As my Skype credit had almost run out, Skype was directing me to the PC Home website to buy credit. So, I went about buying some credit (to call land lines abroad).
In the past this was a simple task that took about 1 minute (the last time about a year ago) with no issues.
However, that is not the case now.
Skype have got together with PC Home (and in other countries got together with companies there) to run its Taiwan end of Skype.
This has resulted in a backwards step that has caused many problems for foreigners/non Taiwanese and I maybe even Taiwanese should they travel abroad for long periods.
First, you have to verify your Skype account with a copy of your passport and a copy (a photo ID) of either your NHI card, ARC or Work Permit before you even think about buying credit.
A web search resulted in reading about others in similar scenarios.
Thankfully, I read some of the threads about these issues and realising it would be a waste of time even contacting PC Home (as I only have the passport as acceptable ID), I gave up knowing Taiwan bureaucracy wouldnât budge.
Basically, any tourist, visitor, or business person visiting Taiwan would meet the same problem. That is around 6 million people a year who can not buy credit for Skype in Taiwan. Of course, most wouldnât, buy credit butâŚ
Now, another issue is even if you visit Taiwan, use Skype and are directed to the PC Home website then return to your home country, there is a strong chance you will forever be directed to the PC Home website, no matter where you are should you want to purchase credit.
The only way to stop it, would be to open a new account or contact PC Home with two copies of ID with proof of your address abroad (People who have done that said, nothing changed).
Someone even tried having a relative in their home country buy credit, using his account, but they were still directed to the PC Home website.
So, I am moving to Google voice now. A brief look at their layout to buy credit looked very user friendly and certainly not backward.
Skype is a joke.
Here are some links:
community.skype.com/t5/Rates-and ⌠d-p/414743
community.skype.com/t5/Rates-and ⌠-p/2332651
community.skype.com/t5/Rates-and ⌠-p/2302219