Is there an alternative to Skype?

Soon after the purchase of Skype by the giant - Microsoft Corporation - a server malfunction occurred. One day millions of subscribers simply could not connect to Skype services. This caused a huge number of relevant topics on the forums, and many even began to say that there should be an alternative to Skype. Although the problem was quickly eliminated, the public calmed down, but interest in the issue remained. Indeed, is there an alternative to Skype or can we talk about a real monopoly?

Features

First of all, it is necessary to determine the basic capabilities of Skype. As you know, this program has a number of functions:

- provides audio and video communication between several devices connected to the Global Network, on which there is an active copy of the program;

- allows you to make calls from a personal computer or mobile device to a fixed or cell phone number.

One of the reasons for the popularity of Skype is the popularity of this program. Almost every user has his own registration, so there is no compatibility problem: just run the application for each subscriber - and you can make calls. However, when it comes to other programs, everything becomes different. For example, in order to make a computer-to-computer connection, it is necessary that both systems have the same Skype alternative program installed, and users must have their own accounts in it. Although it's free, but you have to tell the desired interlocutor the name of the program, ask to download it, install it and register. Although all this is doable, such a replacement for Skype can not be considered a convenient solution.

Software for telephony

But with the situation when you need to make a call from the program to the phone number, there is no problem: any alternative to Skype easily copes with this task. Unless it is necessary to replenish the internal account by means of payment terminals or by electronic money via the global network.

The most famous alternative to Skype is the QIP program (analogous to ICQ, overloaded with ads), and also the "Agent" from the Mail.Ru service. These applications, unlike Skype, very economically spend the resources of the device, so they work quite quickly on the simplest mobile solutions. There are versions for all common systems: Java, Android, Symbian, etc. Also they support the possibility of making video calls, but only in the latest versions. And there is no need to worry about certification problems.

Perhaps the only drawback of such software solutions is that their work is based on the SIP protocol. And it can be very easily blocked in the network device settings. So, if everything works when you connect to the Internet, but there is no SIP program, then it is possible that the administrator has configured the equipment in this way. Especially vulnerable are those devices that connect via Wi-Fi. On the other hand, the protocol developers (Sippoint) promise to finalize the existing version in the very near future. So, right now you can contact Skype users through alternative programs.