Two Lesser Known Features of Skype

Virtually every internet user is aware of the popular VOIP application for Windows and Mac known as Skype. The voice client has revolutionized the way people communicate over the internet. Apart from its many popular features, this voice client also has some other lesser known specialties that many users are probably not aware of. Read on to know more.

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Get Low-cost Wireless Internet with Skype Wi-Fi

One of the tougher things about traveling these days is hiring an accommodation that offers internet access at reasonable rates. In fact, most of the hotels tend to hit their customers with an internet/Wi-Fi charge ranging anywhere between $10-20. The situation in case of overseas destinations can even be worse.

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This is exactly where you can find use for Skype Wi-Fi. With Skype’s latest version for Windows and iOS devices, you can connect to internet for a very reasonable rate. Skype operates more than a million Wi-Fi hotspots around the world. To access the same, your Skype account needs to possess some amount of credit. Please note that Skype, in this case, charges for every minute’s usage and not the data amount you’ve consumed.

Skype hotspots can also be found in major hotel chains across the United States like Econo Lodge, Best Western etc. The cost in such cases is around 14 cents/minute, which is quite reasonable. For a destination like India, the cost ranges from 4-14 cents/minute. If you are going to need continuous usage, paying a flat rate per day is a good option. But the normal charging mechanism of Skype is perfect in case you intend to browse only for a few minutes every day. Throughout the course of your travel, this should result in sizable saving of money.

Cheap Text Messaging with Skype

Among the less-publicized features of Skype, low cost SMS is catching up in terms of popularity among users. You can text any contact using either your cellphone or the computer. The charges for the same are often lower compared to those offered by dedicated telecom carriers.

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Accessing the option to send text messages is also quite similar to sending normal chats. Just click on the chat option but make sure to tick the SMS feature in the newly opened chat window. For accessing this feature on your phone’s Skype app, simply tap on the option that reads ‘More’ and then select ‘SMS’.

Texting through Skype is dirt cheap. Here again, your Skype account needs to contain credits to enable this feature. Skype’s rates for texting are 4.7 cents/text. The rate also depends on the destination of the message’s recipient. For international destinations, the rate is higher but still considerably lower than that of telecom carriers. Such low rates when combined with the ease of typing on keyboards ensure a great texting experience.

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