PC Phone Calls

 
PC Phone Calls
Section 1:
PC Phone Calls Explained
Essential Information
You can use your broadband connection to make phone
calls over the web. Internet phone calls are much cheaper
than standard home or mobile phone calls and can also be
free. They’re an especially good option for calling friends
or family abroad.
There are two ways you can talk over the web. One
option is to use instant messaging. This allows you to talk,
type, and even see who you’re talking to with a webcam.
Find out all about instant messaging in Chapter Four.
Alternatively, you can use a Voice-over-Internet service.
This is also known as ‘voice-over-IP’ (the IP stands for
Internet Protocol). What it means is that instead of sending
e-mails or pictures to your friends when you’re online, you
‘send’ them your voice.
All the major Voice-over-Internet services are secure,
so you can be sure no one is listening in on your
conversations. In addition, the sound quality is better than
a standard telephone because it’s digital.

Section 2:
Headsets and Handsets
Essential Information
To make phone calls on your PC you’ll need a microphone
to talk into and speakers to hear with. You probably already
have speakers with your computer (or built into your
monitor) so you can either buy a separate microphone or
better still buy an all-in-one headset.
Headsets
Just like the ones used in call centres, all-in-one headsets
leave your hands free to type. They cost about the same
price as a standard telephone. Logitech do a good range of
stereo headsets (logitech.com) and Plantronics sell headsets
already bundled with Skype Voice-over-Internet software
(plantronics.com). Plug the headset into the USB socket
at the back of your PC.
Handsets
There are a growing number of Internet-enabled
telephones that plug straight into your computer, again
using the USB socket. They’re aimed at people who
want to save money using Voice-over-Internet but don’t
like using a headset. You’ll receive easy-to-follow set-up
software when you buy a handset.
Choosing a Voice-over-Internet
Service
Essential Information
There are a number of Voice-over-Internet providers
you can choose from. You’ll find there are two types: pay
monthly or Pay As You Go. Phone companies that offer allinclusive
monthly talk packages, such as Vonage (vonage.
co.uk), give you a telephone handset that plugs into your
computer and lets you call other Vonage customers for free
or other people at selected rates.
However, if you don’t want to pay a monthly fee choose
an Internet-based Pay As You Go service. There’s BT
Communicator (bt.com/btcommunicator), Google Talk
(google.com/talk) or Skype (skype.com).
These allow you to talk for free to friends who use
the same service. However, if you want to talk to people
who don’t have a PC or who have a normal telephone,
BT Communicator and Skype allow you to do this at
competitive call rates. Here we look at how to use Skype,
one of the first Internet phone services. Don’t worry, you’ll
find they all work in the same way.
Getting Started with Skype
Action 1
Download Skype by visiting their website. There’s even a
special version that Mac users can download. Follow the
on-screen instructions to install the program. You’ll have to
choose a Skype user name (which doesn’t have to be your
real name; a nickname will do) and a password.
Action 2
Once it’s installed, you can start Skype from the All
Programs menu on your desktop and get to know the
Skype main window (Fig. 1).
Adding Contacts
Essential Information
The contacts address book is like your normal telephone
address book. You need to add contact details for your
friends and family before you can call them.
Action 1
To do this, click on the Add Contact button or click on
Contacts, then Add a Contact.
Action 2
Enter the Skype name if you know your friend already uses
Skype. If you don’t know their Skype name, contact them
to ask them what it is. Alternatively, you can find them in
the Skype worldwide telephone directory. To do this, go
back to the Skype main window and click on Contacts
and Search for Skype Users.
Action 3
If they already use Skype their details will be displayed
(Fig. 2). Double click on their name to verify their personal
details then click Close. Next click on Add Selected
Contact to add them to your address book.
Action 4
Finally you’ll see the authorisation form (Fig. 3). This
confirms you wish to send a message to the person asking
if they would like to be in your address book. They can
choose to accept or decline. If they accept, their name will
appear in your contacts address book in the main Skype
window.
If your friend isn’t yet using Skype you can click on Tools,
Share Skype with a Friend. This will send an e-mail
encouraging them to download the software and get
connected so you can add them to your address book.
Non-Skype Contacts
If you want to add a contact who doesn’t use Skype but
just has a normal telephone, you can do this using a
service called SkypeOut. Find out more in Section 8 of
this chapter.
Receiving Contacts
Similarly, when your friends add you to their address book
a message will pop up asking you if you want to accept. If
you block it, they won’t be able to call you in the future.
EXPERT TIP
If you change your mind and decide to block a contact
you’ve previously accepted in your address book, or if
you want to talk to a friend you’ve blocked, you can edit
your list of blocked contacts. To do this go to Contacts
then choose Manage Blocked Users.
Section 6:
Online Status
Essential Information
Just like instant messaging you and your contacts have
an online status. This tells everyone if you’re online and
available to talk. A small green tick next to a contact’s name,
means that they are online and you can call them. To check
or change your online status select the arrow next to the
green tick at the bottom left of the Skype main window
(Fig. 4). For example, you can choose to be Offline or
Not Available if you do not want to talk.
Note the difference between an Online status and a Skype
Me status. With an online status only people you have
approved to be added to your address book can call you.
With a Skype Me status anyone can call you without your
prior approval, just by finding you in the Skype worldwide
telephone directory. So, only choose this status if you’re
willing to accept cold calls.
EXPERT TIP
Every time one of your Skype contacts comes online,
you’ll get a message to let you know. Sometimes you
will be busy and won’t want these messages to interrupt
you. To switch them off go to Tools, Options and
Notifi cations. Untick the Comes Online box.
Making a Call
Action 1
Bring up the Skype main window and click on the contact
you wish to call.
Action 2
Click on the green phone button at the bottom of the Skype
main window (shown on the left in Fig. 5) or right click on your
mouse over the contact’s name and select Start Call from the
drop-down list. The call will connect and start ringing.
Action 3
When your friend picks up, you can start talking. Their
name will appear in the centre of the screen along with the
current duration of the call. If you’re talking to someone
who also uses Skype (as opposed to someone with just a
normal telephone number) there are no charges. You can
talk for as long as you want for free.
Action 4
You’ll find some clever extra options to allow you to
interact with the person you are talking to. During the
conversation, right click the
name of the person you are
talking to and you’ll see a list
of options (Fig. 6). You can put
the call on hold, send written
messages to your friend or send
a photo or file (Fig. 7), just like
with instant messaging.
Action 5
When you’ve had enough of talking click on the red button
at the bottom of the window to end the call (Fig. 5).
EXPERT TIP
If you and your friend have webcams, you’ll also be able
to see as well as hear each other (Fig. 8). It’s the next
best thing to actually being there.
Making a Call with SkypeOut
Essential Information
Skype is great if you know someone else who also uses the
program, as you can talk to each other for free. But what if
you want to call someone who doesn’t use Skype and has a
normal telephone, or perhaps doesn’t have a computer at
all? This is easy with a service called SkypeOut.
SkypeOut allows you to call normal telephones or
mobile phones at home or abroad. You have to pay but it
can be over 40 per cent cheaper per minute than calling
from a normal landline. In order to do this you have to
buy euro credits (using your credit card) from the Skype
website. For the most popular countries you pay just one
fixed rate, called the Skype Global rate.
Action 1
To buy credits go to File, My Skype Account and then Go
To My Account Page, or go online and visit skype.com/
store. Login using your Skype user name and password and
click on Buy Skype Credit. It’s perfectly secure and you
can revisit your account page to top up when you run out
of credit. You can also see the latest rates to call countries
all over the world.
Action 2
Back on the Skype main window you can see how much
credit you have remaining in the top right of the screen
(Fig. 9).
Action 3
With enough credit you’re ready to make a SkypeOut call.
Select the Dial tab and click on the numbered keypad to
dial the number you wish to call (Fig. 10). Push the green
telephone button (Fig. 5) to connect.
Action 4
The call will connect and ring. When the person at the
other end picks up you can start talking. Remember to keep
an eye on the duration as this time you’re paying for the
call. Click on the red button at the bottom to end the call.
You should be aware that because you are calling a normal
telephone you won’t be able to use many of the additional
options such as sending a photo or file to the caller.
EXPERT TIP
Skype is a great way to make calls at low cost or for free
but the one thing it can’t do is make calls to the emergency
services. Make sure you’ve got another phone at home
for emergencies, such as your mobile.
Section 9:
Receiving a Call
Essential Information
With Skype, taking a call from a friend is just as easy as
making one. When they call, the Skype icon at the bottom
right of your screen will flash. You’ll also hear the sound
of a telephone ringing. Double click the icon to open up
Skype. Once it’s open you’ll see who is calling and you can
choose either to accept or reject the call.
SkypeIn and Voice-mail
Essential Information
SkypeOut lets you call friends who have a normal
telephone. However, you’ll need SkypeIn if someone with
a normal telephone wants to call you. With SkypeIn you
get your own telephone number so people with normal
phones can call you and you can answer with Skype.
Action 1
To buy a SkypeIn number and Voice-mail account, login in
to your account by clicking on File, My Skype Account
and then Go To My Account Page, or you can access it
on the web at skype.com/store.
Action 2
Select Get SkypeIn Number and follow the on-screen
instructions to buy your number. You have to choose where
your SkypeIn number is based. You can choose any country.
If you base your number in London and your neighbours
in the next street call, they pay local call rates. If your aunt
who lives in Australia calls, she dials the same number but
pays international rates. You could also base your number
in Australia, meaning that your aunt will pay local rates
but your London neighbours pay for international calls.
You can even choose a telephone number based on your
favourite series of numbers. Fig. 11 shows an example of
a UK-based SkypeIn number
EXPERT TIP
You can buy and use up to ten SkypeIn numbers.
You might want different numbers for home or a small
business, or use a local number when you are in another
country.
Action 3
If you’re not online when you receive a call to your SkypeIn
number, the caller can leave you a voice-mail and you can
pick it up next time you’re online. Any new voice messages
appear on the Skype main window the next time you login.
Click on Play to listen to your message. SkypeIn numbers
and voice-mail accounts aren’t free but they are much
cheaper than the cost of having a normal home telephone
as you don’t have to pay expensive line rental charges.
EXPERT TIP
You can change the time it takes before your voice-mail
starts, if you don’t answer a call. Go to Tools, Voice-mail
and enter the time in seconds.
Call Forwarding
If you’re away from your computer but still want to take
calls you can set up call forwarding instead of voice-mail.
This forwards calls to any other number you choose such
as your mobile or work phone. You can even forward
calls to up to three numbers at once so you’ll never miss
an important call.
You don’t have to buy SkypeIn or Voice-mail to use call
forwarding. Anyone with Skype can use it and you simply
pay the cost of the call to the number you forward to. To
activate it, go to Tools, Call Forwarding and enter the
numbers you want your calls forwarded to.
Section 11:
Conference Calls
Essential Information
Talking to more than one person is much easier with Skype
than using a standard telephone. You can talk to up to four
people at once, whether they are a Skype user or a contact
with a normal telephone number.
Action 1
Select Tools and then Create a Conference Call to get
started.
Action 2
You’ll see the Conference Call window (Fig. 12). Select
a topic for your call (such as ‘Meeting up this weekend’)
and then Add up to four contacts from the list on the left
to take part in the call.
Action 3
Choose Start and Skype will contact all those on the list.
After a few seconds everyone should be connected and
you can start talking.
Action 4
To end the call press the red button at the bottom of the
window
Personalising Skype
Make Skype more fun by personalising it with your own
photo or ringtones.
Action 1
Select File and Edit My Profile. Enter your personal
details here. This makes it easier for your friends to find
you in the Skype worldwide telephone directory, but
remember; anyone can see these details. However, they
won’t be able to see your personal e-mail address and if you
get an invitation to be added to someone’s address book
and you don’t know who they are, you can (and probably
should) reject it.
Action 2
Make sure you add your Full name on the Edit My
Profile page. This is different to your Skype user name.
It is the name your friends will see in their own Skype
address books.
Action 3
Add a picture of yourself that friends will see when they call
you. To do this, click on the Change button on the Edit
My Profile page. Then click on Browse to select a picture
from your computer. Click on Update to finish.
Action 4
From the Skype main window, click on the arrow to the
left of your name and you can see your picture and add a
personal message that your friends will see (Fig. 13).
Action 5
Try personalising your ringtone or other sounds. You can
change any of the sounds Skype uses to your own by going
to Tools, Options and then clicking on Sounds. Click
on the icons on the right to choose a sound file from your
own computer.
EXPERT TIP
The sound might be one you record yourself – a quick
hello or a welcome greeting. To record your own sound,
use Windows Sound Recorder. You’ll fi nd this free little
tool in the Accessories and Entertainment folder. Make
sure you save your recording in ‘WAV’ fi le format. If you
don’t want to record your own sound you could download
one from an Internet sounds website such as altavista.
com/audio or fi ndsounds.com
Getting Help
Skype is designed to be easy to use but if you do experience
problems, check out the Skype support website at support.
skype.com. You can also chat to other Skype users and get
more ideas and help at share.skype.com.