Korean Job Discussion Forums

joeheckel · Joined: 13 Oct 2008 Location: Seoul

Does Skype work well when calling from Korea to the USA or Germany? Has anyone tried the new WiFi phones that allow you to use them in any WiFi environment without a computer? I have read a few posts on here about the internet connectivity and thought I would ask prior to buying the WiFi phone and services from Skype.

teachergirltoo · Joined: 28 Oct 2006

I call to London, US, Canada, and Mexico several times a week with SKYPE as it is the only phone system I use in Korea besides my cell for local stuff. The connections are always great. No problems.

joeheckel · Joined: 13 Oct 2008 Location: Seoul

Any chance you have tried the new WIFI products they offer? Are there many places with free WIFI? The new Skype phones look pretty awesome in that they do not require connectivity to a computer to work if you are located in a WIFI area.
Thanks for the imput.....

teachergirltoo · Joined: 28 Oct 2006

I haven't personally, but I used to work with someone that had an IMATE PDA cellphone with wireless and SKYPE. I am not sure how often he used it but he never complained about it at all. It would totally depend on how many open wireless signals you found in a specific area as you are traveling - the exact same situation as a wireless laptop. If you are in a big city your options are plenty. The opposite being true in the countryside. As long as you have a good signal you are good to go.

travelbender · Joined: 14 Oct 2008 Location: Seoul, Seongbuk-gu

Skype now has unlimited calling for a price

http://www.skype.com/allfeatures/subscriptions/

Some are to landlines only, but the US/Canada $2.95/month is to cell phones and landlines, pretty cheap. Right now I'm only on skype minutes.

Has anyone used the unlimited calling?

teachergirltoo · Joined: 28 Oct 2006

I just buy $10 worth of SKYPE credit every few months. Everyone else that I know has SKYPE now, so we just talk for free - and when they are not online they have it forwarded to their cellphone as I do, so I basically have no phone bill other than that $10 every few months. Because of this, have not considered the monthly feature.

victorology · Joined: 10 Sep 2007

My cousin had a wi-fi skype phone. It worked but coverage was spotty. I wouldn't rely on it if I were you.

i4NI · Joined: 17 May 2008 Location: Seoul

Due to it being paid in euros, skype is becoming expensive now as a calling card!

Easter Clark · Joined: 18 Nov 2007 Location: Hiding from Yie Eun-woong

I'm on unlimited country to the US for $5.95 / month. Works great and I can call anywhere in the US and talk for as long as I want. Fantastic deal.

teachergirltoo · Joined: 28 Oct 2006

i4NI · Joined: 17 May 2008 Location: Seoul

Easter Clark · Joined: 18 Nov 2007 Location: Hiding from Yie Eun-woong

I can call landlines and cell phones, no problem.

$35?! Shocked

Nope...like I said, US$5.95

Drew345 · Joined: 24 May 2005

Skype says in America the unlimited calling works for cellphones. This is because in America the receiving person (with the cellphone) is charged for receiving the call.
For other countries like Korea and Thailand, the receiving person (with the cellphone) pays nothing for receiving a call; instead the caller pays extra for calling to a cell phone. In those countries, skype unlimited calling is not free for cell phones.

Easter Clark · Joined: 18 Nov 2007 Location: Hiding from Yie Eun-woong

^

Not sure what you're implying, but I have been calling my family on their cell phones for months now and have yet to be charged anything extra (or to hear a complaint that they're being charged for my calls)... Confused

Drew345 · Joined: 24 May 2005

Oops, I meant to be agreeing with you. It is true that with a Skype subscription for America you can call both landlines and cell phones. And friends will be thrilled to get a call from their friend in Korea. 100% agree that a skype subscription is great for calling your friends cell phone numbers in America.

I went on to explain a bit about why a skype subscription to America includes calling cell phones, but a skype subscription for Korea or Thailand does not include cell phones. In America a call received on a cell phone will be charged for "receiving minutes". The charge is very small, 2 cents to a dime a minute, nothing a friend would complain about. Or maybe the "receiving minutes" come from a budget of "receiving minutes" purchased with a monthly subscription. The price is very small, but it is this fact that receiving minutes are charged to the receiver that allows skype to include cell phones in their America subscriptions.
In Korea, on the other hand, a cell phone receiving a call is not charged at all for receiving minutes. That is why in Korea, it costs a little bit more to call to a cell phone number compared with calling to a land number. The caller actually pays those few won more for the "receiving minutes". Because in Korea, it costs a little bit more to call a cell phone number, Skype subscriptions for Korea do not include Korean cell numbers.

Anyway, sorry, didn't meat to be implying anything. Skype subscriptions are great for calling cell phones in America.