Notices

Hey all.

A friend of mine has the n900. She lives in New York, and she's on t-mobile.
We want to minimize the cost of keeping in touch; I have an iPhone 4 from Apple, got the skype app, and currently I have a worldwide plan. It runs out sometime in the middle of january.

It's expensive to keep around, but I figure it shouldn't be necessary, what with a client program on my phone, and a built in bit of software in her phone. We might still need to rely on skype-out to our phone-numbers to signal that we'd like to walk, you know, call using skype out, having the other hang up, then get in touch when she's on wi-fi.

I don't know the details of her plan; apparently it's a house-hold wide type thing, which means I don't feel comfortable asking to see it. Of course, I'm in Denmark, unable to get my hands on the device.

Ah, anyway, I guess the thing is, are t-mobile known to put any limitations on the n900 what so ever, in relation to skype? I figure they will charge, at least, 3g data charges, but I wouldn't put it past them to also partake in some skype surcharges. Does something like that happen?

And if they do charge 3g data and nothing else, is it possible to somehow limit skype calls to wifi only, to ensure I don't cost her anything? Presumably, the price she pays pr. megabyte of 3g data is the worst possible =P

I'm open for suggestions if any of you can think of better options, so long as we have to use nothing but those two devices, and she doesn't have to circumvent any carrier restrictions.

Thanks =]

1. I have used TMobile quite often to make Skype calls over 3G.
Tmobile itself does not stop you from using its data for voip. The problem is often because of being out of range or because the network isn't always fast - 3G does not imply higher speeds, it only indicates a higher theoretical maximum.
2. You can ask her to set up her N900 to use data over wifi only:
Settings -> Internet connections -> Connect automatically -> Wifi.
This setting does not mean she cannot use mobile data, it only means that she will need to manually connect it if she wants it.

Install `loldongs` and set the Skype account to a WiFi AP only.

@ hawaii:
Ok I'm sceptical, why would anyone call an application loldongs?

My first instinct is to say, hey I see what you're doing there, stop pulling my leg.

But then I look it up:
http://maemo.org/packages/view/loldongs/

And uh...damn. It looks legit, and it should solve the problem! It's in extra-devel, but I guess I can help her hook it up... She's not exactly uhh...she's more of a consumer, not really a particularly advanced user.

I did use to keep an n800 around myself so I'm not totally clueless, but I can see it working out.

If you know why he called it loldongs, please say =P

@ Uvatbc:
Ok so your suggestion kills 3g data systemwide unless she manually enables it, but the wifi connects automatically.
I wouldn't be surprised if it's already configured like that.

Any of you guys know how much data the built-in skype uses when it idles?

It works, I use it.

loldongs is an internet meme. Why he named the package this, I have no idea.