<p>Do any current bs students/parents use Skype? We are looking for a cost effective alternative to standard long distance calling. (Cell phones are not allowed at S’s school.) Do the schools allow it? Does it work well?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Skype has been very useful in my family. We are able to talk for pennies when scattered all over the world. Sometimes calls from a corner in an internet cafe when there’s no other choice. Skype can call computer to computer or computer to any phone. I don’t know anything about prep school rules–just that skype is easy and cheap. Sometimes it’s nice to hear a voice, not just read the email.</p>
<p>Skype is super cheap, and great for those who don’t talk a lot/want to save money, but I wouldn’t recommend it. There’s no real reason though–I just like being able to talk on phones/holding it physically in your hand.
The school shouldn’t really care (they might though) since effectively you’re just using the internet–just in a really smart way. Though, depending on what school you go to, you may be required to get a phone number…</p>
<p>There are handsets you can use with Skype, so it feels like a traditional telephone.</p>
<p>it has been great for us and our s. we plan to add second son too as he starts boarding school in Sept. can’t beat the price!</p>
<p>we have vonage for our home phone service – pretty cheap at about $29/month. Free long distance, voice mail, etc. For an additional amount (I think $5 or $10 per month) you can get a toll-free number where someone can call it for free. You can get ~250 minutes on the toll-free number – so your student could call you and you could call back. Just something to check out.</p>
<p>I tried to use skype when my family lived in Italy (I go to Exeter), but the connection was always spotty, and on the times when I could get through (a little under 50% of the time, though if I kept trying I’d eventually get through), the quality was terrible. Better than nothing, though!</p>