A Skype Number alternative now that Skype has shut down

Updated 2026-09-30 · By the SMS Conecta team (SMSConecta Inc.)

Short answer: Microsoft retired Skype in May 2025, leaving Skype Number users needing another way to stay reachable. An SMS Conecta number covers the same ground: a genuine mobile, local or toll-free number across 181 countries, answered via a browser dialer, a SIP app, or forwarded to any phone. Unlike a Skype Number, it takes SMS too.

Microsoft retired Skype in May 2025 and steered users toward Microsoft Teams (Free). If a Skype Number let friends, clients or family reach you on a local number, you now need a different way to stay reachable. This guide covers what to look for in a replacement and how a genuine SMS Conecta number covers that ground, and more.

What changed, and who it affects

Skype was one of the best-known ways to pick up a phone number untied from a SIM card. Plenty of people used a Skype Number as a "virtual number": a local number in another country that rang inside the Skype app wherever they happened to be.

With Skype retired and users pointed to Microsoft Teams (Free), anyone who shared that number with contacts, printed it on a website, or used it for account sign-ins now has to plan a move. For the precise status of a specific Skype Number or account, Microsoft's own support pages are the right place to check.

What a Skype Number was typically used for

Giving relatives abroad a local number they could dial at domestic rates
A local business line for clients in a country where you don't live
Taking calls on a laptop or phone while travelling, without a local SIM
Keeping personal and work calls apart
A stable contact number that stayed put when you moved

What to look for in a replacement

People searching for a virtual number to replace Skype usually want the same convenience: a number in a chosen country that reaches them online. It pays to check a few things before committing, since not every service offers the same feature set.

Genuine numbers from national numbering plans (mobile, local or toll-free), so ordinary phones can dial them
Incoming calls plus incoming SMS for verification codes and messages
Multiple ways to answer: a browser dialer, a SIP app on your phone or computer, or forwarding to any phone
Coverage in the countries you genuinely need, not just one or two
The ability to keep the number for as long as you want
A clear promise for when the number doesn't suit you, and simple, transparent pricing

How SMS Conecta covers each point

SMS Conecta offers genuine phone numbers on national networks across 181 countries, with mobile, local and toll-free types depending on the country. People often call this a virtual number because you use it online, but it's a genuine number from the country's numbering plan that receives calls and SMS just like a SIM.

Every plan includes unlimited incoming calls and unlimited incoming SMS, 500 outgoing SMS and 1,000 outgoing calling minutes per month. You get SIP credentials compatible with Zoiper, Linphone, MicroSIP, Bria, 3CX, Asterisk and FreePBX, forwarding to any phone, a browser dialer and a dashboard where SMS show up in real time.

You keep the number for as long as you want, with renewals charged automatically from your wallet. Pricing stays simple: from $1.80 per month, billed yearly ($21.60 per year), for any number type in any country.

What to check when replacing Skype Number

What matters	What SMS Conecta offers
Genuine numbers from national plans	Mobile, local, and toll-free options, depending on where you need coverage
Handling calls and texts	No limit on incoming calls or incoming SMS
Multiple ways to pick up	The browser dialer, SIP apps like Zoiper or Linphone, or forward it to any phone you like
Geographic reach	Genuine numbers across 181 countries
Holding onto the number	Hold it for as long as you want, auto-renewed straight from your wallet
Transparent terms and cost	7-day swap window (up to 2 times), 7-day refund if it's unused, starting at $1.80/month on annual billing ($21.60 per year)

Switching from a Skype Number to SMS Conecta

List the countries where people used to call your Skype Number, and pick the number type that fits: local for a familiar area code, mobile if SMS verification matters, toll-free for customers.
Sign up at SMS Conecta with just an email address. There's no need to live in the country.
Top up your wallet with USDT or USDC on Tron (TRC-20), BNB Smart Chain, Polygon, Base or Solana, and order the number.
Activation usually happens within minutes of payment. Set up call forwarding, log into a SIP app, or just keep the browser dialer open.
Let your contacts know about the new number and update it on your website, email signature and important accounts.

Two guarantees for peace of mind

Every number comes with a 7-day replacement guarantee. If the number doesn't work for you within 7 days of purchase, say an app or website rejects it or codes won't arrive, you can swap it for a fresh number in the same country, free and instantly, with one click in the dashboard. You get up to 2 free replacements per number, whether or not it has been used.

There's also a 7-day money-back guarantee: if the number hasn't seen any call or SMS, you can claim a full refund within 7 days of purchase.

Going beyond what a Skype Number offered

Because SMS Conecta numbers take SMS as well as calls, they do more than hold conversations. You can receive login codes from WhatsApp, Telegram, Google and thousands of other services, and if an app won't accept your number, the replacement guarantee hands you a new one free.

SIP support also means the number can plug into a business phone system such as 3CX or FreePBX, letting a small team share one local line.

Included on every plan

Unlimited incoming SMS
Unlimited incoming calls
500 outgoing SMS per month
1,000 outgoing minutes per month
SIP credentials, call forwarding and web dialer
Keep your number as long as you want
Works with WhatsApp, Facebook, Google, Telegram and thousands more
7-day replacement guarantee — free new number if it doesn't work for you
7-day money-back guarantee if the number is unused

Numbers start at $1.80 per month, billed yearly ($21.60 per year). Settle up with USDT or USDC.

Frequently asked questions

Is Skype still around?

Microsoft retired Skype in May 2025 and directed users to Microsoft Teams (Free). For details on a specific Skype account or Skype Number, check Microsoft's support pages.

Can I move my Skype Number over to SMS Conecta?

SMS Conecta issues new numbers from its own inventory, so you choose a fresh number in the country you need. Many people pick a number with a matching area code so contacts still see something familiar.

Is an SMS Conecta number a virtual number?

People often call it that since you use it online without a SIM. Technically it's a genuine phone number from the country's national numbering plan, so ordinary phones can call and text it.

How do I take calls without Skype?

Use the browser dialer, any SIP app such as Zoiper, Linphone or Bria, or forward calls to any phone number you already own.

Can I receive SMS as well as calls?

Yes. Every plan includes unlimited incoming SMS and calls, with messages showing up in your dashboard in real time.

What does it cost?

From $1.80 per month, billed yearly ($21.60 per year), including 500 outgoing SMS and 1,000 outgoing minutes per month.

What if the number doesn't suit me?

Within 7 days of purchase you can swap it for a fresh number in the same country, free, up to 2 times. If the number is unused, you can instead claim a full refund within 7 days.