Skype

[Someonee]

When will obi202 support Skype calls

[drgeoff]

After hell freezes over?

[Someonee]

That's a shame Skype has unlimited calling Canada and USA for $3 Canadian

https://secure.skype.com/en/calling-rates?wt.mc_id=legacy#

[LTN1]

That's a shame Skype has unlimited calling Canada and USA for $3 Canadian

https://secure.skype.com/en/calling-rates?wt.mc_id=legacy#

I'm going to assume you are Canada and would prefer to use Skype with the OBi in Canada (as GV is not available in Canada) since it would make no sense to laud the $3 per month reference as somehow better than the Google Voice with OBi for $0 per month.

If I'm wrong about you being in Canada but are actually in the US instead, let me know and I'll ask SteveInWA to give you another award.

[Someonee]

What's wrong with me. You must be another trump voter.
You do know America is not the best. That's ok thow buy more nukes. And load up on amo.

Google voice works but its cracks up. Its not good enuf for me to take it serous.

[LTN1]

What's wrong with me. You must be another trump voter.
You do know America is not the best. That's ok thow buy more nukes. And load up on amo.

Google voice works but its cracks up. Its not good enuf for me to take it serous.

Don't care for Trump or Obama. But seeing your spelling of "thow," "amo," "enuf," "its" and "serous," leads me to think you may like Sanders if you were an American.

I think you deserve another award.

[ceg3]

Oh.  I think we should be grateful to this poster, grateful he is not an American.  We have plenty enough aholes already.

[Ostracus]

There's Skype ATA out there if one wants it. No need for Obihai to change their hardware.

[mellaby]

I'm going to assume you are Canada and would prefer to use Skype with the OBi in Canada (as GV is not available in Canada)

My GV on OBi works fine in Canada.

[LTN1]

I'm going to assume you are Canada and would prefer to use Skype with the OBi in Canada (as GV is not available in Canada)

My GV on OBi works fine in Canada.

Of course, I meant "...assume you are Canadian" in a previous response to Someonee. By GV not being available in Canada isn't to say that one cannot somehow sign up for a GV number in the US or use technology to get around that US requirement--then use it in Canada. But for some, like Someonee, he/she seems to think there are certain shortfalls in using GV, even if it was free, and may prefer to use something like Skype for $3 per month--but just wanted to be able to do it through the OBi device. Unfortunately that isn't possible at the present time and is unlikely to change.

[SteveInWA]

There's Skype ATA out there if one wants it. No need for Obihai to change their hardware.

Hunh?  Links to such product(s)?

As far as I know, Skype is a closed system, with no SIP credentials available.  The hardware products that were sold at one time or another were simply USB audio devices, essentially no different from any USB headset/mic or speakerphone.  They all relied on using the Windows or MacOS-based proprietary Skype software clients.

Note that the market for Skype hardware basically dried up, and blew away, because of this.

[rolandh]

Apparently, there is something called a Skype-ready phone that claims to work without a computer. Links, https://www.skype.com/en/download-skype/skype-for-home-phones and http://www.amazon.com/RTX-DUALphone-Black-Skype-Certified/dp/B007TH0X7C/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1461546804&sr=8-3&keywords=skype+phone.

Additionally, there is this old thread regarding use of Skype and an OBi, https://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=3920.0. No idea if this still works, merely pointing out its existence.

[SteveInWA]

Apparently, there is something called a Skype-ready phone that claims to work without a computer. Links, https://www.skype.com/en/download-skype/skype-for-home-phones and http://www.amazon.com/RTX-DUALphone-Black-Skype-Certified/dp/B007TH0X7C/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1461546804&sr=8-3&keywords=skype+phone.

Additionally, there is this old thread regarding use of Skype and an OBi, https://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=3920.0. No idea if this still works, merely pointing out its existence.

So, that phone relied on a concept similar to OBi devices and Google Chat:  it acted like a small computer, with a built-in Skype client.  Note that it's apparently the only such hardware product still sold, and it's being sold by a third-party, and any sort of support from the manufacturer is gone.  Interestingly, the Amazon reviews are polluted with what looks like fake posts from a review farm (nearly identical "five star" reviews).

Bottom line:  there is no viable market for Skype hardware devices; the smartphone killed it off.

[rolandh]

So, that phone relied on a concept similar to OBi devices and Google Chat:  it acted like a small computer, with a built-in Skype client.  Note that it's apparently the only such hardware product still sold, and it's being sold by a third-party, and any sort of support from the manufacturer is gone.  Interestingly, the Amazon reviews are polluted with what looks like fake posts from a review farm (nearly identical "five star" reviews).

Bottom line:  there is no viable market for Skype hardware devices; the smartphone killed it off.

I'm not arguing that there is or ever was a viable market for Skype compatible hardware devices. To the extent such a thing existed, it was probably in Europe given Skype's origins. I merely responded to your request for links.

Regarding the smartphone killing said market off. One might argue that the smartphone and wireless phones, in general, are in the process of marginalizing fixed-location telephony. Like the typewriter and vinyl records, fixed-location phones will be a niche market (the business market being a large niche). For most consumers, the trend toward wireless only is both unmistakeable and irreversible. The tipping point is upon us, http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/earlyrelease/wireless201512.pdf.