What is Skype?
It's Much More than a Free VoIP Phone Service

What is Skype? It's a question that millions of people have asked since the Skype phone service kicked off in 2003. Skype became an overnight success story because the entrepreneurs behind the business found a way to provide a free VoIP phone service that could handle an unlimited number of users. Millions of people rushed to get a Skype free download and learn how to use Skype so they could make free online phone calls to friends and relatives around the world.

Receive a 15% discount

The popularity of Skype continues to grow. By one estimate there were over 520 million active users by the end of 2009. The link to get a free skype download has been clicked "billions" of times, and at any time of day there are between 13 and 23 million users online. In fact the Skype phone service accounts for more talk-time than any other international voice carrier.

Cheap VoIP Phone Service

While most of us think of free VoIP services when asked what is Skype, it's actually a businesses that makes money from selling cheap VoIP services. While Skype-to-Skype calls are free, calls to regular land line phones and cell phones are chargeable. The free calls were used to attract users who subsequently adopted it as a cheap home phone service.

Skype or Skypes is arguably the cheapest VoIP service. Users who make lots of long distance calls are unlikely to find anything cheaper than an Unlimited Subscription.

Skype Phone Number

One of Skype's most innovative products is the online phone number. They are "virtually" the same as a regular phone number. They can be put on a business card or included in an email signature. Calls to Skype numbers can also be diverted to phones or voicemail. What makes them different is that they are not not tied to a physical location or street address. Calls can be answered anywhere in the world. Callers are charged at local rates no matter where in the world you maybe. Furthermore, calls to a Skype number can be made from a landline phone or cell phone. They are ideal for staying in contact with friends and relatives when traveling overseas.

Skype Hardware

What is Skype? - many of us who have used Skype for years still associate it with wearing a headset and sitting in front of a computer to make phone calls. The Skype headset remains popular, but there are now alternatives. They include the Skype Internet phone.

Skype WiFi Phone

Skype WiFi phones free users from being tethered to a computer. They can be used almost anywhere because WiFi networks are virtually everywhere. They are in fact considered by many to be better than a Skype mobile phone.

Skype Video Phone

Free video calls are undoubtedly one of the defining features of the Skype phone service. It's one of the main reasons that people start using Skype and then become addicted.

Cheap Home Phone Service

Skype is a genuine alternative to a landline phone service. More and more people are discovering that they can live without a local residential phone service, but can't live without the cheapest broadband VoIP service.

---

Related Articles

Skype vs Vonage: a comparison that highlights the differences between the first and current generation of voice over IP providers.

Ooma is arguably better than Magic Jack, Skype, Vonage and every other VoIP home phone service, but it's a secret that most consumers are yet to discover.

How to Install Skype - it's easy. The starting point is a free Skype download. Over 500,000 people have downloaded and installed Skype so it has to be intuitive.

How Does Skype Work? - what is the secret of this free Internet telephone service? It has over 500 million active subscribers and it's not uncommon to see over 23 million of them logged on.

Skype Review - the pros and cons of the world's most popular phone service. It's much more than a free VoIP phone service.

---

From What is Skype? to Skype Free Download

What is Skype? to Best Cordless Phone Reviews and Ratings