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Why does safaricom charge for skype calls?
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Impunity
#11 Posted : Wednesday, April 04, 2012 2:23:41 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 3/2/2009
Posts: 26,331
Location: Masada
carygoh wrote:
jimmy1 wrote:
Many other services on the web are free e.g yahoo mail, gmail, wazua etc but you need a data connection (data bundle) to access the service. Its like being told there is a free eye check up or dental check up in thika town. However all those who will decide to go for the free check up will need bus fare to enable them reach thika town to enjoy the free service

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Nothing is ever free!
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masukuma
#12 Posted : Friday, April 06, 2012 9:09:22 AM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 10/4/2006
Posts: 13,823
Location: Nairobi
essyk wrote:
Skype to skype calls are always free according to the original skype company's vision and promise. 3G skype to skype calls are by definition included.

Help me understand this please because I sound very weird trying to explain to other people that my ISP deducts bundles(pp)and quite an amount whenever I receive/make a call.
A business colleague (nje) had to confirm with a zambian colleague and he said no such thing is supposed to happen cz they enjoy free skype calls like the rest of the world.
But safcom deducts bundles even if its the other party calling!something I find to be quite unfair.

I wrote mail to safcom to hear their view and their response was 'Skype calls are free. However, the connection is via a data channel and that is why you are charged on data charges.


Today's headline on safcom (biz daily)worries me further cz I feel they will chew more bundles with their plans to double their broadband capacity next week!!Sad

Ok I am not an IT guru so could somebody help me understand Why if I am paying for my data connection,am being charged a fee (skype to skype calls which is supposed to be free anyway) to use the data connection I am paying for?

I am confused and I could be wrong but I feel cheated(like double pay)by Safcom if other countries do it free.

Anybody knows?





just because content is free it does mean safaricom will not charge you for getting that data to your pc/phone/tablet.
youtube videos are also free to watch, or downloading free video from piratebay - but you don't want to do that using your bundles (Afadhali ununue hiyo video off the street).
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  | | Edit by user: Friday, April 06, 2012 9:12 AM | Reason: Not specified
Mr.Wambui
#13 Posted : Friday, April 06, 2012 10:55:37 AM
Rank: Member

Joined: 9/14/2011
Posts: 132
Location: Darasani
essyk wrote:
jimmy1 wrote:
The only way you can enjoy skype for "free" is when you use your employers internet connection because your employer has already paid for the internet (data)


That is common but we dont stay in office 24/7.

jimmy1 wrote:
Many other services on the web are free e.g yahoo mail, gmail, wazua etc but you need a data connection (data bundle) to access the service. Its like being told there is a free eye check up or dental check up in thika town. However all those who will decide to go for the free check up will need bus fare to enable them reach thika town to enjoy the free service


smile Thank you.I have all the while assumed that skype calls meant no bundle deduction cz of that word 'free screaming all over' unlike the rest.
But as you can see nothing is directly free.

Much appreciated.


lol @ juju to communicate.
I got corrupted by that word free. Nimeelimika.
Ahsanteni.


A real lady indeed. A lesson to all those guys who won't change their view and would go on to abuse others even when they are clearly on the wrong.
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essyk
#14 Posted : Friday, April 06, 2012 4:18:22 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 11/15/2011
Posts: 4,518
I thought I was the only ignorant one till I came across another complainant.

I have just installed Skype and have made my first few video calls Skype to Skype.I have only a 1 Gb broadband plan,and although I understand Skype calls such as these are free,my data usage seems to have skyrocketed.Could someone with more knowledge than me,tell me if these type of calls do in fact use up your data.

So why does the Skype download site say that your voice and video calls are free?


jibu.
the software itself is 'free' but the when you use the program it uses your data allowance.

This is like giving me free medicine and charging me for drinking it.
I have now gotten used to the charges.
"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.
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  | | Edit by user: Friday, April 06, 2012 8:39 PM | Reason: Not specified
Gordon Gekko
#15 Posted : Friday, April 06, 2012 7:46:07 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 5/27/2008
Posts: 3,760
@jimmy1, the fact that you don't pay for something doesn't mean it is free.
Your employer is meeting the cost.
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propertyzote
#16 Posted : Saturday, April 07, 2012 9:37:00 AM
Rank: Member

Joined: 8/25/2010
Posts: 283
Location: Nairobi
Guys..Nothing is free in this world.Even the air you breath takes effort.You breathe in and out anywhere from 15 to 25 times per minute without even thinking about it. The diaphragm and muscles between your ribs contract, creating a negative pressure - or vacuum – inside your chest cavity. The negative pressure draws the air that you breathe into your lungs.@Jimmy1 you are spot on. From Skype's perspective its free in that you dont pay for connection charges between you and the caller, however for that to happen you got to pay for your Internet connection(Kuwezesha) that data(voice/video) transfer and exchange.
The question maybe would be what is the cost comparison. Say if you buy a safcom bundle for 20bob-25MB. How long would you talk via skype?? Other cost effective apps that are for "free" is viber.
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Excetra1
#17 Posted : Saturday, April 07, 2012 12:32:52 PM
Rank: New-farer

Joined: 2/15/2010
Posts: 75
Location: Nairobi
this reminds me of an incident that i witnesseda while back. two ladies walked intoa cyber cafe to open free yahoo email accounts. it took them about 45 minutes to do so and once they were done, they proceeded to walk out of the cyber cafe. the attendant rushed after them and requested them to pay and their response was "hatuja browse we only opened free yahoo email accounts"
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propertyzote
#18 Posted : Saturday, April 07, 2012 1:31:17 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 8/25/2010
Posts: 283
Location: Nairobi
Excetra1 wrote:
this reminds me of an incident that i witnesseda while back. two ladies walked intoa cyber cafe to open free yahoo email accounts. it took them about 45 minutes to do so and once they were done, they proceeded to walk out of the cyber cafe. the attendant rushed after them and requested them to pay and their response was "hatuja browse we only opened free yahoo email accounts"

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essyk
#19 Posted : Saturday, April 07, 2012 3:39:40 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 11/15/2011
Posts: 4,518
propertyzote wrote:
Guys..Nothing is free in this world.From Skype's perspective its free in that you dont pay for connection charges between you and the caller, however for that to happen you got to pay for your Internet connection(Kuwezesha) that data(voice/video) transfer and exchange.
The question maybe would be what is the cost comparison. Say if you buy a safcom bundle for 20bob-25MB. How long would you talk via skype?? Other cost effective apps that are for "free" is viber.


Thank you.
Let me talk local kabisa now for you to understand why. Si u know kuuliza sio ujinga.

If I book a ticket, its inclusive of inflight entertaiment.If say NAS has a contract with BA to supply 'free food' to its pax, then BA goes ahead to charge me for the food kando? it's ujanja.
They may use the word 'service charge' as reason for charging lakini rem I paid for inflight entertainment when I booked the ticket.
That means I can eat as much as I want at whatever intervals they serve.

Ok now look at NAS rep.Skype com, BA rep safcom, Free food rep free skype calls and the service charge rep Data bundles.

You know what? I understand why they charge really.
I just thought it was illegal.Laughing out loudly

Cost comparison? Before I do a skype call I check the data bundles and what is left after I am done.
I have noticed that 1 hour call (no video) costs like 120MB.
I dont know if that is expensive cz I havent compared with what other isps charge.
"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.
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  | | Edit by user: Saturday, April 07, 2012 3:46 PM | Reason: Not specified
mchawi
#20 Posted : Saturday, April 07, 2012 10:15:16 PM
Rank: New-farer

Joined: 4/4/2011
Posts: 94
Location: Nairobi
Excetra1 wrote:
this reminds me of an incident that i witnesseda while back. two ladies walked intoa cyber cafe to open free yahoo email accounts. it took them about 45 minutes to do so and once they were done, they proceeded to walk out of the cyber cafe. the attendant rushed after them and requested them to pay and their response was "hatuja browse we only opened free yahoo email accounts"

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