1470 SkyPe / VoIP

I'm very slowly getting to grips with what SkyPe and VoIP are all about but just wondered if anyone uses SkyPe or something similar and how well it works (to other computers and to landlines/mobiles)? I'm in Italy and have ADSL (soon going onto a flat rate) so reckon I could set it up okay but just wondered if it's worth it or if there are any hidden costs. I've already worked out that if I want to use it to receive calls one additional cost would be the electricity used to keep the computer on all the time.

An interesting article in the Scotsman today:

[url]http://business.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=2008662005[/url]

Category
Cost of living - Utility Services

I use Skype a lot to talk to friends in Italy, France and everywhere abroad where I have friends. The clarity is generally very good although sometimes there can be a bit of an echo. If you are using the normal Skype there are no extra charges, other than the cost of your broadband. SkypeOut is a prepaid service when you want to call someone from your computer to their landline or mobile (if they don't use a computer.) The cost of calling landlines is very cheap indeed usually a few cents. However the cost of calling mobiles is more expensive. I can call a mobile in Italy from my landline in England for the same price as SkypeOut. Then there is SkypeIn. This is also a paid service, whereby you are provided with a telephone number which people can use to call you from their landline and you receive the call via your computer. I know that electricity costs quite a lot more in Italy than the UK (especially if you are not resident) but I don't think a computer would use enough electricity that leaving it on all the time would cost too much - but maybe someone can enlighten me if that is not the case.
Linda

I have been using different Voip systems both here and in the UK for the past couple of years now and I can recommend two carriers.

Uk : [url]www.voipfone.co.uk[/url]
Italy : [url]www.vira.it[/url], Although i've only tried there free account so far they have a local number package for about 30 euros setup and then you only pay a little extra (50c for each 5 euro's) for calls which is great of you mainly want if for incoming calls.

With voipfone I get a uk land line number (london 0207) and 500 mins of calls a month to landlines in most countries around the world for about £6 a month.

If you want to get into Voip seriously then you would be better off buying a VOIP phone adaptor which allows you to plug a normal phone into it and then plugs into your ADSL router or network meaning you don't need to keep your computer on just your ADSL modem/router. (look in the hardware sections of most voip websites but I would recommend the sipura 2000 or 3000)