Quick thought....
The 3/Skype phone doesn't support SkypeIn & SkypeOut - presumably a function of both integration complexity, and the fact that 3 doesn't want to lose the outbound traffic minutes, or more importantly the inbound interconnect fees.
How long before someone comes up with a Skype proxy server that enables this, either running in the network, or even on your own PC at home?
You have "My PC" as a Skype buddy on your mobile, make a Skype-Skype call for free.... but your PC has a 2nd Skype client running on it with a different login (plus SkypeIn/Out) and bridges them together.....
Or if Skype doesn't let two instantiations run on the same PC, you use GoogleTalk or something else instead.
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There are a couple of boxes that do indeed convert Skype to mobile. You insert a GSM SIM card, and they can automatically forward Skype calls through to your mobile phone using standard mobile to mobile calls (say with an inclusive minutes package). See http://www.ipdrum.com/ and http://www.mobigater.com/ for products that do exactly this. They need your main PC to be on all the time and act as the Skype gateway.
ReplyDeleteUnlike some of the other Skype adaptors, these are real mobile phones inside, but with a USB connection to the computer instead of a standard microphone and loudspeaker.
However, I would think its cheaper and more effective if this is done in the network as a service. I thought I had seen an independent operator offering this somewhere for Skype, but can't recall the URL. Truphone www.truphone.com offers similar capability, but using its own SIP VoIP scheme rather than Skype's proprietary format. Much more integrated into the mobile phone operation and achieves the same low cost, but doesn't yet have the community of support/extensions/membership that Skype has reached.