Skype over 3G|HSDPA

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morebroadband

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Just curious if anyone has been using Skype on 3G, and if so what the quality is like.

Is any one using any other VOIP services?
 
I've used it a few times to phone to a local landline, worked fine with a bit of a delay. Quality was good. Although i can't really compare as my alternative connection is so heavily shaped to prevent skype that it is unusable, so 3G is actually the only connection i actually could get it to work properly.

Only concern is the bandwith usage of skype [mainly because you pay per MB]. So must make sure you're on a cheap p/MB package, i think you might make a loss phoning locally at the R2 p/MB rates, because you pay say 60c per minute (credits you buy on skype) AND the p/MB usage (which you pay vodacom). It's actually -cheaper- to skype all the way to a UK phone than skyping anywhere in SA based on skype rates.

From skype.com rates per minute
Exl VAT Incl VAT
South Africa ZAR 0.539 ZAR 0.620
South Africa - Mobile ZAR 1.435 ZAR 1.650

United Kingdom ZAR 0.129 ZAR 0.148
United Kingdom - Mobile ZAR 1.556 ZAR 1.790
Click to expand...

15c to UK vs 62c to SA ....sad
 
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Skype on 3G is awful

Hello

HAving tried Skype on Vodacom 3G, I find the quality awful, with lagging and hashing probably due to latency being quite long.

Any good experience with Skype on 3G, i.e. comparable with ADSL ?
 
Vodaphone is going to ban all VOIP traffic by 2007 on their networks.
 
ic said:
Yeah I think the cellular network operators will have to make a sort of paradigm shift towards viewing all 3G, 3G+, 4G etc traffic as pure data - regardless of what type of data...html...ftp...voip...email...it is all still IP packets as far as the customer is concerned, and what the customer wants, the customer will get - even if it is from a competitor :D.
Click to expand...

Agreed I think anyway it is going to be a long long time before VOIP over 3G or $G networks gain any kind of mass popularity... It would have to become very user firiendly and stable for the masses to start using it. It took years for people even to start using sms's en masse
 
Today, VoIP cannot compete with GSM / UMTS voice. It's both heavier in data usage (20-64Kb/s min vs 12Kb/s for a GSM call) and the quality of service cannot be guaranteed or controlled.

Any technology at the end of it's development cycle is always better than the new technology due to replace it. For example, a (good) CRT television (old technology) is still better than most new plasma screens. No one doubts that plasmas or LCD's will eventually outperform and replace CRT in the next few years.

Same with VoIP; current PSTN and GSM / UMTS circuit-switched voice services is better than current VoIP services. However, it's just a matter of time for the network technology to mature and be rolled out.

In the mean time, early adopters (read: forumites) will continue to kick the tyres and thus provide a development platform for vendors.
 
Um, to answer your question, Fredgr, I've been having a great time with Skype (and SkyeOut) on 3G. I seldom have any issues, and my signal strength is only two bars.

With that said, remember to make sure that nothing else is using your connection when you try to use Skype. I had a bad Skype session the other day, and realised only afterwards that I had Windoze Update downloading in the background. Add a couple of large e-mails arriving, and its no wonder Skype struggles a bit every now and again.

However, on a "clean" connection I have no problems, and chat with family in Holland and England quite a lot.
 
If you can download at 20-30 KBps but only upload at 2 KBps (max 8) as in my case then I doubt it's going to work. So check your uplink. They came to test at my house and I have "weak coverage".

Broadbandreports:

Your download speed : 195855 bps, or 191 kbps.
Your upload speed : 33887 bps, or 33 kbps.
 
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That is the nature of packet switched data, everything gets equal access to the bandwidth. This will be a problem (for real-time services like voice and video) until QoS is pushed right down to every element along the path. In the mean-time circuit switching is the only way to provide predictable quality.
 
Voip skype jasjar

Hey

i hope this hasnt been discussed yet , ive been MIA for a while.

I noticed on the mtn thread that using the skype on jasjar (for eg) costs extra , and that mtn frowns heavily upon it. They dont want voip over their data networks or some such.

What is VOdas stance on this? do they mind , forbid , lynch?
 
When the tariffs were lodged last year, VoIP was pegged at R10/Mb.

However, at this time Vodacom is treating all data as equal, there is no port shaping or billing based on content / protocol / destination, etc. You pay your bundle rate per Mb irrespective of what you do with the data.

The above obviously applies to the 'internet' and 'internetvpn' APN. Blackberry and VLife have different billing structures based on their unique content delivery methods.
 
AAH great thanx v3g ...

thus this means i can have a jasjar with 3g , and then use skype to call people in the UK , and it will just munch on my megs i have left over?
 
VOIP over 3G

Anyone used Vodacom 3G for VOIP? Does it work... or is it illegal like MTN?
 
I dont think MTN should be illegal. They are not so bad. CellC on the other hand...

As to your question, I have no idea, but am interested in knowing as well
 
Yes I have a jasjar running windows mobile 5 and have communicated with family in New Zealand via skype and 3G. Sound quality is excellent. A slight delay is noted but not worse than when using skype via adsl.
 
I've chatted on Skype over a GPRS-ADSL link - it was crystal clear!
You do however need very healthy signal to achieve that - had disasterous effects when the signal strength dropped below 60%.
 
MTN is illegal

JStrike said:
I dont think MTN should be illegal. They are not so bad. CellC on the other hand...

As to your question, I have no idea, but am interested in knowing as well
Click to expand...

No voip on mtn is allowed. I confirmed this today with MTNSP. So I have skype on my imate, but cant use it 4 voip. Cant use my edge card for voip either. Dial 155 from an mtn handset to confirm this - they will tell you details on policies, fines, etc.
 
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