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Full Version: How does Skype determine your local country?
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glitch12
I run skype version 1.4.0.74 under Debian Linux (Etch) and have purchased the Unlimited SkypeOut plan for the US.

Here is my problem, when I try to place a SkypeOut call to another US number, skype doesn't think I'm in the US they think I'm in Europe. In fact it tries to charge me in Euros which brings up the "you don't have enough in your account blah blah blah" because it thinks I'm trying to place an internation call. The funny thing is that when I run Skype on the windows box in our house suddenly I'm back in the US the call goes through and everything works fine. So I'm reasonably sure that Skype isn't doing any type of IP-based determination of country but rather some form of software detection. I've run Skype on 2 separate linux boxes in our house and I get the same problem, not in the US, currency detected as Euro. When I reboot the one into windows and place a skypeout call everything works fine.

I've place two support emails to Skype whose main response is "Skype uses standard internet practices to determine your location and whether your call is eligible for unlimited calling within the US and Canada." I've checked my IP location at http://www.ip2location.com/ and they say I'm in California (which I'm not but at least I'm in the US). So obviously they aren't doing an IP based check.

Does anybody know what they actually are doing and/or more importantly how to fix this? The crappy part is that every time I want to place a SkypeOut call (which I paid for with the Unlimited US plan) I have to boot into Windows which basically sucks. Any ideas would be great, I've even tried installing an old version of Skype uner Wine, but that didn't work out that well either.

Thanks!
Gran Maestro
I would file in a bug report a at Jira https://developer.skype.com/jira/browse/SCL.

The level of the bug "critical".

And see what happens.

/P
TheUberOverlord
It is IP based, so I would file a support request, becuase as you say, the Windows version has no problem, I would include your IP address as well as what Linux version(s) this is happening with.

http://support.skype.com/?_a=tickets&_m=submit
Nobre
I confirm this bug.

Ubuntu GNU/Linux 2.6.22-14-generic #1 SMP Tue Dec 18 08:02:57 UTC 2007 i686
Skype 2.0.0.27


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