Using Skype from Roatan to USA

[HowardE]

Glad to see it works in Roatan. To those that are using Skype in Roatan, do you use the "pay as you go" or monthly plan? Is there a minimum number of months you have to sign up and pay for? I believe the rate to call landlines in the US is fairly high in Honduras compared to other countries if you use the "pay as you go". Skype's global calling plan appears to be the way to go. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Don't buy a plan if you don't expect to use skype calling more than this trip. Buy like $10 in credit, and that will last you a LONG time (around 200 minutes). It's only around 2 cents a minute to call US phones from wherever you are.

The other cell phone options are good, but more costly. Now, I have a Claro Blackberry with a plan, since I live here more of the time. I used to use an unlocked quad band phone (bought on Ebay for $10) and bought a Local SIM for a few hundred pesos (about $10 dollars). Here in the D.R. - incoming calls are free - so skype forwarding works like a charm. I guess it depends on how connected you need to be. Outgoing calls to the U.S. on my Orange SIM service were about 25 cents a minute. Considerably less than the $1.00 a minute from AT&T or Verizon.

When people I know are coming here... I recommend they use Skype. We all (our little group of gringo residents here) use Skype in a similar fashion to how I've outlined.

 

[RTBDiver]

And again it depends a lot on where your staying and what your plans are. If you staying at a mostly inclusive place with good internet and you don't plan on being out and about much then skype is probably a great option but does little good while driving or travelling around the island.

 

[weaponeer]

All good information and very much appreciated. We'll be staying at AKR and bringing our laptop for wireless access, $25.00 for the week. I've contacted AKR asking for a Key room with good reception and they put that request on our record. Won't be traveling around the island at all so this will be our exclusive method for internet. Also hope to stream some college football highlights during our first weekend.

 

[DandyDon]

Ah, for the good ol' days when I told family that I would be unreachable for the week, to call me only in case of emergency - but then my first trip to Roatan: emergency! And if you have to change your plane, call the airline's US number rather than the local one.

I've used Skype to call home from Cozumel and Roatan, but never been charged. I am charged if I call from the US to another country, but not for calling home.

I am on the $2.99/month virtually unlimited US & Canada calling plan as my cell gets lousy reception at home.

It works better with a dedicated microphone and headset.

Yep, and that's the polite way to use it, so others around you don't hear your speakers or you talking louder to the built-in mic. I got to Roatan without mine tho, so used the ear jacks from the flight in. Carried the laptop outside to an area where my loud talking to the built-in mic would not reach anyone else - the drive way.

Glad to see it works in Roatan. To those that are using Skype in Roatan, do you use the "pay as you go" or monthly plan? Is there a minimum number of months you have to sign up and pay for? I believe the rate to call landlines in the US is fairly high in Honduras compared to other countries if you use the "pay as you go". Skype's global calling plan appears to be the way to go. Correct me if I'm wrong.

You will see on the call if you are being charged, but never happened to me. The rate is 37¢/min (42.6¢ incl. VAT) but if you are calling family and friends with computers, you only need to make a one minute call to ask them to get on Skype themselves for free computer to computer talking. Can also use AIM, Yahoo messenger, etc. but Skype service seems better.

All good information and very much appreciated. We'll be staying at AKR and bringing our laptop for wireless access, $25.00 for the week. I've contacted AKR asking for a Key room with good reception and they put that request on our record. Won't be traveling around the island at all so this will be our exclusive method for internet. Also hope to stream some college football highlights during our first weekend.

What was the $25 charge for? Does Akr charge...??

 

[weaponeer]

I am on the $2.99/month virtually unlimited US & Canada calling plan as my cell gets lousy reception at home.

You will see on the call if you are being charged, but never happened to me. The rate is 37¢/min (42.6¢ incl. VAT) but if you are calling family and friends with computers, you only need to make a one minute call to ask them to get on Skype themselves for free computer to computer talking. Can also use AIM, Yahoo messenger, etc. but Skype service seems better.

What was the $25 charge for? Does Akr charge...??

Since Roatan is Central America it isn't covered under the North America (CAN/USA/MEX) $2.99 plan.

All our Skype calls will be to USA landlines. Noone on the other end will use Skype so we'll have to pay the per minute rate. I'll watch to see if the meter is running when we use it.

The $25.00 fee at AKR is wireless modem use for the week. Beats having to go to the lobby to use their computer and pay an hourly rate and allows us the privacy of using it from our room.

I'll likely buy a block of Skype credit and use the pay as you go method but I've read that calls from outside the US to the US can get blocked due to the finite amount of credit so I may go global unlimited at the monthly $14.99 rate. Not sure if you can buy just one month or are required to buy something like a 3 month minimum. I'll figure that out when I start an account and go with the best option for our needs.

 

[DandyDon]

Since Roatan is Central America it isn't covered under the North America (CAN/USA/MEX) $2.99 plan.

Nope, I just mentioned that for the record, but you now have incorrect information here...

Unlimited* US & Canada is $2.99/month

Unlimited* US, Canada & Mexico is $7.99/month​

*Unlimited is not really; it's 40 hours/week I think, more than I could use, but not actually unlimited which is why I usually include "virtually" or this footnote.

All our Skype calls will be to USA landlines. Noone on the other end will use Skype so we'll have to pay the per minute rate. I'll watch to see if the meter is running when we use it.

Yeah, I've had that problem. But I looked over my paypal and skype records: never been charged for calling from Roatan or Mexico to US. I don't know if anyone else is charged; I suspect they weren't and just did not notice?

The $25.00 fee at AKR is wireless modem use for the week. Beats having to go to the lobby to use their computer and pay an hourly rate and allows us the privacy of using it from our room.

I see, ok.

I'll likely buy a block of Skype credit and use the pay as you go method but I've read that calls from outside the US to the US can get blocked due to the finite amount of credit so I may go global unlimited at the monthly $14.99 rate. Not sure if you can buy just one month or are required to buy something like a 3 month minimum. I'll figure that out when I start an account and go with the best option for our needs.

The Unlimited World plan is $13.99/month and another misnomer as it is good for only 40 countries not including Honduras!

The Honduras plans are 60 minute and 120 minute blocks that discount costs a little, no enough to mess with in my opinion.

I am set up for auto recharge in case I do get into a situation where I am being charged for a call, use up all my credits and another $10. Changes to the plan can be made while there if needed.

Have you downloaded it and done the free test call yet?

One more trick you might be able to use. Download Yahoo messenger and you can use it for free SMS text messaging. Use your real name for username so they will know who it is, go to Actions at the top, select Send SMS, chose Other Contact, fill in 10 digit number and OK, type message and send. They can text back too. Not sure if it will work from Honduras; just recently discovered this, but try it.

 

[weaponeer]

I am set up for auto recharge in case I do get into a situation where I am being charged for a call, use up all my credits and another $10. Changes to the plan can be made while there if needed.

Have you downloaded it and done the free test call yet?

Good to know I can auto recharge if it comes down to that.

The software is installed on the laptop but I haven't done anything with it yet. I'll get to that this weekend once I have a mic/headphone set. I'll make sure it's working before we depart next weekend.

 

[DandyDon]

Good to know I can auto recharge if it comes down to that.

The software is installed on the laptop but I haven't done anything with it yet. I'll get to that this weekend once I have a mic/headphone set. I'll make sure it's working before we depart next weekend.

I added a note about free SMS texting to my last post while you were posting. You may like that.

A decent headset may cost $10 at Walmart, but also keep your headsets from the flight in. Continental headsets have 2 prongs, but unplug that from the 1 prong connector that should fit your laptop jack. You still need a mic tho; is one built into your laptop?

When I do plug into my laptop, I always use the free Echo/sound test first to make sure I can hear and my mic works ok; I have been known to plug with the jacks reversed.

 

[weaponeer]

A decent headset may cost $10 at Walmart, but also keep your headsets from the flight in. Continental headsets have 2 prongs, but unplug that from the 1 prong connector that should fit your laptop jack. You still need a mic tho; is one built into your laptop?

When I do plug into my laptop, I always use the free Echo/sound test first to make sure I can hear and my mic works ok; I have been known to plug with the jacks reversed.

I just got the headset - mic and headphones combo. The laptop has a mic but I'll use the headset mic for better quality (noise cancellation).

 

[DandyDon]

I just got the headset - mic and headphones combo. The laptop has a mic but I'll use the headset mic for better quality (noise cancellation).

Yep, and I have only had one bad mic and one broken headset of the several I have owned, but they happen. Save the headset from the plane as a backup. You may want to test the one you got on the Echo free test.