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Skying charging?

lilsaito2

先輩
6 Aug 2004
21
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I have NTT ISDN and I arrived about two months ago in Japan. I started using skype daily and my host parents got the bill. They charged me $300 for using Skype. I didn't know they started charging. Do all the servers in Japan charge for Skype?
 
lilsaito2 said:
I have NTT ISDN and I arrived about two months ago in Japan. I started using skype daily and my host parents got the bill. They charged me $300 for using Skype. I didn't know they started charging. Do all the servers in Japan charge for Skype?


Someone else may be able to better answer your question, but just off the top of my head, it sounds as though you are not on the FLETS plan. If I'm not mistaken, FLETS allows you to have 24 hour internet access on a flat rate charge. It sounds as though you are being charged by your provider for the amount of time you are on the net. AFAIK you are not charged for skype...but then I have never used it!
 
I agree. It sounds like you're being billed for dial-up access. (Does that even exist anymore?)

Important lesson here: Local calls aren't free.
 
$300???
Check the setting again. I'm afraid you might make international phone calls or paid services without noticing them.
 
Some ISDN services do have a per minute rate, essentially like a phone call, although I can't speak for NTT. Skype is a free service. The only way you can run up a bill is calling to non-IP phones (e.g. conventional phones) for which you have to pre-pay your account. It's not Skype who is billing you.

You need to change your plan to ADSL or B-FLETS. I'm not sure why anyone even uses ISDN these days.
 
If I change to NTT ADSL will I be charged for skype if I get the plan where I can use it as much as I want and each month is flat fee?
 
The site that a provider of the cheapest ADSL can search at the place where you stay with

 
I have NTT ISDN

That is the problem. YES, there is still ISDN in Japan... even 56k dialup. If you're using anything other than broadband (Cable or ADSL) then you are paying per minute to use anything online (web browsing, email, even skype).

The cheapest solution for you if your host parents cannot get broadband is to get something called the "telehoudai", if NTT still offers it. It's unlimited access to two numbers (the NTT provider in this case) between 11PM and 8AM. It's crap, but cheaper than $300 a month. And for those that are freaking out -- this is very easy to do. I got $200 a month bills all the time before broadband, and I was relatively careful but still used the internet alot, considering I had an internet side business.

If I change to NTT ADSL will I be charged for skype if I get the plan where I can use it as much as I want and each month is flat fee?

I use a microphone... there's no charge for this. They charge if you call a real telephone. In this case, they charge a credit card I believe. Has nothing to do w/ your phone bill, so your host familes won't even see it.
 
What you can use, which is what I used when I was in Japan to talk to my boyfriend, was:

Google talk.
It's a free download, and as long as you tell your friends & family to download it etc, then all "calls" no matter where are free. There is no static, and the reception is great. You can also use "google-talk" as an instant messaging client.

Here's the link: Google Hangouts

Trust me, no hidden fees, and you won't get billed.

Oh, there is only one downside. You have to have a Gmail account.
Hopefully you know someone who has a Gmail account and will invite you to use Gmail since its a private kind of emailing service. (google has not made their email service as publicly available as Hotmail, yahoo etc) After someone you know invites you, then you get 50 invitations to send to friends & family.
 
My next family will have ADSL from NTT. Does ADSL go through a phone line? I used a mic using dial up and it actually charged all my Skype calls like a phone call. For example, when I called the US I was charged the international rate. I was calling from PC to PC not to a phone line so I dont understand how NTT knew. I am guessing ADSL is the same way. It doesnt matter what program I use weather its skype, msn, or google talk it the bill comes to my house on the same paper as the internet bill from NTT. Ah this is so confusing.
 
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