Skype shutting down...

[Brother D]

I've been using Skype for like 15 years and paying for a UK number to stay in touch with people in UK so they are not calling a USA number at a high cost to them.

Just had notification they are shutting down ASAP and GFY!

Anyone else in same situation and recommendation for alternate provider?

TIA

[SDM94]

I signed up for Skype a few weeks ago as I needed to call a UK landline number as I work at sea. I tried multiple apps but they all required cell signal to send a verification code. In the end, I requested calling on Microsoft Teams from my employer which has worked great.

[Alorotom]

Brother D said:

I've been using Skype for like 15 years and paying for a UK number to stay in touch with people in UK so they are not calling a USA number at a high cost to them.

Just had notification they are shutting down ASAP and GFY!

Anyone else in same situation and recommendation for alternate provider?

TIA

Use WhatsApp, no need for additional numbers etc…

[Brother D]

Alorotom said:

Brother D said:

I've been using Skype for like 15 years and paying for a UK number to stay in touch with people in UK so they are not calling a USA number at a high cost to them.

Just had notification they are shutting down ASAP and GFY!

Anyone else in same situation and recommendation for alternate provider?

TIA

Use WhatsApp, no need for additional numbers etc…

Apart from I need a UK number and older family members don't use it...

[TownIdiot]

Brother D said:

Apart from I need a UK number and older family members don't use it...

Microsoft are pushing towards a Teams based solution but I'd have thought you could transfer your number to any VOIP provider and use their app instead.

[Captain_Morgan]

Can’t you buy a voip line and have that with a U.K. number in you location?

Failing that perhaps you can buy one from a U.K. supplier, Andrews & Arnold are £1.20 per month though you might need a U.K. account to pay for it.

[C69]

OP, I think that a lot of people are in your position (both individuals and businesses).

The best option is probably going to be to try to port your Skype number to another VoIP provider, as per this: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/skype/forum/al...

[Alorotom]

Brother D said:

Apart from I need a UK number and older family members don't use it...

No you don’t need a uk number at all - any number from any country … you can even use it with numbers from countries that have banned its use (ie UAE)

If they can use Skype they can use WhatsApp - it’s more intuitive and straight forward

[TownIdiot]

Alorotom said:

No you don’t need a uk number at all - any number from any country … you can even use it with numbers from countries that have banned its use (ie UAE)

If they can use Skype they can use WhatsApp - it’s more intuitive and straight forward

You can ring Skype from a normal old style phone.
Which you can't do on WhatsApp

[C69]

Yes, I got the impression that the "older family members" are calling the OP using a landline, and they're unaware of Skype's existence.

If they had mobiles, then there would be plenty of options like WhatsApp or Signal.

[Brother D]

Alorotom said:

Brother D said:

Apart from I need a UK number and older family members don't use it...

No you don’t need a uk number at all - any number from any country … you can even use it with numbers from countries that have banned its use (ie UAE)

If they can use Skype they can use WhatsApp - it’s more intuitive and straight forward

Thanks for the slightly patronizing telling me what I do and don't need.

Fact remains I reside outside the UK for the majority of the year and have multiple reasons why I need a UK number over and above the reasons previously listed.

[Lucas Ayde]

Alorotom said:

Brother D said:

Apart from I need a UK number and older family members don't use it...

No you don’t need a uk number at all - any number from any country … you can even use it with numbers from countries that have banned its use (ie UAE)

If they can use Skype they can use WhatsApp - it’s more intuitive and straight forward

You didn't read the OPs post properly ... people aren't Skype-ing him, they are calling a regular USA telephone number that Skype provides (as a paid service) from regular phones (mobile and landline) in the US.

A good solution would be for the OP to find a US VoIP provider and use that.

[TownIdiot]

Lucas Ayde said:

You didn't read the OPs post properly ... people aren't Skype-ing him, they are calling a regular USA telephone number that Skype provides (as a paid service) from regular phones (mobile and landline) in the US.

A good solution would be for the OP to find a US VoIP provider and use that.

The OP has a UK number that is called from other people in the UK.

He's in the US.