# skype on Ipad



## Wojtek (May 8, 2011)

Hi, can anyone recommend which mobile provider is the best to use Skype on Ipad.
Have tried Yoigo - you can chat but can not talk.
Prepaid preferred but not a must.
Thanks for your advise


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## Guest (Aug 18, 2011)

I´m confused - you can chat but not talk? Do you mean you can chat (voice over IP), but not video?

I would be surprised if the carrier told you that voice calls where OK, but video not. At the end of the day it is data, H.264, to be anal about it. Given the link between you and Skype is SSL (Secure Socket Layer - Encrypted) the carrier would not know _what _the data was. Although they would know the end point (Skype) and could throttle your bandwidth. Vodafone are known to do that, quite arbitrarily as well, according to my friend/neighbour. 

I use Skype on an Android fondleslab (Galaxy S Smartphone), as well as on a regular PC and Lappy. When I travel, the fondleslab and lappy are on PAYG 3G/HSDPA from Vodafone. The Android acts as a Wireless Access Point, which is very funky indeed. It can also work as a modem, via USB.

Whilst the video quality is OK and voice is excellent, it eats bandwith rapidly. Not so good, if you´ve got a measly 1Gb or tariff from your provider. A 15 min call with video can easily gobble a few hundred Mbs of data. More if you ramp up the video quality.

So, options are: - 

1) Look at other providers and get clarity on their data tariff. I would suggest Vodafone and few others would suggest Movistar. 

2) Look into getting a subscription for WIFI. Many of the large operators have WIFI packages so you can roam all over the place and get connectivity on the go. They´ve installed AP/Routers in banks, post offices etc. Probably excellent in towns/cities, but less so in the more rural locations.

3) Pickup a MIFI device from Vodafone/Movistar. Basically, it is a 3G hub that can support multiple devices, typically up to 5. It would save you taking out a contract for landline/broadband, but isn´t necessarily the cheapest option, as it also requires a contract. It´s just a 3G dongle in a funkly little dock that acts as a WIFI AP.

4) Get a data contract for a phone and use that as your 3G connection and tether your iPad to that. It´s pretty much the same as going for option 3, but probably cheaper. Depending on which iPad you´re running, tethering may be a problem, as earlier versions did not support this.

Obviously, these are all personal opinions and there are a few other "pointy heads" on here that could probably suggest some more options.

Hope that helps!


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## Wojtek (May 8, 2011)

Thank you for your reply. By chatting I mean writing via skype - this works fine.
Conversing is a problem. Yoigo does not allow it. Tried Orange prepaid sim - can hear but the other side can not hear me.
Am a little confused. It could be a hardware problem after all


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## Guest (Aug 18, 2011)

Since the release of the Skype client for iPad, there have been quite a few patches/revisions, so I would check that you have the latest client from the AppStore.

To check your settings, to a test call to the Echo/Sound Test service. It should be in your Skype contact list. 

Failing that, I have a test account with Skype, so you could try testing against that. PM me if you wish to try the latter.


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