How Secure Is Skype?
As with any new technology, there are always security concerns. How long did it take you to use your credit card on line? Most skeptics took a very long time to decide whether it was safe to even type ones name and address on line, let along add credit cards to sites. With online banking, shopping, auctions and the like, it is a well known fact that security is not 100%, by any means.
The same holds true with VoIP. Just as the data we send every day is vulnerable to malicious attacks, so too are the calls made by large corporations or small business owners. The kinds of attacks used with VoIP service may be akin to wire-tapping strategies used by the FBI or CIA. If hackers want information, they certainly know how to obtain it. Being able to intercept calls may allow a hacker to obtain vital information such as your identity or phone number. So too, while some corporations record conversations for their own files, these conversations can easily be accessed by intruders.
Regarding the privacy issue, Skype has infused encryption tools to prevent intruders. However as stated earlier, if a hacker wants information, he or she will use whatever resources are available to obtain it. It should also be noted that while Skype does not record or log conversations, it does have the capability to record instant messaging conversations. In addition, Skype users can determine if other Skype users are logged in.
Additional security concerns are viruses and spamming. Although these are a daily concerns among most internet users, they are not to be taken lightly. Anti-virus software and firewalls should protect you from such intruders. However, a more dangerous area of attack is on your phone itself. For example, if corrupted data is sent via the internet phone, it could render your phoe useless.
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How Do I Choose A VoIP Service Provider?
You can certainly choose a free VoIP service, or you can use Skype. What is Skype?
It is an internet service that allows you to make free calls via the internet to those friends, relatives or business associates who also have the Skype service within the US and Canada.
With Skype, you can make and receive calls, and use their voicemail feature as well. Additionally, if you are calling someone on their land line telephone or mobile phone, that is free as well. Or, if you wish to make long distance calls, Skype offers a low cost service which affords you the opportunity to call anyone you like anywhere in the world. Check out Skype for yourself to determine why this is such a cost effective and valuable service. Its user friendly service costs nothing to download, and you will enjoy the many features this company offers.
If you prefer a free VoIP service, there are literally hundreds to choose from. It would behoove you to research all of the different free VoIP services available to determine which the best package is for you. There are a wide variety of VoIP companies offering
free services, as well as a plethora of packages which come with a variety of features depending upon your individual needs.
Another company which offers a similar service is VoIPBuster. While this service is currently available for Window users only, it has features similar to other VoIP companies which allow you to buy credits toward your VoIP usage. For one hundred and twenty days, you will be able to call anyone, anywhere until your credit expires. This is more akin to a pay as you go type of service which is common among telephone companies today.
Whichever provider you choose, it is incumbent upon you to check out all of the features, the service agreements, and decide for yourself which is more cost effective and offers the best package.
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Skype: The Service
What is so unique about Skype? There are several facets which makes Skype so appealing to consumers. Let’s explore why this service is so popular.
If you need to make a video conferencing call, which can be essential in any home or business, here’s how Skype can be utilized. Making a video call requires a webcam, in addition to your headset or speakers and microphone. Simply install the software for the webcam and plug the webcam into your computer. Before you begin using the video service, Skype will perform a test to ensure that everything is working properly.
If you wish to set up a conference call with several people, Skype has a conference button in its window allowing you, by a simple click, to choose whoever you wish to speak to.
The conference call allows you to talk to up to five people on one call and up to ten people on one call if they are using a PC with the new Intel Duo Core Processor.
You can also use Skype to make calls on your regular land line or mobile phone, using Skype Out. Rates start at approximately $.02 per minute.
You can also make calls to non Skype users. For the cost of $30.00 per year, anyone can obtain a SkypeIn phone number and area code to their home country or any country that they prefer. This allows users outside the Skype network to call directly into Skype. In addition, Skype voicemail is available to allow people to leave you messages. The Skype Voicemail is included free in the SkypeIn service.
Other free Skype features include: Global User Directory, which is a search-friendly phonebook of Skype users; Call Forward, wherein you can send your calls to up to three other Skype IDs; Instant Message, which enables you to chat with up to 50 people in one chat; File transfer; wherein you can instantly send and receive files safely; Call logs, which allows you to track calls and chats; and Mobility, wherein you log into Skype from anywhere in the world.
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Niklas Zennestrom and Janus Friis: Founders of Skype
As the CEO and co-founder of Skype, Niklas Zennström oversees all aspects of Skype’s business internationally. Niklas reports to eBay CEO Meg Whitman, and also serves on eBay’s executive committee. Niklas co-founded Skype in 2003 to offer consumers worldwide a free software for making superior-quality calls using their computer. Skype is the fastest growing communications phenomenon in history.
Prior to Skype, Niklas founded and served as CEO at Joltid, a software company that develops and markets peer-to-peer (P2P) solutions and traffic optimization technologies for service providers. Niklas co-founded and served as CEO of KaZaA, the consumer file-sharing sensation that became the world’s most downloaded Internet software in 2003.
Niklas also co-founded Altnet, the world’s first secure P2P network that promotes commercial content and integrates the full value chain of promotion, distribution, and payment for digital content. Altnet was the world’s largest issuer of DRM licenses.
Janus Friis is co-founder of Skype and currently serves as its director of strategy and innovation, overseeing business strategy and product development to ensure that Skype, the voice of the Internet, continues its rapid innovation and maintains its focus on delighting callers worldwide.
Prior to launching Skype with co-founder Niklas Zennström in 2003, the duo co-founded Joltid, a software company that developed and marketed P2P solutions and P2P traffic optimization technologies, as well as KaZaA, the world’s most downloaded Internet software.
Janus is also the co-founder of Altnet, the world’s first secure P2P wholesale network. Altnet was the world’s largest issuer of DRM licenses, and promotes commercial content to millions of consumers and integrates the full value chain of promotion, distribution, and payment of digital content. Additionally, Janus is responsible for establishing Bullguard.com, a security software company.
Introduction to Skype
Founded in 2003 by Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis, Skype created software that enables people around the world to communicate. Skype is available in 27 languages and is used in almost every country around the world. Skype generates its revenue through premium offerings such as making and receiving calls to and from landline and mobile phones, voicemail and various models of voip phones. Based in Luxembourg, Skype has a growing network of hardware and software providers, and is an eBay company (NASDAQ: EBAY).
Skype is a softphone which is a software that allows you to make free calls to anyone who is also using Skype software, anywhere in the world. eBay acquired Skype on September, 2005, thus this promotion will last until December 2006. This promotion allows free calls to landlines and cellular phones in the US and Canada from Skype. Also, if you, your friends, family members or business colleagues are using webcams, video calls will be free as well.
Another facet of Skype services is instant messaging. With the holidays approaching, you can have a chat with your family members who live all over the world by using Skype. Imagine! You can talk to your extended family. As long as those you wish to contact are using Skype, you can create a contact list, check to see if they are online or offline; allows you to find people who use Skype; and you can easily update your contact list so that all of your friends and family members can stay in touch.
Easy and user friendly, simply go to the Skype website and download the software. Skype is available for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and Pocket PCs. All calls are encrypted, as well as chats and file transfers to prevent interception of calls and data.
With Skype, you can talk to anyone for free with Skype to Skype user
What Skype Says About Their Service?
What Skype Says about their service:
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