Comments on: Skype, Wal-Mart strike retail deal

Wal-Mart Stores is first major retailer to dedicate a section to equipment such as handsets, Webcams, headsets for the service.

[ADMike]

Skype Connection Fee

"For example, some calls can be made for as little as 2.1 cents per minute."

Skype now charges a 3.9 cent connection fee.

Call a friend and get their voicemail, and you're looking at 6 cents for the call.

Boo Skype!

[Cafe00]

6 cents

Wow, 6 whole cents. How would I pay rent that month?

[bobbydi]

Will Comcast charge me?

I reach the internet through Comcast- they charge me for everything and they are not cheap.
Using Skype will be out of my budget.

[mahurshi]

They shouldn't charge you for using skype AFAIK

AFAIK, they would not charge you for using Skype. It is just like using yahoo messenger with voice.

[Vegaman_Dan]

Comcast doesn't charge *currently*...

While Comcast and your local ISP doesn't charge currently for VoIP calls, there is no reason they cannot decide to charge a 'service' fee or 'connection' fee or anything else they wish to call it. Look at a normal telephone bill. There's all sorts of extra fees there including charging you for *not* using your long distance if you have it disabled.

Never underestimate a company's greed.

[Vegaman_Dan]

Comcast doesn't charge *currently*...

While Comcast and your local ISP doesn't charge currently for VoIP calls, there is no reason they cannot decide to charge a 'service' fee or 'connection' fee or anything else they wish to call it. Look at a normal telephone bill. There's all sorts of extra fees there including charging you for *not* using your long distance if you have it disabled.

Never underestimate a company's greed.

[mahurshi]

Less useful for folks who make calls within US and who have a cell phone

What we need is a way to connect to Skype thru a 1 800 number, and call overseas for a low price (just like some calling cards).

The calling cards are fairly cheap nowadays. Why use skype at all?

Of course, if you want to make it entirely free, you'll have to beg others to use Skype. You know how this idea usually ends up.

[eppb12]

They shouldn't (and can't)

Bandwidth is bandwidth. Whatever you do with the bandwidth that you've already paid for is irrelevant. No ISP should be able to charge you differently for how you use your bandwidth. If Comcast does, it's time to find another ISP.

[olanb]

Skype - Walmart

Any information on which stores? Or which Metro areas?