Skype trick to never pay for long distance

Juval Lowy sent me this gem of a tip for how to use Skype on a PocketPC leveraging Verizon’s broadband network and have your calls automatically forwarded to your PocketPC (no more nights and weekends). It also works well when travelling assuming your hotel has broadband, plus anyone calling you only pays for local calls

You install on it SkypeIn and SkypeOut for the pocket PC.

http://www.skype.com/products/skype/pocketpc/

SkypeIn lets you receives calls on 3 numbers of your choice anywhere in the world, routed to your pocket PC, has voice mail, etc for a small flat fee:

http://www.skype.com/products/skypein/

SkypeOut lets you call outside to normal phone numbers for VOIP prices (3 cents a minute anywhere in the world):

http://www.skype.com/products/skypeout/

Wherever you are in a WiFi hotspot, your pocket PC becomes your free cell phone.

Now, you sign with Verizon a data deal for unlimited broadband access to their network using a PCMCIA card ($60 per month)

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/businessSolutions/mobileProfessional/remoteAccess.jsp?action=leRemote

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedPhoneId=1600

You connect over the Verizon card to the Internet, then use Skype as a cell phone where there is no WiFi.

Net effect – really cheap cell bill every month, plus you can use the pocket PC as a modem for your laptop anywhere Verizon has coverage.

I use it mid-way: When I am on the road in Europe, I have SkypeOut on my laptop, and I use it as a cell phone, and I listed to my US cell phone voice messages via it.