FREE Calls to Cell & Landlines on Skype!!

FallN · 05-15-06, 01:23 PM

Yes, that's right! You read the title and, no, you're eyes aren't deceiving you! SKYPE CALLS TO ANY UNITED STATES AND CANADIAN CELLPHONE OR LANDLINE IS 100% FREE!

This is DIRECTLY from Skype's official website and is slated to go on until December 31, 2006 (at which time the makers of Skype can extend it or let it expire)!!

www.skype.com

Now get to Skype-ing!

**P.S. This should be Front Page News. Can a news editor or moderator post this on the front page? Thank you.

FallN · 05-15-06, 02:21 PM

UPDATE: I tried calling my own landline from a Skype account that has a $0.00 SkypeOut balance and it keeps telling me that I have "insufficient funds" to make a FREE phone call?!? Whoah! I'm smelling a Skype Rat! I think you have to have a SkypeOut balance in order to take advantage of this meaning you have to plunk down money in oder to get "Free Calls" which then isn't really free now is it? Shady...

Can anyone else chime in if they have a $0.00 balance and make a call to a US/CDN number? Thanks.

05-15-06, 02:36 PM

Hmm... I haven't tried it. It could be that they just rolled out the promotion and it just hasn't completely trickled down yet?

See: ATT's new Elite DSL package. They still don't have all the kinks ironed out of that one.

tharemedy · 05-15-06, 02:58 PM

Beh' Doesnt Work for me, Just asks me to buy Skype Credit. This some sort of skype gimmick?

05-15-06, 03:02 PM

I didn't notice your post until just now but I just posted this as well in the Software Deals section as well.

aximbigfan · 05-15-06, 03:06 PM

no worky..

chris

edge777 · 05-15-06, 03:28 PM

I just tried it, and it worked great!!! Woot, free local and long distance calls (and even from my Pocket PC). Now, if only my BT headset worked with my Axim!!!

disbethelife · 05-15-06, 03:37 PM

I got it to work as well, works great for me.....I had to put the phone number in on my own tho with the keyboard, and i put in spaces where normal dashes would go....

FallN · 05-15-06, 03:40 PM

Okay, here's another update:

It seems as though the inability to make free calls is NOT an isolated incident. There are a TON of people over on the Skype official forums reporting the inability to make free calls. A Skype support person chimmed in a bit cryptically stating that it might have something to do with Skype's ability or in this case INABILITY to recognize the originating ISP/IP to be a US ISP/IP.

I am in NYC, USA using Earthlink broadband (for over 3 years now) to connect to Skype. I don't have any fancy setup. Just a d@mn wireless router connected to the cable modem. Why in God's name can't Skype figure out that I'm in the US making a call to a US landline?!? 99% of the time when I use Skype, I'm using the VERY SAME wirless network I'm using right now! Skype screwed this one up. They either need to drop the whole "trying to figure out if you're in the US" filter deal or fix the bug that blocks US ISP/IPs from making FREE calls. :(

edge777 · 05-15-06, 03:42 PM

This is weird, just read the other posts, and people say it doesn't work. For me it worked fine (having to dial "+1" and then the area code and phone number. I've tried it on my PDA and my computer with no issues.

Also, I'm not sure if it matter where you're from. You're connecting to the internet, so whether you're in the US or Canada (I'm in Canada), or somewhere around the world, you're still connecting to the same Internet, no? I looked on their website, and cannot find anything about where the call has to be originated, only to where you're calling.

aximbigfan · 05-15-06, 03:46 PM

nvm it works now.

chris

FallN · 05-15-06, 03:46 PM

Edge777, it is true that a LOT of people are being blocked from making FREE calls. The problem has to do with Skype's ability to recognize your ISP/IP as an American or Canadian one. Seem there's a huge screwup in the system that doesn't let some people with real USA ISP/IPs make calls. I know this is the case because I'm over on the official Skype forums and have received prilimanary feedback from one of Skype's support personal. He acknowledge that there IS an issue with Skype being about to recognize some US ISP/IPs as being from the US thus blocking those affected from making the free call.

Count yourself lucky that Skype let's you make the free call. There seems like a ton more people are having issue than those that aren't. :(

BigTruckDriver · 05-15-06, 04:26 PM

+1 xxx yyy zzzz

**Rishad** · 05-15-06, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by FallN

**P.S. This should be Front Page News. Can a news editor or moderator post this on the front page? Thank you.

Thanks.. made it frontpage. :)

FallN · 05-15-06, 06:06 PM

Thanks akheron! :cheers: