Re: [Announce] VICaR: Value International Call Router (Calling Card Helper)
 

@czajunia - Is this the app you were alluding to?

http://xseries.three.com/features_skype_demo.shtml

It looks like Skype To Go (or Skype Lite).

Re: [Announce] VICaR: Value International Call Router (Calling Card Helper)
 

Yep. That's the one. Not sure what it's called but as far as I remember the software on my first Skype phone from ages ago was something called iSkoot. But it's probably not the software as such but the way it is set up by the network operator.

Re: [Announce] VICaR: Value International Call Router (Calling Card Helper)
 

I am not sure how exactly it works but the phone dials something that looks like a mobile phone number. It shows up on a screen for a few moments only when I make a skype call and after that it just starts connecting to Skype as if I made a normal VoIP Skype call.

Again not sure how it identifies a user name on skype network but it maybe somehow related to the software that runs on your mobile which is what scifi.guy suggested.

Yes, I have an unlimited data plan that is apparently limited to 1GB or 500MB :) Skype phone calls if made using my operator software are outside this allowance and they are unlimited (well, there is probably some kind of a limit as well but that's not something you'd use up).

So, if I use built in Skype client to make Skype calls rather than my network software it will be part of my data plan. The other problem is that when making VoIP calls the quality is usually much worse than when calling using their Skype client especially if the 3G coverage is patchy.

Re: [Announce] VICaR: Value International Call Router (Calling Card Helper)
 

Czajunia:
I am not trying to convince you to use the VOIP. I use skype out (instead of "skype voip") to call phone numbers exactly because of the reasons you mentioned before.

I am just curious how this could work. Do you know if you could place a call without ALSO having a data connection?

I can only imagine two options for this to work:

1) the software on your phone would communicate (send data) with some server "saying" that I call was about to be made to X from Y and then the phone would call a pre-defined number that would be waiting for your call and would recognize who you want to call (X) based on the caller id (Y). Google voice can work somewhat like this but it actually calls you back.

2) The application would call a pre-defined number that would recognize you based on your caller id and would get who you want to call using DTMF. That is how skype out works.

Option 1 would require also using the "data channel". On option2 I can imagine you could somehow use dtmf tones to tell the system about the "skype account" but, as far as I know, you can't call "skype" accounts (just phone numbers) using skype out.

The "missing link" is how you can call a skype account using just the "voice channel" (no data)

Re: [Announce] VICaR: Value International Call Router (Calling Card Helper)
 

@frochik - I haven't used the skype to go app myself so this is just a guess.

There must be a data channel because the skype app shows the contacts who are currently online. Then again this data channel could be inside 3 network's walled garden so it could be free of charge. The proprietary skype code may assign unique DTMF codes to all skype contacts (PC or Mobile). Once a call is initiated to local three network voice number these codes are sent to route the call to the contact.

Re: [Announce] VICaR: Value International Call Router (Calling Card Helper)
 

@fcrochik - I am fairly certain scifi.guy is right and there is some kind of data channel due to the reason he's mentioned. After initiating the process the actual call is routed through this special number so it matches your number 1 scenario.

It would be brilliant if it was possible to configure N900 built in skype client to route the calls the same way.

Thanks a lot for your input guys!

Re: [Announce] VICaR: Value International Call Router (Calling Card Helper)
 

iskoot page has a detailed explanation of how the routing works.

It seems the skype access point (toll free) number changes based on the location of the contact you are calling. Unfortunately this can't be done in VICaR.

Re: [Announce] VICaR: Value International Call Router (Calling Card Helper)
 

@scifi.guy - Cheers for that.

Are you sure that this number changes depending on the location of a contact? I was convinced that it was always calling the same number when using my E71 in the past. I've also read some information on the iSkoot web site but didn't get that impression.

But I understand that even if it was the same number indeed we still wouldn't be able to do it with Vicar due to data connection. Am I right?

Thanks!

Re: [Announce] VICaR: Value International Call Router (Calling Card Helper)
 

@czajunia - As frochik suggested, if you know the local skype gateway number and the pattern of DTMF tones to send to route the call, you can configure VICaR similar to skype-out for calling phone numbers. You can't reach PC skype users this way though.

Re: [Announce] VICaR: Value International Call Router (Calling Card Helper)
 

Oh, no. I wouldn't know anything about that :) Thanks for your help guys.