? Make them pay for it.

 

[Farang]

Is this for work? Make them pay for it.

I'm self-employed.. it's pretty cheap so I'm not worried

This software is unbelievably bad (cue Louis C.K on conan). And looking at their help section it seems like everybody else has the same issues that I do.

 

[brainhulk]

teamspeak or ventrillo?

these are programs i used to use to talk to others when I played video games online

 

[Red Squirrel]

I hate the fact that they're stopping the MSN service and moving people to skype. Such BS. I should start getting my contacts to add me to gtalk or something before its too late. Though I only talk to a few people in my contacts regularly, so guess it's one way to do a cleanup lol.

 

[Farang]

I hate the fact that they're stopping the MSN service and moving people to skype. Such BS. I should start getting my contacts to add me to gtalk or something before its too late. Though I only talk to a few people in my contacts regularly, so guess it's one way to do a cleanup lol.

Is Gtalk a credible alternative? It seems robust but I had trouble getting that set up right.. Google's interface confuses me sometimes because everything is tied to everything else.

I really need the international calling power of Skype, though.. like I'm calling a bunch of Indonesian numbers right there. And I need my own number. not sure if the smaller programs can offer that

So far making due with Skype for ipad, but having to use speaker phone

 

[Broheim]

they need to change skype into lync, I fucking love lync...

 

[Red Squirrel]

Is Gtalk a credible alternative? It seems robust but I had trouble getting that set up right.. Google's interface confuses me sometimes because everything is tied to everything else.

I really need the international calling power of Skype, though.. like I'm calling a bunch of Indonesian numbers right there. And I need my own number. not sure if the smaller programs can offer that

So far making due with Skype for ipad, but having to use speaker phone

I use pidgen so to me as long as it works with that. Though I am kinda weary about what kind of tracking google does with the IM conversations. I'm sure Microsoft does it too though but Google is just more creepy in that regard, they probably go deeper than microsoft would.

 

[Farang]

they need to change skype into lync, I fucking love lync...

I just don't get how this software is so shitty. You build this amazing system that can call anywhere in the world, and the hangup seems to be with the customer facing application.

 

[pcslookout]

Skype is fucking awful. And I'm going to blame Microsoft because the last time I used it, it was great and that was years ago.

However I absolutely have to make international calls frequently. Recommendations?

What is wrong with it for you?

If it is the ads you can easily block them all.

 

[Farang]

What is wrong with it for you?

If it is the ads you can easily block them all.

Buggy as hell. Can't hang up calls, can't test my microphone because their testing bot is 'offline,' have to go to Task Bar to close completely else if I close and try to login it tells me I can't log in.. etc. etc. etc.

Then I go to help and see a million people having the same issue.

 

[lothar]

Google Voice?

 

[Jeff7]

I'd also be in the market for someone else.

About 40-50% of the time, Skype fails to ring when someone calls - either on my PC, or on my tablet. The occasional severe echoing, or dropped calls, also isn't much good.

My first notification is usually an e-mail that I missed a call. Then, anywhere from 40 seconds to 30 hours later, I get the e-mail, then a bit later, the Skype window blips that I missed a call.

My cellphone did that a lot too, except its waiting period was sometimes up to a week before it would tell me.



Edit: And it appears that they've now removed the very useful "Ring on all devices" functionality.

<slowclap>



How difficult/easy is it to transfer a Skype phone# to another service?



Edit2: Well, what timing. Someone tried to call me about 30 minutes ago. My only notification of it was when that person e-mailed me. They said it was some message about being unable to connect the call to the Skype phone number.

Privacy settings say:
- Allow calls from: people on my Contact list only
- Allow calls to my Skype Number from: Anyone
"Block calls when phone number is hidden" is unchecked.


Also, holy hell, the Skype application is up to 180MB of RAM now. What the hell is it doing in there?

 

[Jodell88]

Wait until you use Skype for Linux. It's the worst program I've ever used by far with memory leaks all over the place.

 

[Krazy4Real]

wth? I've never had problems with skype. I use it at work and at home.

The only thing that annoys me sometimes is that it takes awhile for HD video to kick in.

 

[KoolAidKid]

I've used viber and google voice. Both are better than Skype in terms of reliability and sound quality IMO.

 

[MonKENy]

google voice or google talk

prob the best free easy to use at the moment

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Google Talk for one-on-one and Google+ Hangouts for conferences has completely usurped the use of Skype for me. Great quality, and lets me conference on ALL my devices from desktops, to laptops, to my tablet and cell phone.

 

[gevorg]

oovoo

 

[FelixDeCat]

oovoo

they are all bad :|

 

[gevorg]

they are all bad :|

not really, Snoop Dogg likes it

 

[Vdubchaos]

I figured Microsoft is trying hard to suck more than ever....

 

[Farang]

Thanks will try Google Voice.

It's just the little things. For example.. they are the only service in the U.S. I've worked with that charges your account to their home office in England. So when I bought a $10 credit my bank put a hold on my card and charged a foreign transaction fee.

 

[_Rick_]

I'm still hoping that Skype will soon be integrated into Outlook/Communicator, so Ms' professional comm's suite finally gets integrated audio and video, and IT can lift the "no Skype, because we don't trust them" rule.

 

[Broheim]

I'm still hoping that Skype will soon be integrated into Outlook/Communicator, so Ms' professional comm's suite finally gets integrated audio and video, and IT can lift the "no Skype, because we don't trust them" rule.

Lync 2013 does that, you can call/chat skype users just like you would with skype except better in every way.