im using it.

its a bit like MSN messenger to be honest but with more emphasis on on making voice calls rather than text conversations.

The free setup involves creating an account and installing the software. You need a minimum of a mic and speakers to use it but to get anything decent from it you need a headset or USB phone.

You add contacts like you do in MSN. And then you are able to call them totally free. The quality can be excellent when calling other skype users but this does depend on you having enough bandwidth.

The added features include you being able to call any normal landline or mobile. However this is charged by using skype credit - also the quality degrades to normal telephone quality.

You can also buy a "skypeIN" number. This is a telephone number assigned to you that anyone can call.