Skype or What?

[Sonia Magwood]

Hi! My Dad has been using Skype to join a company meeting. He said more often, he gets disconnected. Are there better application than this? What do you use?

 

[Naverith]

I use Skype for my radio show, and it's known to drop calls depending on your comp's processing speed, if he uses a wireless headset, your ISP's speed and the number of hops between both parties on the line.

He can upgrade his Skype to have an individual number, where he can make actual phone calls. That gives him a bit more clarity than just Skyping work. Otherwise, it's a crap shoot if he stays on for the full meeting.

If the internet is wacky, then his call will be as well.

 

[Angel O2 Mercer]

Google Hangouts is not terrible for video calls and conference.

 

[Girlie Chum]

Hi! My Dad has been using Skype to join a company meeting. He said more often, he gets disconnected. Are there better application than this? What do you use?

Same here, I was able to experienced issues with Skype. If you want a more profound app and with a complete customer care program, you could try other apps like omnijoin , onstream, readytalk and zoom.

 

[San]

There is a little known app called VSee. It is targeted at professional telemedicine, but there is a free basic messenger which is just as good for individual use. If you don't need Skype's large user base with all its incoming spam and whatever, but just to connect with one or a few individuals you can convince to install it, you get a very lean and responsive app. It is claimed that it uses much less bandwith for HD video than competitors, and that NASA uses it on board the Space Shuttle. I can't verify that, but I tried it out over less than ideal internet connections and it went nice and smooth.

 

[swampymonster]

I use gotomeeting at work.
Every company I work with also uses go to meeting

Works great, screen sharing etc
Cheap too like 50 dollars a month per account

 

[SoReal]

if you dont need video support then maybe teamviewer, that offers audio chat.

Although I wouldnt use it as a choice facebook also offers video/audio calling and I have found this more stable than skype on occasion.

 

[Sonia Magwood]

We also checked out viber - but this does not allow for group conversations. Checked on facetime - not sure if it allows group conversations, but not everyone uses an iphone at my dads work, so this option is out. There is also a video call option for google plus. Again, the issue is not everyone has gmail. Although it is easy to create an account, we thought, this should be a last resort. We checked out how to join the meeting using omnijoin - a brother company - you know, the printer, and it looks like they also have a good rate. Hmmm ... anything else? Thanks!

 

[Sonia Magwood]

if you dont need video support then maybe teamviewer, that offers audio chat.

Although I wouldnt use it as a choice facebook also offers video/audio calling and I have found this more stable than skype on occasion.

I agree! video call using facebook is good - depending on your internet provider - of course. We've tried showing presentations and some demonstrations. They were quite a challenge. The issue would be professionalism, I guess? My dad has reservations about encouraging use of FB in the workplace - guess he is old-fashioned that way - lol

 

[Sonia Magwood]

I use gotomeeting at work.
Every company I work with also uses go to meeting

Works great, screen sharing etc
Cheap too like 50 dollars a month per account

I remember go to meeting for one of the webinars that I joined a long time ago! It was fun because there is a virtual raise your hand, right? I'll check this out too!

 

[Sonia Magwood]

There is a little known app called VSee. It is targeted at professional telemedicine, but there is a free basic messenger which is just as good for individual use. If you don't need Skype's large user base with all its incoming spam and whatever, but just to connect with one or a few individuals you can convince to install it, you get a very lean and responsive app. It is claimed that it uses much less bandwith for HD video than competitors, and that NASA uses it on board the Space Shuttle. I can't verify that, but I tried it out over less than ideal internet connections and it went nice and smooth.

You got me at FREE - will definitely check it out. Although, I don't think my dad's meetings online, over video or over the phone are very confidential in nature. He still goes to the office for the top secret meetings - lol

 

[RobBuona]

My current organization uses Skype for audio conferencing. Other than my hitting the hangup button by accident (oops), I don't believe I have ever been disconnected prematurely in almost 2 years of using it. My company has technical issues frequently, so that's saying something. Skype itself has been extremely reliable in my experience.