What is Skype?

Katrina Belogorsky Community Engagement Librarian December 21, 2016 What is Skype?

• Skype is a way of sending phone calls across the internet… and because it’s the internet, calls are FREE • Skype uses technology called VOIP “voice over Internet protocol” • Free calls over the Internet • Free to download software • SKYPE is available in 38 languages Who are Skype? • Founded in August 2003, Skype is the leading global Internet communications company. • Skype is headquartered in Luxemburg (offices in Europe, US and Asia) • Was acquired by eBay Inc (NASDAQ:EBAY) in October 2005- Sepember 2009 • August 2010 Skype announced to go Public on Wall Street • 30% users are use Skype for business • 40% international calls made through SKYPE (2014) • 300 million use SKYPE (2015) • On 5/10 2011, Microsoft Corporation agreed to acquire SKYPE Communications for $8.5 billion FREE with SKYPE

• Video calls (SKYPE to SKYPE) • Group video calls (up to 25 people) • Voice calls (SKYPE to SKYPE) • Instant messaging • Screen Sharing • File Sharing Why do I have to pay for skype?

• Calls to mobiles and landlines worldwide at low rates. • Send text messages from just a few pennies. • Get online at over two million public hotspots worldwide with Skype WiFi.

Purchasing Skype Credit is one way to do. Additional Features – Skype Number

• The convenience of a local number, wherever you are. • Select from a wide variety of area codes in several countries/regions and pick up on Skype using any device. Additional Feautures- Caller ID

• Don’t be an unknown number. Let people know who’s calling with free caller identification. • You can also display your Skype Number as your Caller ID. • Need to set up this feaure Additional Features – Skype To Go Number

• Make international calls to phones at low calling rates from your mobile or landline. • Tell us the international number you want to call. • We’ll give you a new number to dial. • Call the new number from your phone and get straight through abroad at low calling rates. Other Features • Skype WIFI • Skype Manager (mostly for business) Use it to create Skype accounts, allocate credit and features so that everyone gets the most out of Skype. • Skype Connect (mostly for business) Receive Skype calls on your office phones and make low cost calls by integrating Skype with your existing phone system. Other Features

• Contact me button • Help your website visitors get in touch with you on Skype. • Add a button to your site so people can call or instant message you with one click. Other Features

• Share button • Get people talking about your website. • Faster and easier way to share content from your site, straight into a Skype chat. Other Features

• Skype Extension • Read a good article? Now you can share the web page directly with your Skype contacts. • Download the Skype extension for Chrome and Firefox for fast access to sharing through your browser. Other Features

• Skype Translator • Translate voice calls and video calls in 7 languages and instant messages in over 50! Similar Products Viber

• Free text, calling, photo messages and location-sharing with Viber users • No registration, alias or invitations required • Instantly integrates with your own contact list • Best-quality mobile calls using 3G or Wi-Fi Viber to Viber calls are always FREE Pros of Viber

• There is no need to remember any names or passwords and so on, as the mobile number is the only identification used by the app • All the contacts that are present in your phone list are automatically saved for the Viber contact list as well Viber Out

Make cheap International and domestic calls at low rates Viber Out lets Viber users from all over the world call EVERYONE at local rates (even if they are not Viber users) Signal Private Messenger

• Say Anything - Send high-quality group, text, picture, and video messages, all FREE over WIFI or using data. WhatsApp

• Was founded in 2009 • Was acquired by Facebook in 2014

With the use of an Internet connection you can send text, photos, video clips, your location data (that opens up on Google Maps), audio clips as well as a friend’s contact to another friend via WhatsApp. Voice calling is also available. Telegram app

• Similar to services like, Telegram accounts are tied to telephone numbers and verified by or phone call. • Free over WIFI or use data plan Thank You

Want a copy of this presentation? Visit www.skokielibrary.info/handouts where this presentation will be available for four weeks.