How to Use Skype Over 3G on your iPhone

by Gary on April 1st, 2009

Want to use Skype to make calls when you’re out of WiFi hotspots? Imagine if you could use Skype ANYTIME, ANYWHERE by using your Rogers/Fido data plan! You can do so by following the steps below…

1. Jailbreak your iPhone (follow our guide here). If you’re on an iPhone 3GS, I’d highly suggest purchasing 3G Unrestrictor to allow Skype to work over 3G.

If you’re using an iPhone 3G, just install VoIPOver3G via Cydia, and it will automatically hack Skype to work over 3G.

2. Turn off WiFi to test the 3G capability. Launch Skype, login. Now, go try to make a call and voila! Skype over the Rogers/Fido 3G network on your iPhone! The sound quality is amazing! Listen for yourself with the Skype Test Call.

3. Now with calling over 3G, you can subscribe to Skype and pay $3 for unlimited calling to Canada/USA! AND get Caller ID for Skype!

Enjoy making calls over 3G. Don’t worry, it won’t use up your 6GB data plan unless you’re talking for 24 hours straight non-stop. Skype has been one of my favourite apps now because of this little hack. Let me know how this works for you!

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Posted under: 3rd Party Applications, App Store, Featured, How To..., Jailbreak, Tips & Tricks, iPhone 3G

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iphone application developers

Great, thanks. I have followed loads of other tutorials, all had at least one missing step. yours has them all, great job.

Gary

Cheers! Enjoy

Gary

Spaazz

thank u thank u thank u thank u
i was guna try to get a $50 telus plan but my parents thought i was WAY to much for wat was offered (so did I)
but with this i pay 3 buck and unlimited calls between canada and us and i just need a data plan and text add-on
BEST BLOG EVA!!!!

Gary

If you add a SkypeOut credit, you can send text message for 11 cents/
message

garytheitalian

if i down load this , so i can use my iphone, will this affect my applications that are already downlaoded on my iphone

Gary

Nope. Works perfectly with your other apps.

garytheitalian

I have the iPhone. I'm told I can't use Skype. Because of my 3G
network. Is that true?

Gary

Gary

Skype works over wifi only. If you want to use skype over 3G, you will
need to jailbreak your iPhone and install a tweak to enable it.

garytheitalian

I was thinking about doing that. How would this affect my iPhone
use as far as the applications or future apps. Could I still download
new ones

Is there a downside to jainbreaking the iPhone

Btw. Thank you for your answers

Gary

Chris

Just a note on voIPOver3G... it still does work on the 3GS in case people out there want to save a couple of bucks and don't need the extra control that 3G Unrestrictor offers

Nonong-Canada

It works for me flawlessly......so clear on 3G network.

waiting

Anybody try this on the new Telus / Bell networks yet?

Gary

It should work regardless. Data is data and they can't tell that
you're using Skype. I've read of people already using Skype
successfully on the network!

IPHONE USER

This is great i try it and really works.... thanks

IPHONE USER

This is great i try it and really works.... thanks

20DDan

I did this exact thing. It worked... Sound quality though... After using it for two weeks I noticed a few things... 1. In order to have good sound quality on the other end... I needed to be NOT moving & PERFECT 3G reception! Another thing I noticed is that if I was moving (car... walking) I could hear the people fine but on the other end I'd be cutting out constantly. I decided to restore my phone bc the 3G consistency isn't good enough to use VOIP over it. I have a 6GB Plan and the latest iPhone 3Gs 32GB if there is someone out there who doubts my results. I also used it with my older iPhone 3G 16GB & had the exact same thing! :S Not worth wasting time for now!

zsoltar

Has anyone else had an issue with the sound quality? I've been on the edge of doing this to my phone, but I feel limited in doing it myself, so I will get it done by someone who offers the service, but this feedback makes me question whether I should bother, so any response would be greatly appreciated!

Gary

The sound quality over 3G is pretty awesome. Try it out for yourself. The best part is adding SkypeOut credit and getting Caller ID for Skype. Now your friends won't ignore your calls!

1His_Nibs1

With Skype being offered in Canada now is this info still relevant? Also what is the benefit of jailbreaking your iPhone and using the Skype feature anyways? One more thing: seeing as how Skype is now available in Canada do you even need to jailbreak your iPhone anymore? Thanks to respondents.

zsoltar

Using the 3G network with skype is the goal for me. I have a 3.0 os, do I need to jailbreak my phone, and how do I best do that?

larrylion

This is all very well, but how does one simply get a "US iTunes" account? I tried, but as soon as I entered my Canadian Visa card # (I don't have a US one), using my brother's US address, it bounced me, would not allow me to proceed! Do you know of a workaround?

Simon

u dont have to jailbreak for skype - sign up to the american itunes store (you dont need a cc) then just download the skype app. before you get skype be sure to authorize your computer with your new us account and buy a free app first (then just delete it).

Vancouver

Thanks for the help! Works perfect!

x00carly

Does anyone know of this post is for the 3GS? thanks so much.

DaSandman

Just noticed this is linked right at the top of the main page, yet is pretty outdated.

Any chance all the stuff thats no longer needed can be removed - the article doesnt need to be very big at all these days :)

BTW anyone else have problems having 2 iTunes accounts on your phone? I registered on the US one to get Skype, but now when I try to sync my phone its saying this phone is linked to another itunes account and offers to delete all my apps for me :(

John Piercy

Anyone tried this with the 3GS yet ?

Rehan

Hi , I am on the 500mb plan with rogers , but i don't use 3g services as much.. If i am using the skype service on 3G , would it impact on my 500mb? if yes then how much. anyone knows? I just don't wanna be using skype care free and next thing i know , i get a $200-300 dollars bill from Robbers, ops i mean Rogers..

darek

I imagine it uses much less than Slingplayer and that use ROUGHLY 220Mb/hour (and uses your battery faster than you can charge it practically, lol.)

Rehan

Thank you very much for this wonderful post. after installing VoIPover3G I don't have to worry about being on wifi only , now i can use it on 3g..

Zsolt Cseh

I'm an amateur at this, and I wanted to know if this will work with the 3.0 version of the iphone. Any response would be appreciated. Any comments on the amount of data it uses?

iskyper

Thanks for your fantastic blog! Apologies for my ignorance - I have a contract and 6GB data plan. I've successfully downloaded skype, thanks for great instructions. Skype test call sounds perfect! If I make skype to skype calls over wifi, am I using data? Do skype to landline/mobiles, use data if wifi on? I don't understand why wifi must be turned off?

nh

How do I use my 2G jbroken unit for skype via EDGE ... would it work ? ... Thanks !

Kevin Foster

Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! Works flawlessly. I am so happy that I found this and can bypass the stupid rules we have here in Canada.

vann

i have an ipod touch. i want to be able to install the skype app? how would i do this? i will only be using wi-fi and nothing else.

Mark

Nm, looks like I was wrong again, the skype app is allowed to use the sensor for it's purpose.

Mark

Woops, looks like I was wrong, the proximity sensor works with skype. Interesting how apple permits exceptions for certain companies (e.g. Google and now skype)

aj

I search for the VoIPover3G app on my sons ipod and its shows up inside the Systems folder. I search on my Iphone and its not there?

Wierd?

John Piercy

Its there , I just searched in Cydia ...

aj

Hi,

Anyone know where the VoIpover3G is located in Cydia because I can't find it?

Thanks

Mark

One other issue I have is how it can't (because of apple's twisted sdk rules) use the proximity sensor to turn off the display when making a call. Oddly my face didn't seem to press any buttons, but it makes for a drain on battery life.

Abe

Hey does anyone know if there's a way to use this app with with the itunes store? What's the identifier that will work so I can download over 10mb songs/podcasts? I tried com.apple.itunes but that doesn't seem to work. Thanks!

mark

Wow, it seems to work great over 3g! Now someone just needs to hack it so it can access my contacts. :)

geodee

It works, but just like Fring the outbound audio has a very distracting 3-ish second delay. It's a nice hack for the sake of it, but practically it's not really worth it unless you're calling overseas.

H.moore

i need big help .... i did fellow all the steps but Skype still crashes when I attempt to enter login and i do have MobileSubstrate updated.

i did delete the Skype app, reboot, reinstall and still crashes :(

how can i get my old setting back ? so i can use skype with wifi

D_kuprash

Worked for me! Now to get a plan!!

generalinq

testing but ran out of credit :( will try again with credit. heheh.

John Piercy

So fricking Awesome ... 3G Skype call works awesome ..

kevinsickles

Updated voipover3g, checked that plist contains skype.skype.com, reinstalled skype
still get error message for 3g calls

Cgyrunner

VoIPover3G just got updated on CYDIA so there should be no need to modify the .plist file anymore.

Gary

Thanks for the update!

CanuckNurse

Fantastic. Just fantastic. This canuck thanks you greatly.

CanuckNurse

HI -

Can't locate Mobile Substrate. Any idea what repository it's in?

Thanks

Matt

fred

Great worked like a dream, thank you

Jon

The app works but crashes after a little use. I have updated the mobilesubstrate. On 3G and on Wifi, it crashes. Plus, it does not seem to support bluetooth devices which means it is useless in the car.

Scott

URGH!!!

I can't get Opnessh to work on my iphone. I have tried 100 times and still no luck. It tries to connect and then says it is unavaliable.

I have done all of the setting recommend by the post and can't get in. Could it be something with my router? Do I need to change any preferences?

If anyone could help I would really appreciate it.

Gary

Are you on PC/Mac? What FTP program?

Gary

Thanks for the summary. It's better to include details as some people are new to this. :)

AK

Seems like you have mis-spelled with your TVUPlayer in your file "VoIPover3G.plist"?

Gary

Yeah, that was a screenie from a while back. ;)

Michael Li

Thanks for the tip. I just tried and it works.

One question, what's the use of intelliscreen? It works over 3G without intelliscreen. Besides, the license is only good for 10 days. What happens after 10 days?

Thanks,

Gary

A new Mobile Substrate released today. No more Intelliscreen needed.

joshjadavies

Great work on this!!!

Mark

Skype still crashes when I attempt to enter login info even with MobileSubstrate updated. Any suggestions?

Gary

Delete the Skype app, reboot, reinstall. Try it over the air, and plugged in. That might work.

James

Works great. Thanks.

Drew

That should chew through 6gb nice and quick.

Jon

how much data does skype use?

Gary

We'll have to see about that. Time to put it to the test! ;)

OddyOh

Sounds simple enough...LOL.

nicky

hi,
thanks for this. As of this morning you dont need the intelliscreen bit it would seem
N

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