shakari
.400 member
Reged: 09/02/03
Posts: 1107
Loc: South Africa
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Hi Folks,
Does anyone out there use VOIP or SKYPE technology for phone calls and if so how well do you find it works?
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Steve "Shakari" Robinson
Kuduland Safaris (Africa) Ltd
info@kuduland.com
www.kuduland.com
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500Nitro
.450 member
Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 7244
Loc: Victoria, Australia
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shakari
I don't use it but am currently investigating VOIP as I make
lots of OS telephone calls.
It is supposed to be cheaper but I believe their are some technical
challenges.
500 Nitro
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shakari
.400 member
Reged: 09/02/03
Posts: 1107
Loc: South Africa
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I downloaded it a few days ago. At UK 1.1 pence per minute to anywhere in the world it's cheap as chips - but I seem to be having variable call quality. I wondered if it was because I'm on a dial up connction rather than ASDL or ISDN.
......and hoped someone could advise me.
FWIW I looked at a few different companies and settled on SKYPE.
--------------------
Steve "Shakari" Robinson
Kuduland Safaris (Africa) Ltd
info@kuduland.com
www.kuduland.com
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Metswedi
.300 member
Reged: 20/01/05
Posts: 156
Loc: Yorks. England
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Steve,
I've been using skype for some time now. I have some friends in Russia and have used it extensively to call them because the rates are so low.
I have a broadband connection and find that calling from my PC to my friends phones is a breeze and quality is easily as good as a normal phone. Using PC to PC however has not been as good probably because I have broadband and my friends have dial-up which in Russia can be variable.
It is important to have a good soundcard in your PC and it helps to use a good quality headset. One of my friends just uses a simple desk mike and the PC speakers. With this setup PC to PC comms are not much better than MSN audio. On PC to phone it works extremely well and the rates are very good. I can recommend it for that application.
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Perfer et obdura!
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shakari
.400 member
Reged: 09/02/03
Posts: 1107
Loc: South Africa
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Metswedi,
Thanks for the gen, sounds like it'll get better when I get my ASDL connection later this year. I haven't tried it on skype to skype as I don't know anyone else who has it yet.....but I'm working on it!
As far as cost is concerned we obviously make a lot of calls to the US, UK & Europe and skype will drastically reduce these costs. 
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Steve "Shakari" Robinson
Kuduland Safaris (Africa) Ltd
info@kuduland.com
www.kuduland.com
Edited by shakari (29/05/05 12:51 AM)
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Metswedi
.300 member
Reged: 20/01/05
Posts: 156
Loc: Yorks. England
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steve,
PM sent.
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Perfer et obdura!
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shakari
.400 member
Reged: 09/02/03
Posts: 1107
Loc: South Africa
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.....And replied to. - Thanks.
--------------------
Steve "Shakari" Robinson
Kuduland Safaris (Africa) Ltd
info@kuduland.com
www.kuduland.com
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pleandro
.224 member
Reged: 08/08/03
Posts: 9
Loc: South Africa
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Steve,
I travel a lot to Mozambique and I can tell you that I almost exclusively use Skype (PC to PC) for contacts with my HQ and my family. It all depends on the available Internet connection: if you end up with a 56k modem line, you may face some "noise" but you can keep an understandable conversation. With some form of broadband Internet connection, conversations have the same quality of International mobile phone.
I hope this helps you.
Regards.
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Paulo Leandro
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pleandro
.224 member
Reged: 08/08/03
Posts: 9
Loc: South Africa
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Steve,
BTW, for those who are concerned with privacy and security: Skype communications (voice or messaging) are automatically encrypted (ciphered), so your communications are kept private as they should.
No, I don't work for Skype nor I have any commercial interest. As you all probably know, Skype is freeware (no-cost) software.
Regards.
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Paulo Leandro
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shakari
.400 member
Reged: 09/02/03
Posts: 1107
Loc: South Africa
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Thanks Paulo,
I also had a lot of help from Metswedi - including a couple of very useful phone calls skype to skype and skype to landline. It seems that most of my trouble lies in the fact I have a dial up connection - once I get my ADSL in November things might get better.
I've installed the programme on my desktop which operates Win XP and also on my laptop with Win 98. Performance is similar with either PC but I'll try tomorrow am when there should be less server traffic to see if it makes any difference.
So far with things as they are I've had very variable results. One call will be very clear and the next impossible.
If I can get it sussed out it will reduce my overseas phone bill by 90 - 95% so it's worth persevering with......
How do you get to Mozambique - fly or drive?
--------------------
Steve "Shakari" Robinson
Kuduland Safaris (Africa) Ltd
info@kuduland.com
www.kuduland.com
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pleandro
.224 member
Reged: 08/08/03
Posts: 9
Loc: South Africa
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Steve,
Skype connection quality depends on various factors: firstly and foremost the quality of Internet connections, and secondly the effective bandwidth between the two PCs. If both are on 56k modem lines, you may face a lot of "noise" and practically non-understandable conversations.
When I connect from Mozambique on 56k modem line, I can generally keep understandable conversations albeit with noise and interferences. If I'm using cable, communications are fine and with cellular phone quality.
I fly to MZ... I live in Portugal  When I fly via J'burg generally I choose to drive to Maputo. BTW, where do you live? Who knows if I don't drop by next time I go to MZ.
Regards,
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Paulo Leandro
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shakari
.400 member
Reged: 09/02/03
Posts: 1107
Loc: South Africa
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Paulo,
I live in White River close to Nelspruit and if you drive from JIA or KMIA (Kruger Mpumalanga Int Airport - otherwise known as Nelspruit!) you would be very close to my home.
Next time you do it please let me know and maybe we can get together.......
--------------------
Steve "Shakari" Robinson
Kuduland Safaris (Africa) Ltd
info@kuduland.com
www.kuduland.com
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pleandro
.224 member
Reged: 08/08/03
Posts: 9
Loc: South Africa
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Steve,
I go often to Nelspruit during weekends. It's not far (in African standards) from Maputo and it is a bit more interesting than MZ.
Next time I go to MZ I'll drop you an email and we'll exchange phone numbers. Perhaps we can meet. I have my next trip scheduled for the 17th June, still to be confirmed.
Regards,
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Paulo Leandro
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shakari
.400 member
Reged: 09/02/03
Posts: 1107
Loc: South Africa
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Paulo,
I should be around then & I'll look forward to hearing from you.
--------------------
Steve "Shakari" Robinson
Kuduland Safaris (Africa) Ltd
info@kuduland.com
www.kuduland.com
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