It is frustrating to see Skype, a service I previously admired, win an award while not addressing a serious system glitch, as I am a very unhappy Skype customer.

Since I have received no response to a previous support request, and no answers via the Skype Forums, I am posting this here.

Here is my situation:

-- In 2004, I signed up for Skype on the advice of a friend.

-- I bought credits on my account and used some of them without a problem.

-- Due to my work situation I did not use the Skype service for a period of more than six months, which expired my credits. (That is not the problem -- I don't mind losing the credits.)

-- This summer, I downloaded the latest version of Skype, and attempted to renew use of the service.

-- I discovered, however, that per the terms of use my credits had expired. Naturally, I then attempted to buy additional credits.

-- However, when I try to purchase new credits, the Skype system seems to think I still have more than 5 credits left.

-- The Skype system prevents me from making an additional purchase until I use the phantom remaining credits -- which it elsewhere says have expired, so it is impossible to use them up.

-- This creates a Catch-22: I can't use any remaining credits because part of the system says they have expired. And I can't buy credits to resume calling because another part of the system doesn't realize my remaining credit has expired.

What to do? I have now filed a second support request, having not heard back on the first one.

I have also posted in the Skype Forums, but have not received any answers that address this situation.

Indeed, most of the responses I have received were either from people who had the same problem, or from people who did not read the post carefully and mis-diagnosed the problem.

In order to try to work around this problem, I created a new Skype name and tried to set that account up. However, the system rejects any attempt to buy credits for this name, recognizing that I have another account. I understand that this is a safety measure. But I have no way of using Skype until this system problem is resolved.

I know other users are in the same Catch-22. This means I cannot use Skype. I am merely an individual trying to make ordinary calls and support your service. Please help, anyone... Maybe by posting here I'll finally get Skype's attention.

Sampratt - Can you please sumbit a ticket with the same text to our Customer Support? That is surely the best way to help us find a solution to your problems. You can submit ticket here: http://support.skype.com/?_a=tickets&_m=submit