As far as I know, it’s not yet possible to call a Skype account from a landline phone, but Voice Over IP (VOIP) is definately a way for you to reach your distance students on the cheap. IPEVO is now offering a handset for $30 that plugs in to your PC or Mac and allows you to use your Skype account as though you were on the phone. This is going to be really useful when your students can pick up their phone and call your Skype account at no cost to them! Goodbye paying for a toll-free line!
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One response to “Skype on a handset”
Have you checked out SkypeIn? It is possible to call a Skype number from a landline by setting up a SkypeIn number, but there will be long distance charges for the person initiating the call from a landline (if they are calling a long distance number). However, a cool application of this is that you could, relatively inexpensively, purchase SkypeIn numbers for different provinces, countries, etc (where your students are), making it a local call for them. Except . . . Skype hasn’t made it possible to buy Canadian phone numbers yet – blech! Anyway, one to keep an eye on for sure. VOIP providers such as Vonage offer the same type of feature (called virtual phone numbers). Definitely a great way, in theory, to provide free access for those who don’t have Skype or who prefer to use a phone.