Three Skypephone is brilliant!

eth0_

I know Three get a lot of bashing on boards.ie but myself and my housemate got a pair of Skype Phones at the weekend and we absolutely love them!

There was a little glitch at first as the guy who sold them to us in the 3 shop on Grafton St told me we didn't need to age verify, despite my saying "Don't I need to text a number to get a verification number?". But I just rang 3 customer service and spoke to an Indian lady who was easy to understand, she took 99c off my credit card and within 3 hours I had internet access.

Calling contacts on skype is fantastic, there has been no latency so far and sound quality is as good as a normal mobile conversation.

I actually have nothing bad to say about this phone yet, which is ominous considering how 3 get slated on this forum...

Random

Holy crap.

Three Customer Care 1 -v- 73,899 Other Three Customers

I guess it's a start anyways !

tallus

Best of luck with it OP, I use fring over the 3 hsdpa network and it's not too bad at all.
It's good to see positive feedback on 3

man utd 07/08

How Does Skype Work????????

jimmycrackcorm

man utd 07/08 wrote: »

How Does Skype Work????????

The reason it is so good on three is that the skype link between the phone user and the network is over a normal voice call. Hence no latency.

god's toy

Yep I am going to agree with the OP! (Shock!!!)

Well I got this Skype/three phone on Xmas day and apart from one logging in delay I am more than happy with it so far.

Darn handy having it over the new year! free calls on the move are always good
I understand that all Skype branded phones connect using the Iskoot servers and this can lead to a delay in on-line/off-line status updating on the 'Internet Skype' but I am sure that bug that will be sorted soon...ish.
I have the Philps voip841 home Skype phone and calls between them are alwas very clear.
Non Skype branded mobile phones will be getting Skype text soon so I'm told with skype in-out being added by June this year... (we will see about that one)

Free Windows live messenger is handy too!

Wife is with three 6 months now and has found the support fine.

Over all I'm happy but wish the batt would last a little longer than it does.

eth0_

god's toy wrote: »

Over all I'm happy but wish the batt would last a little longer than it does.

Same here, with MSN and Skype connected all the time, I don't get much over a day out of it. But I don't mind, I can charge it in work with the included usb cable. I think being connected to a 3g network all the time affects battery performance too.

1huge1

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

The reason it is so good on three is that the skype link between the phone user and the network is over a normal voice call. Hence no latency.

Really? Thats one of the reasons I havent got it yet because ive skype on my computer and the call quality can be fairly poor a lot of the time and I thought it would be just as bad on the phone

also the phone is only available on 3pay suprisingly enough

mountainyman

You can make that 2 +s for 3s customer service.
The only difficulty I have with the 3 skypephone is that I want to unlock it to put a dual sim in and the chinese/indian phone unlockers on Parnell street can't do it/

MM

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

mountainyman

it is called a double sim magic sim and it is from China
it has a stern looking Chinese guy on the wrapper.

still no luck getting unlocked
3 seem to be better than the other s though


MM

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

mountainyman

Also there is no skypeout but iskoot might make available

all abit baffling

Walkman

Skype is available on a number of 3 handsets, Nokia e65, Nokia 6120, Nokia n73, SE k530i, SE k770i, LG u990 and Shine (there are more but can't think off hand now) Call into a 3store and they will let you know.:)

neilled

Walkman wrote: »

Skype is available on a number of 3 handsets, Nokia e65, Nokia 6120, Nokia n73, SE k530i, SE k770i, LG u990 and Shine (there are more but can't think off hand now) Call into a 3store and they will let you know.:)

The difference between these and the "Skypephone" is that these use apps that the user needs to start and then minimise and run in the background. The three skypephone offers a more intergrated approach to skype. Nevertheless its quite interesting. For customers who aren't on three and want to do similar things then you could look at downloading iskoot which is essentially the same thing - it uses data and calls to use skype or skype out. This might be handy if you make international calls in the evening time..... I imagine it would be particularly handy for o2 easy life customers with their large bundle of off peak minutes.

flogen

I'm not entirely sure on this so I'll ask the stupid question - how exactly does Skype connect on the Skypephone and does it cost at all in any way?

Does it connect using the HSDPA/3G network and if so does it cost anything in terms of data transfer etc. (or is that free with this package?) or does it only connect over wifi?

god's toy

flogen wrote: »

I'm not entirely sure on this so I'll ask the stupid question - how exactly does Skype connect on the Skypephone and does it cost at all in any way?

Does it connect using the HSDPA/3G network and if so does it cost anything in terms of data transfer etc. (or is that free with this package?) or does it only connect over wifi?

Yep it it connects using the 3G network and on 3pay you do have to top up by €10 every month or it stops working but this money is not used by Skype, apart from this it's 'free'

You can get it on Xseries too.

The Skype branded phones has 'Skype text' were the rest of the phone range on three does not... yet.

Dave Roe

neilled wrote: »

The difference between these and the "Skypephone" is that these use apps that the user needs to start and then minimise and run in the background. The three skypephone offers a more intergrated approach to skype. Nevertheless its quite interesting. .

Hold on there fella, the other problem is that it costs 15 euros EXTRA to use skype on those non-3pay phones. Skype and Fring are both blocked by 3 except for their 3-pay skype branded phones.

The only way to use skype on them is to pay 15 euros per month extra for their unlimited data service.

I found this out the hard way. It was not explained to me at eithrer the 3 store on Grafton st. or the 3G store on Mary street, despite me pointing out that I was specifically getting a 3 phone so I could use skype.

It seems to me to be a crazy pricing model for them, but thats the way it is.

I won't say much more as my case may end up in court.

I do know however, that many other people have been stung in this way.

So, don't be fooled. "Free Skype calls with 3" IS NOT TRUE. Their advertising should say "FREE SKYPE CALLS WITH 3 PAY AS YOU GO, ONLY!"

robinph

Dave Roe wrote: »

So, don't be fooled. "Free Skype calls with 3" IS NOT TRUE. Their advertising should say "FREE SKYPE CALLS WITH 3 PAY AS YOU GO, ONLY!"

Nope, it's free Skype calls with 3 X-Series and their branded Skypephone.

Their .ie site does leave a little to be deisred though as far as finding that information goes.

neilled

Dave Roe wrote: »

Hold on there fella, the other problem is that it costs 15 euros EXTRA to use skype on those non-3pay phones. Skype and Fring are both blocked by 3 except for their 3-pay skype branded phones.

The only way to use skype on them is to pay 15 euros per month extra for their unlimited data service.

I found this out the hard way. It was not explained to me at eithrer the 3 store on Grafton st. or the 3G store on Mary street, despite me pointing out that I was specifically getting a 3 phone so I could use skype.

It seems to me to be a crazy pricing model for them, but thats the way it is.

I won't say much more as my case may end up in court.

I do know however, that many other people have been stung in this way.

So, don't be fooled. "Free Skype calls with 3" IS NOT TRUE. Their advertising should say "FREE SKYPE CALLS WITH 3 PAY AS YOU GO, ONLY!"

Don't be telling me to "hold on there" as all of these handsets are available prepay and its where the likes of the k530 are most often found. I described the technical operation on how skype of these handsets works, it works via firing up the iskoot client which must be manually started all the time.

Forgive me if i'm wrong but I think the prechristmas advertising was free skype with 3pay.

I was told that skype would be enabled free for contract customers at a date in the first quarter of 2008, there was only so much capacity available and whilst getting contract customers is the ultimate goal of every network, the foundations have to be laid somewhere, hence trying to get more people onto the network with the provisioning of skype on threepay first, follwed by contract who could always avail of xseries anyway.

I don't think the xseries add on is unreasonable as the "unlimited" mobile broadband is 20 euro anyway.

Anyway your within the 14 days, whats the problem?

dpower

Dave Roe wrote:

I found this out the hard way. It was not explained to me at eithrer the 3 store on Grafton st. or the 3G store on Mary street, despite me pointing out that I was specifically getting a 3 phone so I could use skype.

Same goes for me. Very misleading and I'm very disappointed. I switched from a 3pay mobile to a monthly contract and was rewarded with no free Skype calls, after I had asked the dolt in the shop if it would be affected. No 14 day return as my GF bought the phone as a present before christmas.

Dave Roe

neilled wrote: »

Don't be telling me to "hold on there" as all of these handsets are available prepay and its where the likes of the k530 are most often found. I described the technical operation on how skype of these handsets works, it works via firing up the iskoot client which must be manually started all the time.

Forgive me if i'm wrong but I think the prechristmas advertising was free skype with 3pay.

They may well be, but I didnt want pre-pay, I wanted a monthly bill, and there is major difference in the cost of use between their bill-pay and pay-as-you go offering. I asked was there a difference and was told no, there wasnt, apart from the operation of skype on the phone.

And you're right - the advertising does say "3Pay" - but unless you're pretty familiar with 3's marketing terminology, how do you know what that means? Is that '3Pay-as-you-call' or '3Pay-monthly'. When I walked into the shop I actually thought it meant pay monthly, and was dissapointed to find I'd have to get a pay as you go phone. But, "No, don't worry, it works on monthly pay phones too" says the salesguy, and on we went ...

neilled

Dave Roe wrote: »

They may well be, but I didnt want pre-pay, I wanted a monthly bill, and there is major difference in the cost of use between their bill-pay and pay-as-you go offering. I asked was there a difference and was told no, there wasnt, apart from the operation of skype on the phone.

And you're right - the advertising does say "3Pay" - but unless you're pretty familiar with 3's marketing terminology, how do you know what that means? Is that '3Pay-as-you-call' or '3Pay-monthly'. When I walked into the shop I actually thought it meant pay monthly, and was dissapointed to find I'd have to get a pay as you go phone. But, "No, don't worry, it works on monthly pay phones too" says the salesguy, and on we went ...

Well I don't work for three so I feel no need to defend their particular sales guy. Sounds like he told your other half the wrong stuff - point taken, but don't go taking it out on those of us who work in phone shops and post here in an effort to spread a bit of what we know and give other boardsies a dig out.

Having said that
I do know that three recruited staff before christmas and i do know that from expereince that staff training in mobile shops is pretty much a learn on the job thing. Its more of a corporate failing than on the individual, although you still do get the commission sharks out there.

I'd say myself that I know the phones and network services inside out but I still make screw ups when doing paperwork etc. It sometimes causes problems for customers, but its not intentional and its going to happen if you've received no training. That being said I've sorted a number technical things out for customers in recent weeks that other phone shops just turned away and said "we can't fix that".

This is drifting more and more towards consumer issues.

BostonB

The sales guy advised you badly tbh.

WooPeeA

I'm really interested in buying Skypephone. Glad to hear so positive opinions about it.

Is there any difference in connection quality by using it in Dublin and Galway? How do you think?

god's toy

What you have to find out is how good is the 3G coverage in Galway.

WooPeeA

I heard that they're using meteor's ranges.

Canada J Soup

flogen wrote: »

Ihow exactly does Skype connect on the Skypephone

It uses a custom 3 branded version of iSkoot (a non-Skype affiliated product that uses the Skype API).

To make a Skype call, the iSkoot application on your phone makes a regular voice call to an iSkoot server, which in turn makes the actual Skype VoIP call using your Skype account details. You get minutes taken off your plan for the voice call and cents taken off your SkypeOut account if the call is to a mobile or landline rather than another Skype user.

The 3 version of iSkoot is set up so that you can only call Skype accounts (either on a computer or another Skypephone). However, 3 don't seem to deduct minutes from your plan on these calls so the trade off isn't too bad.

The best thing to do would seem to be to install iSkoot's regular client alongside the 3 branded version. Use 3's version for calls to computers and other Skypephones and the generic iSkoot for international calls. (Haven't tried this yet myself, so not 100% certain if it's possible to have both versions up and running).

You do need some sort of a data plan just so that iSkoot can log you in and pull down your Skype contacts, etc...but the call itself is, at your end at least, a regular voice call.

Canada J Soup

In case anyone is interested, I was able to get both the 3 version and the generic version of iSkoot/Skype installed and running on a Nokia 6120. Still need to find a way to get the sis file for the 3 version onto my E90 though, as they seem to block their download pages from non 3 handsets.

flodis79

Canada J Soup wrote: »

The 3 version of iSkoot is set up so that you can only call Skype accounts (either on a computer or another Skypephone). However, 3 don't seem to deduct minutes from your plan on these calls so the trade off isn't too bad.

Yes, they have free Skype to Skype calls, it's all in the advertising

BostonB

Canada J Soup wrote: »

In case anyone is interested, I was able to get both the 3 version and the generic version of iSkoot/Skype installed and running on a Nokia 6120. ...

So you can use Skype out on the 3 phone via iSkoot?

One major issue there's no Skype in/out for Irish land line numbers.

Canada J Soup

BostonB wrote: »

So you can use Skype out on the 3 phone via iSkoot?

Yep. Although minutes come off the 3 plan for the voice end of the call when using the generic iSkoot.

BostonB

Canada J Soup wrote: »

Yep. Although minutes come off the 3
plan for the voice end of the call when using the generic iSkoot.

Sorry not getting you. What voice end?

cormie

Don't suppose you could use this with the likes of freespeech.ie? I don't have skype, but I have a freespeech.ie account but the calls are always terrible quality because my BB connection isn't the best

BostonB

Skype might work better it did for me when Blueface didn't. But with out Irish numbers on Skype its not that useful for me.

Canada J Soup

BostonB wrote: »

Sorry not getting you. What voice end?

When you make a Skype call (either to another Skype user or to a landline or mobile via SkypeOut) with iSkoot, iSkoot makes a voice call from your phone to the iSkoot server which in turn makes the actual VoIP Skype/SkypeOut call. If you do this with the 3 version of the iSkoot app it doesn't subtract minutes from your account but you're limited to calling other Skype users only. If you use the generic version of iSkoot it allows you to use SkypeOut, but subtracts minutes from your 3 account as well as using SkypeOut credit. Still way cheaper to call internationally this way though.

BostonB

Thanks for explaining. I didn't realise that. Where is the iSkoot server for billing purposes?

Canada J Soup

BostonB wrote: »

Thanks for explaining. I didn't realise that. Where is the iSkoot server for billing purposes?

Physically? No idea. But it dials in to a landline number appropriate to the country in which it is being used as long as iSkot is supported in that location (country list here). The numbers are stored in the app, and selected based on the country code of the handset number you input at setup. (I know this cause I messed up the first time around, put in a US number without country code and ended up making my first iSkoot call via New Zealand.)

h57xiucj2z946q

Canada J Soup wrote: »

It uses a custom 3 branded version of iSkoot (a non-Skype affiliated product that uses the Skype API).

To make a Skype call, the iSkoot application on your phone makes a regular voice call to an iSkoot server, which in turn makes the actual Skype VoIP call using your Skype account details. You get minutes taken off your plan for the voice call and cents taken off your SkypeOut account if the call is to a mobile or landline rather than another Skype user.

The 3 version of iSkoot is set up so that you can only call Skype accounts (either on a computer or another Skypephone). However, 3 don't seem to deduct minutes from your plan on these calls so the trade off isn't too bad.

The best thing to do would seem to be to install iSkoot's regular client alongside the 3 branded version. Use 3's version for calls to computers and other Skypephones and the generic iSkoot for international calls. (Haven't tried this yet myself, so not 100% certain if it's possible to have both versions up and running).

You do need some sort of a data plan just so that iSkoot can log you in and pull down your Skype contacts, etc...but the call itself is, at your end at least, a regular voice call.

Does 3 charge for that +3537.... number that the standard iSkoot rings?

BostonB

Must be an Irish local call number and rate.

h57xiucj2z946q

I see, suppose it kinda defeats the purpose of cheap/free calls unless your ringing abroad.
The iSkoot for 3 dials an 083 number.

Spipov

Canada J Soup wrote: »

It uses a custom 3 branded version of iSkoot (a non-Skype affiliated product that uses the Skype API).

To make a Skype call, the iSkoot application on your phone makes a regular voice call to an iSkoot server, which in turn makes the actual Skype VoIP call using your Skype account details. You get minutes taken off your plan for the voice call and cents taken off your SkypeOut account if the call is to a mobile or landline rather than another Skype user.

The 3 version of iSkoot is set up so that you can only call Skype accounts (either on a computer or another Skypephone). However, 3 don't seem to deduct minutes from your plan on these calls so the trade off isn't too bad.

The best thing to do would seem to be to install iSkoot's regular client alongside the 3 branded version. Use 3's version for calls to computers and other Skypephones and the generic iSkoot for international calls. (Haven't tried this yet myself, so not 100% certain if it's possible to have both versions up and running).

You do need some sort of a data plan just so that iSkoot can log you in and pull down your Skype contacts, etc...but the call itself is, at your end at least, a regular voice call.

hi, now since 3 are selling just sim cards, im wondering,

i have a p3600 and i wouldnt mind making those skype calls from 3 (to computer users) using 3 (i think on the skypephone its free?).

anyway, ive tried reading thread but i cant get my head wrapped around this. is it possible?

iskoot.com seems to have their client for windows mobile, what else do i need apart from the p3600 and 3 sim card? any settings so that i can make skype free calls to pc skype users?

thanks for answering

Sam Vimes

i don't think it will work. afaik 3 have their own iskoot client that works differently to the regular one.

i could be wrong but i remember someone posting that they couldn't get the regular client to work

Bluefrog

Regular iSkoot client works for me - in fact it's been a good deal more reliable than the 3 one on my N73 but it doesn't use the 3 number to port the calls so you are paying a local call rate and it would also I'm sure contribute to your data usage - the 3 client doesn't.

GBX

Since when are they selling just sim cards, I asked about it in a 3 shop about 2/3 weeks ago and was told they dont.

Walkman

This week, free if your porting €9 if not

Spipov

yeah. i went down there. €9 for the sim, with €10 free. then €10 everytime u top up with €10.

unfortunately my p3600 wouldnt work with the 3 sim, and the fact id need to buy the damn skypephone for skype for €99, i let it pass

WooPeeA

It's probably because of the simlock. You can unlock it for much less than €99 , but you'll lose the warranty.

skearon

Could anyone who purchased a Skypephone recently enter *789# on the phone and report the firmware version

Mine was purchased when they first came out as is V18.0_ROI and has the annoying bug matching numbers with names

Other countries have V23 firmware

Canada J Soup

Spipov wrote: »

hi, now since 3 are selling just sim cards, im wondering,

i have a p3600 and i wouldnt mind making those skype calls from 3 (to computer users) using 3 (i think on the skypephone its free?).

anyway, ive tried reading thread but i cant get my head wrapped around this. is it possible?

iskoot.com seems to have their client for windows mobile, what else do i need apart from the p3600 and 3 sim card? any settings so that i can make skype free calls to pc skype users?

thanks for answering

What you said should be possible. There is (according to the iSkoot website) a version of the iSkoot client for the p3600, but I don't think there is a version of the 3 branded iSkoot client to match. All 3s 'Skypephones' are Nokias or SEs, so all are running versions of Symbian. Because of this you might not be able to make the free voice portion of the call that applies when using the 3 client.

The other problem might be actually getting the 3 client on a non-3 handset. They have it set up so that you can only install over the web directly to the handset, and the page with the link to install is only served if you access on a 3 handset. I had to start installation to a 3 handset (a Nokia 6120) that had a 3rd party file browser (Ybrowser) installed, stop it after the installation file had downloaded (but before it had completed install after which point the installation file is deleted), then go dig the installation file out of browser cache in order to get a version for my Nokia E90. They don't make it easy.

Bear in mind that the generic iSkoot will work on any network that has voice and data. Doesn't need to be 3G data either as far as I can tell, and since I think it uses HTTP ports just the basic Vodafone Live or equivalent might be sufficient. You will be charged local call minutes, but it does come in handy.


Edit: Just read this post. Shame it didn't work out. There's no technical reason it shouldn't...just another case of a network provider limiting the service they provide to maintain extra control.

unfortunately my p3600 wouldnt work with the 3 sim, and the fact id need to buy the damn skypephone for skype for €99, i let it pass

god's toy

Could you not flash the phone with three firmware?