Skype, one of the fastest growing software applications used for video and voice calls through internet has gained much popularity in Pakistan over recent years. Skype has narrowed distances between the millions living away from their homes. The free video talk service has added value to the features of the Skype.
Distances reduced: Not only are overseas Pakistanis making full use of the service but students and professionals living away from their homes also utilizing the software to communicate with friends and loved ones. The increasing use of webcams has meant citizens use Skype increasingly for video conferencing which has proven to be a worthy alternate to the formal office meeting.
Although Skype was founded back in 2003 its popularity grew in Pakistan in the last few years. Several cellular companies now offer Skype applications which can be used to make free Skype to Skype calls. Satellite video conference also rapidly using the Skype services for their day to day meetings. A citizen Yousuf said that he uses internet in his home just to talk with his relatives over Skype. He said that one hoes not need extraordinary internet speed to use the service. He said a continuous video call via Skype was the closest one could get to a physical meeting with friends and family members. Skype’s high voice quality has boosted service users. The file transfer and chat options have proved to be icing on the cake for Skype consumers. Easy-to-use Skype is also compatible with various internet browsers which help to integrate the several internet related services.
Revolutionized communication: Experts think that Skype has revolutionized the way we communicate and its affordability was the foremost advantage for consumers. They also claim that Skype has broken various communication barriers including price, time and distance. Skype consumers say that video conferencing is saves money and is perfect for the people who could not make it to an event physically.
Skype also offers a variety of business packages including home business, small business, medium business and enterprise whereas there are different Skype applications available for computer, mobile phones and televisions.
With the integration of Skype and Facebook, the popularity of the service has increased at a brisk pace. A heavy internet surfer Ali Sheikh said that various internet services waste time but Skype is effective.
Popular amongst the old: Skype is one of the very few internet services which is also popular among the older people especially among the parents of students and professionals living abroad. A father, Akram, whose daughter lives in England said that there was a time when one had to spend hundreds of rupees to talk for only a few minutes but now one can have free video chat.
According to an online website, Financial Social Media, “In a survey conducted by Skype of 250 companies using the service, 95% claimed to have saved on telecommunications costs.”
Business experts say that face-to-face interaction is extremely important in the corporate world in order to nurture relationships with employees and clients. Skype has revolutionized the way we communicate, now relation building has become extremely affordable and feasible even for the small businessmen.
Experts also claim that Skype increases business productivity. Skype survey claims that 250 companies using the Skype services, 80% said using it increased employee productivity. Various features like screen sharing, file sharing, voice and video calls compel entrepreneurs to use the service in order to achieve optimum productivity through technology.
Fears over privacy: Some people also fear about the privacy and security of the service, claiming that business secrets could be stolen. Citizens using the service for chatting with friends and family also worry about their privacy. A student, Ahmad Umer said that he talks to his brother living in Kuwait on a daily basis and he had always feared that anyone could misuse the service by hacking family videos and audios. Umer was of the view that though various other companies also offering same features but nobody could match Skype’s quality in voice chat was like ‘talking on a landline’. He said that now his brother did not feel the need to visit Pakistan frequently as video chat was an alternate to physical meeting and consequently he saved on air ticket expenses.
Educational institutes are also utilizing the service to arrange lectures of scholars from all over the world. These interactive sessions between experts and students can serve for betterment of students.
