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Technology for the Early Care and Education Workplace

H Conference Calling with Skype

Handout

Overview This module explores the basics of Skype and its ability to do free conference calls with other Skype users. Skype is a (mostly) free Internet telephone system that allows for free video calls between 2 individuals and free voice calls for up to 25 people. The trick with Skype, though, is that all participating members in the calls must also be using Skype for the calls to be free. Skype can make direct to home or cell phone calls, but it costs a small fee. Download Skype from http://www.skype.com. You will need to register, which includes providing a username and password. Follow the on screen instructions. You are not required to add any credit to your account. Skype knows that most people use their site for free and is fine with that.

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Once you have downloaded and signed into Skype, you will need to add contacts. Contacts are people that also use Skype that you can call for free. If you are using Skype for a business meeting, you can ask for the Skype ID of the clients, if they have them. To add a contact from the Contacts screen, click on "Add a Contact." The easiest way to add is contact is to use their Skype Name, which you can ask for (people that are using Skype are usually happy to add new contacts).

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Once you have added the contacts you wish to call, you need to double click on the contacts name to call them. Skype has several different status settings. Usually only if the contact has a green check-mark are they available and wish to be called. However, if a meeting has been scheduled at a pre-arranged time, usually the contacts status will be green. Skype etiquette, though, typically disfavors cold calling contacts that are not very close personal friends. A user can use the Chat feature to first ask whether a contact is available to talk.

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Once you double click on the user's name, a new box appears and you can click on the "Call" button. Alternatively, if a video call is proper, then you can choose the Video Call" option.


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Once on a call with one contact, you can "Add People" to the conversation, up to 25. To add people click on the "Add People" button, which opens a new dialog box. In that box, choose the contacts you wish to add to the conversation and finally hit "Add." Skype will now call the new participants. If they answer, they will be added to the free conference call.

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If there is a group of people that you frequently call as a group, you can make a group in Skype. This allows for one-click calling of all group members and avoiding the "Add Contact" hassle of Step 4, above. To create a group, from the main Skype page, click "Create a group" near the bottom. This opens a new window. Click and drag your group contacts into the group window. As contacts are dragged into the group window, they are added to the group and will be called when any member calls the group.

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Explore all the other feature of Skype. It is a very useful business tool.

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