The Skype app on the iPhone has allowed you to make VOIP calls using Wi-Fi for a long time now. Two of the most requested features for the app have been (1) the ability to run in the background and (2) the ability to work over 3G. The first feature will be possible once iPhone Software 4.0 comes out — which could be released any day now. This feature will make Skype much more useful because your iPhone can ring when you have an incoming Skype call even if you are not currently using the Skype app.
The second frequently requested feature has been the ability for Skype to work over 3G instead of Wi-Fi. This feature was just added in the 2.0 version of the app that came out a few days ago. Thus, you can now place and receive a Skype call even if you are not in a Wi-Fi hot spot.
The Skype app is free and Skype-to-Skype calls over Wi-Fi are
free, but when version 2.0 came out a few days ago, Skype said that Skype-to-Skype calls over 3G would only be free until the end of
August, 2010, after which the company said it would charge a small monthly
fee for the service:
However, shortly thereafter, Skype changed its mind … at least for a little while. A post on the official Skype blog now says that Skype-to-Skype calls on 3G will be free until the end of 2010. Enjoy the feature for now, but keep in mind that at some point, this might be a feature that you need to pay for.
For me, Skype has been useful in two circumstances. First, when I am traveling abroad and in a Wi-Fi hot spot, I can call people in the U.S. for only pennies a minute. You have to find a Wi-Fi hot spot for this to work, but you can often find this at your hotel when you are traveling, and it makes calling home infinitely cheaper than using a land line or a cell phone in a foreign country.
Second, there have been times when my AT&T 3G coverage has been horrible but I still want to make a call. If I am in a location with Wi-Fi, I just use Skype to place a call instead of the phone app. I did this most recently when I was at ABA TECHSHOW earlier this year and the AT&T 3G signal in the conference area in the basement of the Chicago Hilton was flaky.
Given my two primary uses of Skype, being able to use the app over 3G is of little consequence to me. If I have good 3G coverage, I’ll just use the phone feature of the iPhone and call using AT&T. But for those of you who enjoy sending and receiving calls over Skype no matter where you are, this update will be appreciated.
Click here to get Skype (free): 
I think its ridiculous they’re going to charge for Skype to Skype at all.
There’s no connection fee for them like other phones where I understand the small cost, but this is essentially calling another IP phone (desktop of mobile) and costs them nothing.
I struggle to understand in what circumstance I would care about a Skype call over 3G. As mentioned in the article, if I have a good 3G signal available, why would I use Skype over the cell phone? I guess if you were over your minutes and had data still available under your plan it would be marginally cheaper (until Skype starts charging), but that’s a marginal benefit at best.