How To Call a Skype User From Any Standard VoIP Device

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Everyone is familiar with Skype since Skype is undoubtedly the most used VoIP service worldwide. This means that the probability to find someone on Skype is much higher than on any other VoIP service.

That being said, most enterprises/SME environments are not Skype powered (sometimes it is forbidden too), but they rather use SIP-powered desktop phones, the standard and most popular and widely known VoIP protocol.

Fortunately, someone thought it would have been great if any SIP device could easily call a Skype user. I’m referring to the new solution launched by pal Michael Robertson and the guys at Gizmo5. The service, called OpenSky, is aimed to let everyone using a standard VoIP device (whether it is a softphone or a real phone) easily call any Skype user out there.

How does it work? If you are a Gizmo5 user it is very easy: just type “skype_skypename” on your client and the call will be automatically forwarded to the user “skypename”. If you are using a standard SIP device, instead, you just need to call “SkypeName@opensky.gizmo5.com”.

You can also configure your asterisk environment in order to automatically send your call to the appropriate route:

TRUNK CONFIG
Add this to your sip.conf and reload Asterisk:

[sipphone]
type=friend ;for outbound only
host=198.65.166.131 ;or proxy01.sipphone.com
fromdomain=proxy01.sipphone.com
canreinvite=no
nat=yes
dtmfmode=rfc2833 ;or auto
insecure=very
qualify=yes
fromuser=YOURSIP
authuser=YOURSIP
username=YOURSIP
secret=YOURPASS
disallow=all
allow=ulaw
allow=alaw
allow=ilbc

ROUTING CONFIG
Add this to your extensions.conf and reload Asterisk:

[general]
exten => _1333.,1,Goto(opensky,,1)
exten => _333.,1,Goto(opensky,,1)
exten => _skype[_].,1,Goto(opensky,,1)

[opensky] exten => _1.,1,NoOp(‘opensky dial’);
exten => _1.,2,Dial(SIP/${EXTEN}@sipphone|120|j);
exten => _1.,3,Hangup();

Last but not least, the call can be triggered from an SMS. You just need to send this SMS “s skypename” to the OpenSky Number 1-941-421-9832 and wait for a call back. The system will call you, the Skype user and connect the two legs of the call.

While calls up to 5 mins are free, longer calls will be billed. More information about the pricing options are available at this link.

Mine is definitely a thumb up for this solution. The main Skype downside is that it is a walled garden. It’s pretty clear that, given the over 16MM online users every day, it’s not a problem for them. Users are there, happy, and can call each other for free, but sometimes it is not enough. The ability to call Skype users from my desktop phone is definitely a killer functionality that many users/companies may want to embrace.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Gizmo5 Launches OpenSky, Free Service to Call Skype From Any VoIP Phone (gigaom.com)
• Call Skype From Any Phone Through OpenSky (mashable.com)
• Call Skype users from any cellphone, VoIP phone with OpenSky (downloadsquad.com)

Tagged as: gizmo5, luca filigheddu, michael robertson, OpenSky, skype