[sustran] ICT options for international networking: 1. Skype

[Eric Britton]

[While this has been prepared for the wonderful GATNET dialogue on "Women
and Transportation in the Developing Countries", organized by the
<http://www.ifrtd.gn.apc.org/new/index.htm> International Forum for Rural
Transport and Development (IFRTD), is of course equally relevant to us here.
So here you have it.  Bon apetit.]

 

Subject: Skype - Free (and almost free) internet telephony:

 

Dear Friends,

 

I would like to take advantage of this slight weekend lull in the action
here to close out our ICT week here with a few words on some a few available
and mainly free technologies that I think you might want to know more about
for your international networking - and conceivably too for specific user
applications in the field (which of course is our real bottom line).  The
first introduction in this small series involves a technology which you
certainly have heard about, but which you may not yet have adapted for your
own work - Skype.

 

What is it? 

Skype is a world wide IP communications service offering free or almost free
telephone calls anywhere in the world. Since it is easy to install and
enormously cost-effective, we have found that even our most technology-wary
colleagues are able to get the swing of this and more over to it comfortable
without having to undergo some kind of gut-wrenching mid-life culture
change. 

 

We started using Skype last summer, first on a limited trial basis, and now
to the point that it is our main portal for international calls, including
to and from friends with dial-up connections in areas without broadband
services.  

 

It is our goal to move all of our international colleagues over to this
handy means of communicating (or some similar, see later in this series for
a few more options), since we are convinced that those who are working to
push the frontiers in these important areas need to have easier and cheaper
access to each other. 

 

But does it work in places that do not have high speed access:

The short answer is yes, but let's have a closer look. The minimum internet
requirements to use Skype are a dial-up connection with at least a 33.6Kbps
modem. However, to get the best results it is suggested that you have a
broadband internet connection (cable, DSL, etc).  What does that mean for
you  if you are on dial-up.  What I suggest is that you give it a try. In
fact I invite you to call me to test your connection, my Skype "number"
being "ericbritton".  You'll see how it works.)

 

Call quality:

With some variations due to line loads etc. in general we find Skype to
Skype calls better than the "regular" phone connection.

 

Chat Function:

This is handy both in itself  -- Skype can handle up to 48 people in a chat
session (which is an lot more than I can) - and as an auxiliary tool.  It
allows us to write out things that are best handled in writing even as we
talk, such as URLs, addresses, what have you.

 

File transfers:

This we find especially handy for very large files. It also permits us to
swap files with colleagues even as we talk.  Very fast and no problems of
servers rejecting large files.

 

Conference calls:

We find this particularly useful and I am sure you will too once you get the
hang of it.  It is now possible for up to 5 people to conference call with
Skype. If you have not already done this in old telephony, it will be handy
for you to learn from our not always painless experience.  First, it's best
to have one of you work as moderator of the discussions.  Second, it helps
if you set a point by point agenda for the discussions.  (And third, if for
some reason you lose one of the callers, be patient and take a moment to
bring them back in to the discussions. That almost always works.)

 

Non-Skype calls:

Yes, this works well too and we use it many times each day.  In fact, it is
rare that we ever make an international call through the suddenly very old
fixed line phone.  Their system is called "SkypeOut" and it offers savings
in the area of 70% over our usual rates.  Thus for a call from wherever you
happen to be to anywhere in Europe, North America or Australia/New Zealand
you will pay about two cents a minute.   If you go to
http://www.skype.com/products/skypeout/rates/all_rates.html?currency=EUR you
can check out the rates for anywhere in the world.

 

Windows only?

No, it works with Mac, and Linux as well. 

 

Firewalls/Security:

Skype does a good job with both.

 

Etiquette:

It's a good practice before actually starting a call to send a quick chat
message to your colleagues to ask if she is free or if she prefers to
suggest a later time.  (That said there are a variety of ways you can use to
keep out unwanted calls, as you will see.)

 

To get on line:

Remember: (a) it's free.  And (b) it works. So to get full background
information on  <http://www.Skype.com> Skype, as well as step by step
guidelines for the very easy download and install routine - click
http://www.skype.com <http://www.skype.com/> . The whole thing should take
you ten minutes. And once again, if you wish to test your system, just pop
the name "ericbritton" into the address box and you will be directly in
touch with us here. Quality: very high. Cost: zero. 

 

Will you actually try it?

Good question. We are all essentially inertial creatures and it usually
takes quite a bit to stir us to break our old habits.  But since that is
what this fine GATNET program is all about, one can only hope . . . 

 

 

 

 

 

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