Skype is Charging Users for Group Video Calling

[JMcEntegart]

We knew this was coming but damn, does it sting: Skype is taking away the free group video-calling feature.

Skype is Charging Users for Group Video Calling : Read more

 

[joelmartinez]

I never used that feature

 

[davewolfgang]

Never have either, but more power to 'em. If they can make money off a service that people want, Yay for Capitalism.

 

[caparc]

My brother and I couldn't join the family group for Christmas so we had a Skype Christmas, it worked well. We felt a lot less isolated.

 

[ProDigit10]

I wonder if MSN offers group chat, if not, MS Netmeeting does (now called Windows Meeting Space).
Never used it, I can only focus my mind on one person!

 

[razor512]

video chat is very unreliable sometimes the video just freezes the for person you are talking to and you need to restart skype to fix it

 

[razor512]

Forgot to add there are many apps and free websites that allow group webcam chatting. Me and my friends tent do use a web based video chat client and skype for audio since they tend to be more reliable.

 

[mayankleoboy1]

never used it.
but bad for people who do

 

[feeddagoat]

[citation][nom]joelmartinez[/nom]I never used that feature[/citation]

rarely used Skype these days. ooVoo sounds better IMO. Skype just seems very tinny and quiet compared. Usually talk one to one too so haven't needed the feature either although The other night on MSN a few of us wanted to voice chat + cam. A rare one off none the less but since this feature is no longer available I'm kinda disappointed. Maybe MSN and other chat programs will get this feature or we could just use Team speak or vent and skip the cam part.

 

[shaun_shaun]

they soon charge for everything !!!

 

[-lukin-]

[citation][nom]shaun_shaun[/nom]they soon charge for everything !!![/citation]


wouldnt you if it was your company? Keeping up with those servers, client updates, uptime and whatever else is involved is expensive to say the least. Offering a free service is difficult, expensive and doesnt make any sense. Gogo gadget capitalism!

 

[hellwig]

[citation][nom]-lukin-[/nom]wouldnt you if it was your company? Keeping up with those servers, client updates, uptime and whatever else is involved is expensive to say the least. Offering a free service is difficult, expensive and doesnt make any sense. Gogo gadget capitalism![/citation]
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Skype has no network for anything, even their video calling is peer-to-peer, correct? So, other than paying for the software development, what grounds does Skype have to charge a monthly fee for something that costs them nothing? I mean, if they were running the servers and handling the data themselves, that's one thing. Instead, they use peer-to-peer and leave your chat session open to the whims of the internet. I can understand charging a one-time fee for the software itself, but a monthly fee for a service Skype isn't actually providing seems dishonest to me.

Imagine if you had to pay a monthly fee for car tires. You go to the tire store, they install new tires, and you pay them $10/month as long as you want to use those tires. Of course, the tires are powered by your own car and drive on city/country/state/country roads, but Sears Auto wants their monthly cut. That would be absurd.

 

[jimsocks]

there are other voip software out there

 

[eddieroolz]

I used it a few times, but damn, $5 for a day pass!? That's quite expensive if you only have time for a few calls.

 

[Guest]

I'm new at this,and just got my cram activated`tried using it today,and could not get my party,but used 8 minutes for nothing.I don't know what to do,i can't afford $5aday,I had to pay $10 to sign up so now what? Am i in for good or can i get out of it? HELP!!!

 

[g00ey]

The question is if I want to make a group call, will it suffice if I pay for the service or does everyone in the group call have to pay?

 

[tayb]

Well it looks like I am going to stop using that feature. $5 a day is a ripoff but I can't justify $8.99 a month for something I use maybe once or twice a month.