Thank you, that is just what I need. I’ll give it a try.
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I just received an email from Skype regarding the wind-down of its paid services. I want to highlight one bit of info from that email, since it was easy to miss in the support links already shared in this thread.
Even though currently paid Skype phone numbers for voice services will remain active through the end of their subscriptions, apparently Skype SMS services will be terminated as of May 5, 2025, regardless of subscription status.
What nobody so far has been able to say is if you can get your remaining Skype balance returned once the service ends (not transferred to some other service, but actually paid out via CC or ACH or check etc.).
Or how you would go about having that done.
The lack of instructions to the latter seems to indicate the answer to the former is likely “heck no, sucker!”.
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I use Talkatone (am a paid subscriber) also and find it works well from Japan. But I would also like to not lose my Skype in number if possible. Talkatone support says they don’t import numbers.
Some people were saying that one thing I can do with my Skype in number, which I’ve had for years, is import it into voip.ms. I checked the voip.ms pricing and it looks very reasonable. The monthly fee for one number total less than I’ve been paying Skype to renew my number each year.
But… I just don’t get how to use it, even after a few chats with their sales support and looking at the wiki. Apparently I need to add a 3rd party app to make use of it on my iPhone and/or Mac because they don’t actually offer any software for the end users. Is that correct?
How does that work? And is the 3rd party app needed expensive so it actually ends up costing more than I’ve been paying Skype?
Thanks.
Another approach if you do a lot of international calls is to use international calling packages offered by landline phone services. I use one from Verizon. I have been paying $10 or $15 a month. I need international calling I write for a British-based magazine and also need to talk to people overseas. I don’t use it as much as I used to, but it’s still useful to have available and the sound quality usually is better than cells.
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Just an update. As per suggestions on Reddit I’m trying to use voip.ms. It was educational learning about the service and how services like that are really separated from VoIP user apps and it’s like a backend used by VoIP apps that I never new about.
Before porting in my Skype number I thought I’d test with an $0.85 DID they provide. But right now I’m stuck on not being about to add funds to my new account. On the page where I want to pay by credit card there is a place to enter cardholder info but no place to enter my credit card info. So of course nothing gets processed.
After multiple support chats I tried an incognito window, a non-Chromium browser (Firefox), and a different device (my iPad instead of my Mac). But it was the same on all of them.
They opened a support ticket for me and I’m waiting to hear back.
What I thought I would do if the DID I purchase works is then try it with a free iPhone app. Then if that works try one of the recommended paid iPhone apps. And if that seems nice, then go ahead and try porting over my Skype number. If it works, it’s actually less expensive in the long run then paying Skype their annual fee for the number.
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Oh they are saying it! There is no way to extract your Skype Credit and no way to use it. By my reckoning, that amounts to theft.
I used to use Skype occasionally to call overseas relatives, so had some credit. This was pay per call. One thing I did learn from this announcement is that pay per call was closed down some time ago, and you have to have a subscription to make calls to a phone number. Would have bern nice if they had told me this before it happened…,
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There are several official MS FAQ answers here, but some are not particularly helpful:
Regarding Skype Credit…
“Skype Credits can be used for calling. Starting April 3, 2025, automatic top up services will no longer be available. After May 2025, the Skype Dial Pad will be available to remaining paid users from the Skype web portal and within Teams Free, where you will continue to be able to use your subscription or Skype Credits…”
If that makes sense!
My reading was that you cannot pay for individual calls any more. You have to have a subscription.
After spending days trying to get softphone apps to work with a voip.ms I decided it’s too grody and complicated and want something simpler. I also use TextNow and have ported a number into it. It works great. But I don’t want to give up the number I’m using with them. And I use Talkatone with a number I got from them. It also works fine. But they don’t allow porting in numbers.
I’d like to port my Skype number into a service like one of those two and not mess with SIP systems because I can’t get it to work.
Is there a full-fledged VoIP app that allows porting in numbers that can work on my iPhone, iPad, and Mac?
Thanks.
I finally got voip.ms to work with with the softphone app Linphone in both directions! But to receive calls Linphone needs to be open. I have to look at fallback settings and how voicemail, etc., works. But it does work! So I will continue.
I have a (UK) ‘landline number’ from Sipgate which I’ve used occasionally over the last several years. When setting it up I looked at Linphone as a client but chose SessionTalk Softphone instead. I can’t now remember why I decided against Linphone, but you might want to check out SessionTalk Softphone. As best as I can recall, it doesn’t need to be running to receive calls. I use this too rarely to be 100% certain (less than once a year) but it’s a free download so easy for you to try.
I might as well try it. But apparently that business about not being able to receive softphone calls unless the app is open is apparently due to a recent iOS restriction. But I’m not sure of the details.
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I use Telephone on the Mac: Telephone | 64 Characters and have tried all sorts of voip apps on iOS/iPadOS… there are a bunch, with setup instructions, listed on the voip.ms wiki: https://wiki.voip.ms/article/Softphones. Make sure to use a subaccount for each device / app on your network. ie. one subaccount for your ipad, one for your mac, etc. That way they don’t conflict when calls come in.
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Apparently the feature you are talking about is currently part of their paid app. The free app doesn’t seem to include that.
I did get Linphone to work though. If it’s not open I have it set to go directly to voicemail. And the voicemail gets emailed to me.
Better than nothing.
I still haven’t ported over my Skype number. I’ve been using a test number I bought from them. It’s a nice number actually, but I don’t need it. Maybe for the $0.85/month I’ll keep it as an extra U.S. backup number though.
The whole voip.ms system is quite complicated and grody looking. Oh, and there is no visual voicemail like with my iPhone and other VoIP apps. But it technically works.
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I can’t seem to find an app with that name in the app store. Linphone is simplistic but is working. It seems you can set diferent DIDs with it. But I’m really only looking to port over my one Skype number which I rarely use anyway. Thanks.
Yay. I got voip.ms working with calls in and out, voicemail, and also SMS/MMS. I’ve been using a test number I bought from them for $0.85 and it works great. I’m also using the Groundwire app which is very useful for enabling push notifications and not draining your battery. I will now proceed to port my Skype number it. It will be less expensive than Skype’s annual number renewal fee.
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@doug2, I really appreciate your updates on this, hoping to hear soon that you found a solution.
Addition: I’ve also done a bit of research on alternatives, including Nextiva, MagicJack, Rakuten Viber, and Twilio. However, many of them are seeking business users, not personal users, so I’m reluctant to pursue anything unless there are no other options.
Thanks for your message. I’m a little bit confused about whether to keep my Skype number in my main account or create a sub-account for it. People on Reddit are recommending a sub-account though. That way it can be registered separately in the Groundwire softphone app I am using.
Anyway, I just started the Skype porting process. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Notes about porting into voip.ms:
- If your Skype number is a U.S. number (like mine is) you will need a U.S. address to complete the porting process. Fortunately I was set up with my U.S. address initially, so that’s on my statement information.
- You need to download a statement/invoice and sign it and upload it as part of the process.
- Also your porting PIN for Skype should just be 0000.