Skype

Full review
DO NOT SEND SKYPE ANY MONEY. STICK WITH THE FREE SERVICE AND GO ANYWHERE (well not Vonage, by the epinions) ELSE!

Here I begin the long explanation why. You can just go with the bold statement above, or see the Skype Forums under
> Skype Forums > English > Skype Payments, Credit, Ways to Pay > Payments, Billing, Skype Credit and learn from the misplaced trust of others. Want the long version? Here we go...(short form below for those who wish to just read that).

Run AWAY before you even THINK about giving Skype your money. They don't care that you live in the USA and pay with a totally clean US Bank issued Visa card. They don't care if you pay with PayPal. Owned by eBay, one would *think* that they would have some sort of Customer Service, (mad laughter) but they do not. They rely on a forum staffed by VOLUNTEERS! There are mods, but they are hard to find and even harder to get to and will simply ask for the same data over & over & over...and do not admit if they are Slype employees. Oops, I meant Skype, sorry my fingers slipped (again). ;-)

I've been a free user for 2 years. Everything was fine...great even...until I attempted to buy the "North American Skype Unlimited calling plan." US$14.95 for unlimited calls from my PC to all of the continental US & Canada.

They say this on the site promoting this program, and I believe truer words have not yet been typed by a marketing program:

"On January 18th 2007 we will announce an innovative and disruptive pricing structure to give Skype users even more exciting and cost effective ways to keep in touch."

"Disruptive." How very, very true. (I do recognize the newer usage of this term in marketing speak, but it can be meant both ways...and, imho, it is.)You see, at this moment, my Skype GUI reads that my payment was accepted and I have enough credit to call anyone in the USA or Canada.

However said GUI will NOT let me make calls.

Since Skype has NO Customer Service Department and there is NO telephone number for support, I am unable to do anything but submit a ticket on their site (you have to submit it twice, since if any word in your ticket matches their glibly named "knowledge base", it will reject your ticket and make you submit it again), I'm well stuck.

They have my money, and IF I get a reply within the promised FOUR WORKING DAYS (not many have, and there are many that have been told to get new browsers, credit cards, it goes on & on & on), I may see that money again.

However, since they charged me VAT (value added tax, I believe) on each call (wholly inappropriate since I live well outside the EU) and there is a hidden (unmentioned) per-call connection fee, I rather doubt I will see my money again. I haven't USED this money, mind you. How much money?

I paid my US$14.95 for that "North American Skype Unlimited calling plan" and then another $12.00 to "extend" my number and keep that number for another 90 days. Total to date? US$38.95

Short form?

My GUI shows I have credit, my account page shows I paid. My GUI won't let me make a single call. I opened a trouble ticket and browsed the forums. Dear God, do I wish I had browsed the forums first!! The ironic thing is that the one way that they claim is "problem free" is to use Firefox and pay with Visa. Ha. Ha. Ha.

DO NOT SEND SKYPE ANY MONEY. STICK WITH THE FREE SERVICE AND GO ANYWHERE (well not Vonage, by the epinions) ELSE!