is skype free if you sign in with a number

And they don't count as landlines on Skype, so you stand to be charged up to 15.5p a minute. From mobiles, it's worse: up to 40p a minute. From UK landlines, the cost to call these varies from 4p/minute to 10p/minute. The cost to call them varies significantly. These are 'revenue sharing' numbers, where the owner of the number gets a kickback from their phone provider for having you waiting on hold. These are toll free 'freephone' numbers, free from a landline and from Skype, even if you don't have Skype Unlimited.įrom mobiles, though, these are often charged at premium rates - we've been charged up to 25p a minute in the past.Īnd be warned: companies think nothing of having long wait times for these numbers because they're 'freephone'.

They are not included in Skype Unlimited and are currently charged at 17.1p a minute. These are mobile numbers, and are counted as inclusive minutes on mobile phones. Skype has confirmed that these are also included in Skype Unlimited. By law, they must cost the same as normal landline numbers, and be included in inclusive minutes.

These are relatively new, introduced in 2007. These are usually included in mobile phone package inclusive minutes and in Skype Unlimited. Numbers starting 01 and 02 are normal landline phone numbers. The UK has a complicated National Numbering Scheme that, in theory, tells you what to expect the call to cost based on the number's prefix.

Here's how to reduce your phone bill by finding an alternative number to ring.įirst, though, an explanation of what you'll be charged for calling various numbers in the UK. Frequent visitors to the UK will know that just about every large British organisation has a telephone number that's free to call or that costs the same as a local call on a UK landline.īut these numbers aren't free from mobiles - and some of them aren't included on Skype Unlimited, which is limited to giving free calls to landlines.

Is skype free if you sign in with a number