Once a huge player in the VOIP market, Skype has faded in popularity over the years. In fact, it may be surprising to hear that the service is still available. If you’re sticking around and using Skype Number, you may need to find an alternative, as Microsoft has confirmed that the service is getting shut down.
Microsoft Closes the Doors on Skype Number and Replaces It With Monthly Subscriptions
As spotted by Windows Latest, users began noticing on December 5th that they could no longer purchase Skype Credit. At first, it was assumed that it was a location-based issue due to the Ukraine war, but Microsoft cleared things up by stating that it was removing Skype Credit for everyone. If you visit the Skype Credit page to buy more, you’ll see a message telling you that you can no longer do so.
Windows Latest then received a comment from Microsoft confirming that the Skype Number service would shut down. Sure enough, if you visit the Skype Number page to make a new one, you’ll be greeted with a message that reads, “Skype Number is no longer available,” followed by an encouragement to look at Skype’s monthly subscriptions to continue making outbound calls.
Unfortunately, the monthly subscription plan isn’t a perfect replacement for Skype Credit. The latter could be purchased and kept on your account for up to 180 days, so it was a great way to only pay for the calls you make. Meanwhile, a monthly sub stays the same price, even if you make little to no calls during the payment period.
Fortunately, there are plenty of Skype alternatives you can choose from. For instance, you can compare WhatsApp and FaceTime and decide which one is best for your needs. You can even perform audio and video calls on X these days.