3 opens up to free Skype-to-Skype calls for all
By
Peter Parkes on April 23, 2009 in Skype announcements.
From the 1st May, there will be no data charges or top-up fees to use Skype on 3 in the UK. Whether you’re a contract or pay-as-you-go customer, you’ll be able to make unlimited Skype-to-Skype calls from your 3 mobile without paying a penny. No more minimum monthly top-ups, just free calls.
Later this summer, 3 will be introducing a new SIM, priced at just £1.99, which will bring free Skype-to-Skype calls to anyone in the UK with an unlocked compatible phone – all you’ll have to do is pop the SIM in, download Skype from 3, and you’ll be free to make as many Skype-to-Skype calls as you like without worrying about cost.
In the UK, Skype users already make 1.5 million minutes of calls on the 3 network every day – and with these improvements on their way, you’ll soon have no excuse not to join them 
Update: there’s some more information on the 3 UK website.
Comments
What a winner!!
I have a Turkish wife who likes to keep in contact with the family back home. We set up Skype accounts for everyone and they used to ring our mobiles when they wanted to talk and hang up. We would then need to find wireless access somewhere and set up the laptop. What a drain that was, setting it all up to find it was the youngets asking how to save a Word File...
Along comes 3 with the Skype phone and free calls. Under £80 for two mobiles and we have Skype and IM for free 24 hours a day. The battery life on these sets is great. So we have instant contact anytime virtually anywhere while in the UK.(Work in London and live in Oxfordshire)
I also get another bonus from this. Now when my son is based in Afghanistan, he can set up Skype calls to us at home for free. So he can make better use of his landline allowence to those still hanging on to landline only solutions. All his mates are signing up to Skype accounts and most are now buying up 3 Skype mobiles as a better solution for the family back home.
Well done 3 for this great solution.
christopher.n.johnson | Sunday, Aug 16
What a winner!!
I have a Turkish wife who likes to keep in contact with the family back home. We set up Skype accounts for everyone and they used to ring our mobiles when they wanted to talk and hang up. We would then need to find wireless access somewhere and set up the laptop. What a drain that was, setting it all up to find it was the youngets asking how to save a Word File...
Along comes 3 with the Skype phone and free calls. Under £80 for two mobiles and we have Skype and IM for free 24 hours a day. The battery life on these sets is great. So we have instant contact anytime virtually anywhere while in the UK.(Work in London and live in Oxfordshire)
I also get another bonus from this. Now when my son is based in Afghanistan, he can set up Skype calls to us at home for free. So he can make better use of his landline allowence to those still hanging on to landline only solutions. All his mates are signing up to Skype accounts and most are now buying up 3 Skype mobiles as a better solution for the family back home.
Well done 3 for this great solution.
christopher.n.johnson | Sunday, Aug 16
Hi Peter - just to offer some thoughts regarding 3Skypephone integration with the network.
Please could you fairly urgently ensure that 3Skypephone users are shown as mobile users. That is, the green online icon has a mobile logo embedded in it. This applies to iPhones but not your own branded phones! Really important because people are bemused when they contact you from a PC/Mac and don't get the usual response. They may not connect as quickly or be diverted to a messaging service. You may also be much slower sending a chat message to them. They may not readily notice that you have no video capability either. A green online icon means to everyone that you're home and not on the move.
Otherwise I'm encouraging as many people to use Skype as possible, as I have for a few years now. Good luck and hope you can progress this. Rob.
robertlaw001 | Monday, Nov 23
Why I'm not been able to connect through my mobile 3G to skype.
I keep receiving "skype name contains invalide characters.
However I'm connected to internet via my pc.
Could any one be nice to help.
Thanks
jesdazan73 | Thursday, Dec 3
Why I'm not being able to connect to skype through my 3G mobile which 's ZTE F102,I have been receiving this message" skype name contains invalid characters.
Could anyone help?
Thanks
jesdazan73 | Thursday, Dec 3