why do i keep getting cut off when using skyp or voip when i have plenty of credit?

Answer 1

All VoIP phone services that use the internet as the carrier are subject to service problems. There is no getting around it.

For VoIP to work properly, voice packets must be marked for priority over data packets and all network hardware must respect and provide the priority. This is critical because voice packets have to reach their desntiation in about 125 mSec for good voice quality. If the packets are late or lost, Quality of Service (QoS) becomes poor or worse.

Voice Packet slowdown and loss occurs whenever any network segment becomes congested. When there is no congestion, no packets (data or voice) are backed up and QoS is fine. In the real world, congestion happens in one segment or another all the time, much like major roads observe traffic back up periodically. While you must have sufficient bandwidth for VoIP, sufficient bandwidth on your end does not assure end to end QoS.

The general internet does NOT respect priority packet forwarding. It is not designed to do so.

Therefore any phone service that uses the general internet for transport cannot assure any QoS because they cannot control the internet and the internet does not respect priority packet markings and priority dispatching of priority packets.

Answer 2

Getting cut off when using Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) has nothing to do with your credit, and everything to do with:
1) Your internet connection
2) Skype's congestion.
3) Your computer's performance.

First, most DSL and Cable, Internet connections are prone to frequent service "pauses". In other words, one minute you've got an excellent connection, and the next its so slow you wish you had dial-up. You're still connected, but for a few moments, no traffic goes in or out, or limited traffic gets through. If that pause lasts longer than Skype's timeout period, then the call gets dropped.

Second, Skype, being a mostly free network, has more customers than their networks can handle. If enough people are connected simultaneously in your area, then there is less bandwidth available for everyone. When this happens, a few people will lose their Skype connection so that others can continue talking.

Third, you may have a fast computer, but if its infected with viruses or spyware, you may not have the necessary performance to utilize Skype. Scan your computer for viruses and spyware.

I use Vonage for my business lines. Its a more expensive than skype, but for the home user it can be as cheap as $15/mo per line. It drops the line maybe once in a month or two. Both Vonage & AT&T's CallVantage work by plugging a standard telephone into the VOIP network device, so although your network must be up and running, your computer doesn't.

Answer 3

most likely you don't have enough band width to support Skype