www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I use Skype service here in the US for 15 dollars a year. all outgoing calls for one year for 15 dollars total.

I assume Vonage has a similar plan.

If someone has an account with Skype or Vonage should not they be able to make calls back to a US number from CR over the internet as part of their service plan of 15 dollars a year?

I realize I cannot call international numbers free for part of my 15 dollar a year plan.

but cannot a subsciber call any US number from anywhere in the world if they have Skype or Vonage and an internet connection?

for instance, could I not log onto Skype at the SL, plug in my headset and dial a US number as part of the 15 dollar a year plan?

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(export version only, some restrictions may apply, some assembly required, not valid where the sun don't shine...

if you live in the states of Poverty, Darkness or anywhere outside of The Blessings of Civilization Trust, Inc...other rules may apply)

I have no knowledge of Skype or how their services operates. I do have Vonage service, as do a bunch of expatriates who live here, and am very satisfied with it.

The basic plan is $14.99 a month and allows 500 minutes of outbound calls to the USA/Canada a month. It also includes some European countries, which ones I do not recall, in your basic 500 minutes. There is no charge for incoming calls or calls to toll free numbers. You choose an area code in the United States and you get a phone number in that area code. A high speed Internet connection is required. You get all the usual features of a normal US phone service. Enhanced caller ID, call waiting, voice mail, call forwarding, etc. There is also a plan for $24.99 a month that has unlimited calling each month for those that are heavy users.

Really makes living here much easier to keep in contact with family and friends in the US as well as transact personal business with banks, cc companies, etc.

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Pura Vida
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essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

I use yahoo messenger to call phones in the USA for 2 cents a minute. It works well. I have skype but have only used it computer to computer. I don't see why skype wouldn't work just fine.

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"The only normal people are those you don't know very well." Joe Ancis

From a computer expert (uh, me):

Skype works just fine. Through some kind of Cool Internet Brain Scan (TM) they (Skype) figure out that you're in Costa Rica (the IP Address block) and note that you're calling the US or other places, and charge you accordingly.

It's all in plain engrish on their web site.

Bottom line: If you can get a decent internet connection (Sportsmen's Lodge, no problems 90% of the time, but I always tell Bill he's gotta get better WAPs, but that's another story) -- you should be just fine.

PM me if you have specific questions. Tens of hours logged and no problems.

OK, so there is no free Skype from CR since they can tell from the IP address that the call is coming from overseas to the US.

thanks.

_________________
The difference between a Sea Story and a Fairy Tale is that a Fairy Tale starts out 'Once Upon a Time..' and a Sea Story starts out 'This is no Shit...'

(export version only, some restrictions may apply, some assembly required, not valid where the sun don't shine...

if you live in the states of Poverty, Darkness or anywhere outside of The Blessings of Civilization Trust, Inc...other rules may apply)

BUT at .0021 cents per minute to call the states,how much can you spend?? I use Skype all the time to talk to my daughter and elderly mother in the states. And also a few "friends" in Colombia, Panama, y Nicaragua, and do not use $10 a month. I make 5/6 calls a week--20 minutes =42 cents. And I am pleased with quality of service.

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

To clarify:

1. Skype (CR) -> Skype (US) = Free
2. Skype (CR) -> Phone/Cell (US) = 0.021 (.02c/min)
3. Skype (CR) <- Skype (US) = Free
4. Skype (CR) <- Phone/Cell (US) = Their cost to call your US-based #.

#4 requires a bit of extra work, but you can get a US Phone # and use it anywhere in the world with your skype-enabled laptop. You read that right, it's portable. Take your laptop to POP, ORD or SJO, it matters not. You still have the same US-based phone #. And for someone in the US to call it, they just dial it, like a regular US #. Little cost, I think.


Some Skype tips:

(1) It's damn buggy software. Expect disconnects often, and prepare those you're calling for them. Regardless of origin of skype initiated call (CR/US).

(2) Many wireless hotspots can be restrictive, and prevent skype. Mileage may vary.

(3) You need a decent computer, modern laptop preferably. Don't even think of using skype on a local/tico system. It may not be up to par, and it may not have the security on it you're looking for.

I use Earthlink's vonage type service called True Voice. The reason I chose them is they offered me 25,000 Delta miles if I used it for 6 months and it's a couple dollars less expensive than Vonage for pretty much the same- free LD calls to US and Canada with international calls being pretty low.

The biggest advantage of using this type of service is that you can take the little analog adapter-contains all your local number programming and is about the size of two decks of cards- anywhere in the world and use it with a high speed connection. So when someone calls your home phone number it rings you. If you forward your cellphone to your home number you receive those calls wherever you are too. If you call someone your home number shows up on their caller ID, which you can block with *67. You have to also pack a simple analog telephone plus the wires to connect things. You don't really have to have your computer in order to use this service when traveling, you can have the phone service only. So, it's a little bit of extra packing and not too convenient but an incredible thing to be reached or return calls from overseas and people not even know where you are. The same pricing applies to your original plan- If I'm in Brazil but calling the US it's free. If I'm in Brazil and calling a Brazil number it costs the 8 cents or whatever my plan is. FWIW, that's a lot cheaper than using my cellphone in Brazil at 50 cents a minute. The beauty of Skype seems to be that if you already plan to have your computer and a high speed connection, all you need is a set of headphones(simple). But, you cannot establish the identity and receive the calls the calls placed to your cellphone or home.

If you do forward your cellphone to your homephone your cell company probably charges you by the minute so if you receive a call from someone that's calling your cellphone and you know that, you should call them back or keep the call brief.

One problem with all of these services is voice quality. Unfortunately none of the services seem to provide QoS so that the voice packets are directed over a private network. Because of that you still get a lot of noise and delay. Oh well.

Zeeb

Una pregunta, por favor...

When I was in Puerto Viejo I went to my hotel's internet cafe and downloaded and installed Skype on one of his computadoras. I set it up so that Skype would not open on startup and that it would not remember my password - but now you got me thinking - could someone get my info anyway?

Thanks,

PHX

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Why settle for just one woman when you can enjoy them all?

Chances are slim, but always exist.

You can always change your skype password on your own system = old system won't login due to this. That's my recommendation.

Also, watch for keyloggers. Bottom line, use comptuers of cafes you know, frequent or trust. I know that's the hardest part, but it tends to put you in a safer position.