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What is Skype Bandwidth Consumption?

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The bandwidth consumption during a regular audio Skype call varies according to how broad is your network traffic. The average speech call takes about 5-16kb per second, that means you are consuming 57MB per hour. Start worrying if you make these calls from a mobile phone, since we know that they are limited, and start chargin extra after the limit. A Video communication is through can get up to 30-70kb per second.

Another very important Skype feature that is not explained on the official site. Even if you are not in a call, but stay logged in to Skype waiting for another user to show online, you could actually be using quite a lot of bandwidth. This is because Skype was design to pass the calls of those users who are behind restrictive NAT/Firewalls through the (random) computers of other Skype peers/users called “relay nodes” or supernodes.
This puts extra burden on those who connect to the Internet without router/NAT, as their computers and network bandwidth may be used to route the calls of other users. And no, you cannot simply choose not to be a relay or supernode user.

How much bandwidth is used per skype call

According to this thread from Skype Forum the network usage was:

iSAC -> 6,4 (6.4) kilobytes per second = 51,2 kbits/sec
iLBC -> 3,7 (3.7) kilobytes per second = 29,6 kbits/sec

So for iLBC we have this:
upload 3.7KBytes + download 3.7KBytes = 7.4KB/sec
7.4 x 60sec = 444KB/min x10min = 4440 : 1024 =4.33MB i.e.
10 min = 4.33MB of bandwidth trafic with iLBC
60 min = 25.98MB
1GByte = 1024MB : 25.98 = 39.41 -> let’s say 40 hours.
So 1GB is enough to call 40hours with Skype.

You can measure your own Skype Bandwidth Consumption with Netstats tool.

How much bandwidth is used per skype video call on a mobile phone?

If you are using a cellphone that can use Skype video calls, the only option you have is iPhone the data usage consumption may vary according to the following factors:

  1. light (either natural or artificial), affects colors and image display quality.
  2. 3G availability
  3. The higher resolution your webcam has, the higher the bandwidth usage will be.

In average it takes between 3 and 4 MB for uploaded/downloaded data per minute.

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Comments

  • Nishad says:

    This is a query , I have used skype video calling yesterday for 3 hour time using my wireless datacard. Could you pls clarifiy about the bandwidth usage happeend for the thse 3 hours, also total cost will charged about that usage. I would like to continue using Skype video chats but have little worry about with this doubt. Pls share the details about this to my mail.
    Thanks in advance….

    Reply
  • glenn murphy says:

    calling skype to skype “,voice only” does a smart android with skype app mobile use any more data than a laptop would for the same amount of time?

    Reply

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