How to have iPhone Skype always Online

How to Make Skype Your iPhone’s Sole Service Provider

By now, you have had the opportunity to read about how I switched from my traditional cellular provider to a Skype-only solution. This guide will take you through the conversion process in three easy steps, so you can also benefit from affordable, quality, VOIP service. Note that I took all of the actions listed in this tutorial. However, I listed some items as “recommended.” These are not required, but will render your Skype experience much more effective.

Step 1: Get Skype for Your iPhone

Download and install the Skype application on your iPhone. You need to have a free Skype account in order to use the software. You can create a new account either through the iPhone or desktop version of Skype.

Step 2: Sign Up for a Skype Subscription Plan and Online Number

A Skype subscription plan will allow you to make calls from the iPhone (or desktop) application to contacts who are not Skype users, such as those on traditional cellular networks or landline services. You have multiple subscription options. One is to “pay as you go” by purchasing Skype Credit, which can then be used to make outgoing calls. Another is to pay for unlimited calling on a monthly basis which, in the U.S. and Canada, is $2.95 per month. These first two choices are prudent if you are not completely confident in abandoning your cellular service and want to test things out first. Lastly, if you are planning to rely on Skype for all of your mobile service, I suggest purchasing a 12 month unlimited calling plan at the price of $29.50. This yearly plan will qualify you for 50% off of an online number ($30 per year after discount), which is necessary for your non-Skype contacts to call you through the Skype application. An online number is essentially a new phone number that anyone can call, just like a normal phone number. The difference is that behind the scenes work is done to route all of your incoming calls through Skype, so you can answer them inside the application.

Recommended: Jailbreak Your iPhone

To get the most out of the Skype application, and to make it a viable replacement for traditional cell phone service, you will need to jailbreak your iPhone. This process is made simple with one of multiple free programs available online (see the iPhone Dev-Team Blog for the latest updates and official downloads). Likewise, there are excellent tutorials that explain the jailbreaking process. Just be sure to find a guide that covers the OS and iPhone version that you are using.

Recommended: Backgrounder

Once your iPhone is jailbroken, you will have the ability to download the free Backgrounder application via Cydia. Backgrounder allows your iPhone to run applications in the “background.” This is similar to what happens on a computer when you open one program, minimize it, and then run a new program at the same time. This common computing behavior is restricted on the iPhone, which only permits one application to run at a time (I cannot tell you why). Backgrounder enables you to have Skype running, even while using other features and applications. This means that you can always be ready to receive a call, in spite of what else you may be doing on your phone. To automatically enable Skype to run in the background, open Backgrounder. Under the “Preferences” heading, choose Auto-enabled Applications. Find Skype in the list, and slide the dial to the “ON” position.

Recommended: Turn Off Auto-Lock and Engage Insomnia

In my early experimentation with Skype on the iPhone, I noticed that even if the application is running and in full Wi-Fi access, it tends to time out a few minutes after the phone goes into lock (sleep) mode. To correct this, first you will need to turn off auto-locking. On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Auto-Lock and select the option for “Never.” This will stop the iPhone from automatically locking itself after a specified period of inactivity. However, you can still lock the phone at any time by pressing the button on the top of the device.

Another useful free application that can be downloaded from Cydia is Insomnia. To further ensure that your iPhone does not go into sleep mode nor lock itself, you need to install and engage the Insomnia application by touching its icon. After disabling auto-lock and starting Insomnia, you can retain your connection to Skype, even if you do not constantly use your iPhone.

Step 3: Dump Your Old Service Provider

Now that you have a reasonable, affordable, and quality cellular service solution, you can call your traditional phone company and have your service canceled. Granting yourself the power to choose an alternative, low-cost, low-commitment, but high-quality service is indeed the motivation behind switching to Skype in the first place.

Recall that your decision to choose Skype should be based on your needs as a cell phone user. In my case, the tradeoffs related to Wi-Fi only service are negligible compared to the annual savings that I stand to achieve (estimated $750 per year). I still have much to experiment with in terms of keeping Skype as my only service provider. As I make new discoveries and determine the best

ways to utilize mobile Skype, I will be sure to share them with you.

BY JOHN M. QUICK

I was browsing through the net, I came across a superb step by step instruction on how to enable full time online SKYPE on iPhone.  Is like having Skype in your pocket and always available even if the iPhone is in sleep mode. Isn’t that is so interesting? This could probably lead you to some great savings if you are a heavy phone call users to overseas. The articles even claimed that you can for go the existing Phone Service Provider. My opinion will be quite highly unlikely unless your are always on a Wifi zone. However, this is still very interesting and I have successfully competed the task. Maybe I will next get the Skype Online Number and buy credits. How nice to promote for Skype for free…

I have  copied 99.0% of text without changes the article as below. Credit goes to JOHN M. QUICK for the good effort.  Enjoy

How to Make Skype Your iPhone’s Sole Service Provider

By now, you have had the opportunity to read about how I switched from my traditional cellular provider to a Skype-only solution. This guide will take you through the conversion process in three easy steps, so you can also benefit from affordable, quality, VOIP service. Note that I took all of the actions listed in this tutorial. However, I listed some items as “recommended.” These are not required, but will render your Skype experience much more effective.

Step 1: Get Skype for Your iPhone

Download and install the Skype application on your iPhone. You need to have a free Skype account in order to use the software. You can create a new account either through the iPhone or desktop version of Skype.

Step 2: Sign Up for a Skype Subscription Plan and Online Number

A Skype subscription plan will allow you to make calls from the iPhone (or desktop) application to contacts who are not Skype users, such as those on traditional cellular networks or landline services. You have multiple subscription options. One is to “pay as you go” by purchasing Skype Credit, which can then be used to make outgoing calls. Another is to pay for unlimited calling on a monthly basis which, in the U.S. and Canada, is $2.95 per month. These first two choices are prudent if you are not completely confident in abandoning your cellular service and want to test things out first. Lastly, if you are planning to rely on Skype for all of your mobile service, I suggest purchasing a 12 month unlimited calling plan at the price of $29.50. This yearly plan will qualify you for 50% off of an online number ($30 per year after discount), which is necessary for your non-Skype contacts to call you through the Skype application. An online number is essentially a new phone number that anyone can call, just like a normal phone number. The difference is that behind the scenes work is done to route all of your incoming calls through Skype, so you can answer them inside the application.

Recommended: Jailbreak Your iPhone

To get the most out of the Skype application, and to make it a viable replacement for traditional cell phone service, you will need to jailbreak your iPhone. This process is made simple with one of multiple free programs available online (see the iPhone Dev-Team Blog for the latest updates and official downloads). Likewise, there are excellent tutorials that explain the jailbreaking process. Just be sure to find a guide that covers the OS and iPhone version that you are using.

Recommended: Backgrounder

Once your iPhone is jailbroken, you will have the ability to download the free Backgrounder application via Cydia. Backgrounder allows your iPhone to run applications in the “background.” This is similar to what happens on a computer when you open one program, minimize it, and then run a new program at the same time. This common computing behavior is restricted on the iPhone, which only permits one application to run at a time (I cannot tell you why). Backgrounder enables you to have Skype running, even while using other features and applications. This means that you can always be ready to receive a call, in spite of what else you may be doing on your phone. To automatically enable Skype to run in the background, open Backgrounder. Under the “Preferences” heading, choose Auto-enabled Applications. Find Skype in the list, and slide the dial to the “ON” position.

Recommended: Turn Off Auto-Lock and Engage Insomnia

In my early experimentation with Skype on the iPhone, I noticed that even if the application is running and in full Wi-Fi access, it tends to time out a few minutes after the phone goes into lock (sleep) mode. To correct this, first you will need to turn off auto-locking. On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Auto-Lock and select the option for “Never.” This will stop the iPhone from automatically locking itself after a specified period of inactivity. However, you can still lock the phone at any time by pressing the button on the top of the device.

Another useful free application that can be downloaded from Cydia is Insomnia. To further ensure that your iPhone does not go into sleep mode nor lock itself, you need to install and engage the Insomnia application by touching its icon. After disabling auto-lock and starting Insomnia, you can retain your connection to Skype, even if you do not constantly use your iPhone.

Step 3: Dump Your Old Service Provider

Now that you have a reasonable, affordable, and quality cellular service solution, you can call your traditional phone company and have your service canceled. Granting yourself the power to choose an alternative, low-cost, low-commitment, but high-quality service is indeed the motivation behind switching to Skype in the first place.

Recall that your decision to choose Skype should be based on your needs as a cell phone user. In my case, the tradeoffs related to Wi-Fi only service are negligible compared to the annual savings that I stand to achieve (estimated $750 per year). I still have much to experiment with in terms of keeping Skype as my only service provider. As I make new discoveries and determine the best ways to utilize mobile Skype, I will be sure to share them with you.

BY JOHN M. QUICK