Skype/calling home

Make sure the folks you want to keep in contact with also download Skype, and that they/you share your Skype name with each other before you leave.

The only issue is the strength of the wifi signal where you are skype-ing from. Normally you will find that a skype video call to another skype user is perfectly good quality .... and FREE!!

Thanks for the info! Our concern was calling people here at home on their cell phones/land lines using our iPad/Skype from Europe. George, buying "Skype minutes" and "Skype credit" is a bit confusing, not knowing how much to buy or pre-pay for. When I use the website to buy minutes, it's set up for $10.00 with no way to edit the amount. Is the the normal for Skype? Is it better with "Pay as you go"?
Thanks for the help. Paul

I loaded $10 onto my account and it lasts a LONG time given a cost of a few cents a minute for calls to land lines and cell phones throughout the world. Calls, including video calls, to those "on" Skype are free....just connect via WiFi.

Practice with it. I put €10 on my Skype account every couple of years and it keeps me going. Remember to use it for anything at least once every 6 months to keep from losing the credit as it will fall off if not kept alive. You can text (SMS) with Skype for real cheap too. But that is all in the future. Practice with it. Put names in the contact list and try caling them before you leave home. It works exactly the same everywhere in the world so if you are good at it at home it will have no mysteries for you in Europe.

Our son is on semester abroad in St. Petersburg. Even with their less than excellent Russian internet internet, having Skype to be able to have conversations with him has been worth way more than every cent we paid, which is zero. All we need to do is arrange a time , which works well as he is at internet cafes in the evening, which is mid-morning here. We do that via good old e-mail. He let's us know when, and we just open up Skype on our computer, and he gets it going when he is online there.
Having the video is really nice, although at times it's a bit like watching a dubbed movie.

It's simple. Get Skype credit. Get the app for the iPad. Call any number in the US or abroad to experience it. See how cheap the calls are. We use it to and from Europe. As others have said, you do need a good wifi connection.

I used an Ipod touch on my last trip with Skype. We set it up to call landlines rather than trying to call Skype to Skype. After a month in Spain with a fairly brief daily call home, we didn't use up our initial $10 deposit. I did some test calls at home when I set up Skype and decided it would be a good idea to pack a set of earbuds that had a built-in microphone. Since we were relying on wifi, background noise could sometimes be a problem in a restaurant, bar or hotel lobby when relying on the built in microphone. One of the nice things about using Skype from overseas, you dial as if you were dialing from home (area code + phone number), you don't have to worry about international calling codes.

Paul: I've used Skype to keep in touch with family living abroad and on my own personal travels around the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Canada for about two years now...it's been a godsend and is about the easiest way to communicate I know of. But another free app I've also been using for about the same amount of time is KakaoTalk, which allows you to text and call for free from anywhere to anywhere else in the world. If you're using Wi-Fi, it's totally free for you and the person you're calling, and they don't have to be on Wi-Fi to receive your call. The person you're calling will also need the free app, however, so they would also need a smart phone. You actually don't have to be on Wi-Fi to use it, but then you lose the benefit of making totally free calls. It works like a charm, and again, I've used it all over. So, if you don't want to pay for those Skype calls, you don't need to. I also use Google Talk for IM chatting to family abroad...also free. Good luck!

Thank you all for the helpful info!

FaceTime works great from Apple to Apple (iphone or iPad). We are inItaly now and I regularly FaceTime with the grandchildren whenever we have reliable Internet. Free, and the picture quality is excellent.

When in Europe, I use "Google Voice" also called "Google Talk" as a free native to Skype. Essentially, it gets you a US telephone number for your laptop or tablet. Whenever you have WiFi access, you can call US phone numbers for free. However, you cannot make calls to other places in Europe. Well, you can but those cost something. I carry an Ipad. It has the Talkatone app installed to make calls. Interestingly, as long as I have WiFi access and the ipad is turned on, it also receives calls. So sometimes I get a call from friends who do not even know I am out of town. To use Google Voice, you need to apply with Google for a telephone number (it is free). So you need to do a little preparation before you are ready to depart.

Paul, with your new iPAD, don't rule out Facetime. My wife was recently in Florence with her new Mac Air and I was online with her with my iPAd via Facetime. Works great. A lady at one of my client sites has been staying touch with her parents in Italy also with Facetime on the Apple products.

Just downloaded TALKATONE app but note that it is only good while in USA and Canada. Will stay with skype on next trip to Germany.

Thanks to everyone for the helpful suggestions and advice. I pre-payed for $20 of Skype minutes. I also saved/entered the names and phone #'s we'll be calling back home on Skype. Hopefully everything works as planned. We figure on making any calls before heading out for the night, around 5 or 6pm (which would be around noon home) or around 11pm (5pm at home). In Dec. we're off to the Christmas Markets in Austria and Bavaria! Thanks again for all the help.