Free calls to all landlines and mobile phones within the US and Canada
We [announced](http://www.skype.com/company/news/2006/skype_freecalling.html) that SkypeOut is now free within the US and Canada to all landlines and mobiles, until at least the end of 2006.
How does this work?
If you’re in the US or Canada, you can use [SkypeOut](http://www.skype.com/products/skypeout/) to call any landline or mobile number in both the USA and Canada for free. To call within the US or Canada be sure to add “+1” before the area code and local phone number.
]]>Standard [SkypeOut rates](http://www.skype.com/products/skypeout/rates/) apply for calling any other country from the US or Canada OR for calling landline or mobile numbers in the US or Canada from anywhere else in the world. Of course, Skype-to-Skype calls continue to be globally free, forever.
For more information see the [campaign FAQ](http://support.skype.com/?_a=knowledgebase&_j=subcat&_i=46).
I have just downloaded the new version of Skype for Mac OSX and have been unable to get the free SkypeOut to function. I get the error: failed no SkypeOut. Is there something else that I need to do. The instructions seemed to suggest that it happens automatically. That is, that calls within the US/Canada can automatically be made (as long as you dial the country code 011) without further actions. Is this the case
It works now. It must have just been a matter of time before the Skypeout became active.
I mentioned this in another blog, and I think it should be mentioned here as well. Arstechnica posted an article today about Skype and net neutrality: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060518-6860.html
Many ISP’s want to, and are in the US, blocking Skype traffic. An ISP in Brazil did this, only to quickly reverse their action based on a huge backlash from their customers. Brazil has the second largest Skype user-base next to the European continent. For a variety of reason, Skype is not well known or used in North America yet, and some ISP’s such as Verizon have already blocked VOIP traffic with little fanfare.
Their are two key issues here. The first is that of users being able to use Skype. The second is net neutrality in and of itself. Many telecoms and ISP’s in the US want to create a tiered internet, where the capabilities are stripped (such as the ability to use Skype), and only the most expensive version would work as the internet does today, and the “standard” options would be severely limited.
As cliche as this sounds, the internet as we know it today IS at stake! While some European Skype users are upset that their friends in North America can place free calls, they may not understand the significance of the situation. 75% of all internet traffic goes through Silicon Valley in California. When US ISP’s and worldwide telecom’s begin chopping up the internet and blocking Skype traffic, that affects ALL Skype users, regardless of where you live.
Building the user-base in North America is critical at this point. Brazilian Skype users fought back, and I don’t think any ISP in Brazil will try blocking Skype use any time soon. If Skype use in North America increases, you can be sure their will be some unhappy customers in the US and Canada if ISP’s continue to block VOIP traffic.
Yesterday I saw Skype as a great way to make calls and keep in touch, today I see it as a powerful tool to protect and save the internet.
Why is Mexico always left out? In every commercial I’ve ever heard for anything phone-related, someone said “continental U.S. and Canada.” (By the way, what about SkypeOut to Alaska and Hawai‘i?) Only the upper two-thirds of North America is ever included in any calling plan. Personally, I have no desire to call Mexico, but my point remains valid. ¡Viva la revolución de Skype!
Frungifrungi, I would guess because America and Canada have trade and telecommunication agreements/arrangements they don’t have with Mexico. When you buy a book in the US, it usually has prices listed for the US and Canada. I haven’t seen one listed with the price in pesos. Or, when you buy a DVD, it almost always has French subtitles. That’s primarily for French speaking Canadians (Quebec), and so on. DVD’s for the US and Canadian market are region 1 protected, while Mexico (and all of South America) are region 4. I suppose one would have to dig a bit into international law between the three countries, and likely politics as well.
i’m having the same failed: no skypeOut message problems. How long might I have to wait? I thought maybe I had to accept the Terms of Service that is linked from the Using SkypeOut to make free calls page, but there’s no accept button at the bottom. After downloading, what else needs to be done to activate SkypeOut for US and Canada on the Mac?
I Think It Is Rubbish That Only America And Canada Get To Call Home Phones And Mobiles For FREE
We need free calls downunder mate!
For DVDs, México is Region 1, just like the U.S. Otherwise, Blockbuster wouldn’t be able to sell Cantinflas movies. As far as phones go, the Mexican phone system rapes its subscribers. Cell calls are still over 36¢ (USD) per minute, which is money that the Mexican people simply do not have. However, I have several of my wife’s family that we talk to on a regular basis via Skype, iChat, and others. Even with the higher prices of Skype in México, it’s still cheaper than a local phone.
Well it doesn’t work now, that’s for sure