-
What is Spikko?
Spikko is a service that enables outgoing and incoming calls for free to all type of phones.
From the minute you register, you will get an Israeli telephone number of your own. Connecting is easy, simply register to get a number, download the internet telephone program (Spikkophone) and install it.
Once you have registered, anyone who wishes to contact you can do so with your new number in Israel from any landline or cellular phone.
Your Spikkophone will ring you wherever you are connected around the globe . If you are not connected to the internet, your contact may leave you voicemail. The voicemail will be forwarded to your email address. You may also listen to voicemails at Spikko.com.
Back to top
-
When are my minutes updated?
Remaining minutes are updated as soon as an outgoing call is completed.
Press the Refresh button on your Spikko portal to see the up-to-date status.
Spikkophone will show your current status after about one minute.
Back to top
-
Can I make outgoing calls from my Spikkophone?
As you get calls and invite friends to join you will accumulate minutes. The more calls you get and the more friends that you invite, the more minutes you get. These minutes can be used to make outgoing calls to anywhere you like.
You can see the number of minutes that you have accumulated on your Spikkophone or on spikko.com. To invite friends to Spikko click here.
Back to top
-
Who needs it?
Spikko is for anyone who wants to stop paying for telephone service.
The service is great for anyone spending time overseas yet wants to be accessible on an Israeli phone number. The number is permanent and requires no maintenance, service or fee.
The service is also perfect for businessmen who spend a lot of time overseas in offices and hotels but want to be easily accessible.
Also, The service is good for students or others who spend long or short time overseas.
The service is good for backpackers who want to listen to their voicemails at internet cafes or to download Spikkophone and make calls for free (depending on the permissions given at the internet cafe)
The service is also great for teenagers who want their own telephone number.
Back to top
-
How much does it cost to call a Spikko member?
Someone calling Spikko pays the same amount she or he would pay for a regular cellular call.
Back to top
-
Can I use my Spikkophone number on my business card?
Certainly, the number you get is yours alone, and won't be passed to anyone else. So you can definitely put it on your card.
Back to top
-
What happens when I have no more Spikko minutes for outgoing calls?*
You can gain minutes by enrolling your friends to join Club Spikko.
You get minutes for the time your friends spend talking on Spikkophone with people who called them from non Spikko phones.
Enrolling friends is quick and easy, simply send an email from Spikko's web site.
It is important to know that the minutes you get from the friends you invited do not affect the minutes they accumulate. Your friends get exactly the same service, and accumulate minutes in the same way that you do. The system constantly checks who is using the Spikkophone and who gets Spikko minutes.
In addition you can send a "Call me" SMS to any cell phone number in Israel. This way you can continue talking while accumulating minutes. The number of free SMSs is limited.
Important Note – Messages left on your voicemail earn you minutes as well. So you can even gain minutes when you are inaccessible.
To learn more about the methods of accumulating minutes, click here.
* This refers to the minutes one has for calls to external phones - regular and cellular.
Back to top
-
How do I install Spikkophone?
After logging in at Spikko.com click the “download Spikkophone” link and press the “Spikkophone Installation” button in the window that appears.
Follow the instructions of the installation wizard.
If you are using a firewall program - windows security or another, you will be asked to allow or unblock this program. Please do. If you are installing in your workplace you may be blocked by the organization's firewall. In such a case you may be forced to install on your personal computer only. We are working to solve this problem.
For further assistance see the Installation and user manual.
Back to top
-
Can I use Spikkophone at internet cafés overseas?
Absolutely. You can download Spikkophone from Spikko's web site (Simply enter your username and password). Once Spikkophone is installed you can make calls as normal.
Once installed you may also listen to your voicemail messages through Spikkophone. Of course, they are always available at Spikko.com.
Important Note – Be sure to logout from public computers, to avoid undesired use by strangers.
The ability to download and install Spikkophone at an Internet Café depends on the permission on the computer and the café's firewall. There will be cases where using Spikko might not be possible.
For best results use a headset and microphone.
Back to top
-
What's the difference between Spikko and Skype?
Skype is a low cost phone service, whereas Spikko is a completely free service in which you can make outgoing calls to any telephone or cellphone, at no cost, according to the number of minutes you have accumulated (as opposed to Skype which requires payment).
With Spikko you get your own local telephone number for free which lets others reach you from their telephone or cell phone at no cost to you.
In addition, Spikko members get a free voicemail box, enabling others to leave voice messages when you are not on-line. Voicemail is a pay service in Skype.
Spikko users can also send free "call me" SMSs, letting others know that you are online. This service is not available on Skype.
Back to top
-
Is it possible to see who is calling?
If the person calling is in your contact list, their name will be displayed when they call, otherwise you will see their regurlar telephone number.
In addition you can see a list of all the callers, including the duration of the call, by clicking on the call history in Spikkophone.
Back to top
-
Security and Privacy
Club Spikko provides the highest level of privacy and security to its members. To become a member you only need to enter a username and your e-mail address. Your email address is kept secure on Spikko’s servers.
Club Spikko does not give the information to any third party.
To use the service, club members download and install Spikkophone. SpikkoPhone is used to make and manage calls to friends.
No add-on programs are attached. SpikkoPhone does only what is needed to manage your calls and nothing else.
Spikko’s web site is secure for your use. You can use your personal portal on spikko.com to manage all your communications in complete privacy. Occasionally, and with your permision, we will update your program at no cost.
Back to top
-
How can I find out the status of my call minutes?
After logging into Spikko, you will see your minute status in middle of the screen.
On the top you will see the number of minutes currently available (divided into minutes for mobile and land line phones).
You can also see a summary of your activity during the last month as follows:
-
Minutes accumulated from calls: Minutes accumulated from incoming calls and voicemails.
-
Minutes accumulated from friends: number of minutes accumulated from calls made to friends that you enrolled. (As mentioned before, the minutes you get do not affect the minutes your friends accumulate. Your friends get exactly the same service, and accumulate minutes in the same way that you do.)
-
Minutes used: Shows the number of minutes you used.
You can get more details by clicking on any of the three types listings.
Back to top
-
Can I activate the Spikkophone simultaneously at home and in the office?
At this time a member can connect to Spikkophone from only one location at a time. Logging into two Spikkophones simultaneously with the same member is not yet supported. To use Spikkophone at the office (or any other location) you must be disconnected at home. We hope to improve upon this in the future.
Back to top
-
How do I connect Spikko using SIP or Fring?
Please follow the relevant instructions in the SIP manual.
Back to top
-
I can't find an answer to my question in the FAQ, what do I do?
Send Spikko a question through the Contact us link (also available at spikko.com). The Spikko team will try to answer your questions promptly. We are always at your service.
Back to top
-
How do you use the telephone program, Spikkophone?
You can download the Installation and User Manual.
Quick User Guide:
-
Connecting
Connection is done through a connection popup box. The popup will open automatically during the first Spikkophone session. Enter your username and password as they appeared in the email you recieved after registering.
-
Changing the language on Spikkophone
-
To change Spikkophone's language, click the menu button on the upper left side of the Spikkophone.
-
Select "Properties" and afterwards "General"
-
Pick English or Hebrew and select "Start"
-
The language will change next time you start Spikkophone.
-
Adding a Contact
Click the 'Contacts' button
-
Click "New" to create a new contact
-
A dialog box will open, fill in the contact's details and press 'OK'
-
Calling with Spikkophone
Calling from Spikko to Spikko is simple. To call other Club Spikko members use their username instead of their phone numbers.
-
Press the "Dialpad" button
-
Enter the club member's username.
-
For example, to call a club member named "Yossy12" type "Yossy12".
-
Press the "Dial" button.
-
Chatting
Spikko also enables you to chat with friends.
To start a chat press the "Contacts" button.
-
Select the person you would like to chat with and press the "Chat" button
-
Make sure that the person you would like to chat with is connected.
If he is connected his icon should look like this:
.
-
If your friend is not in your contact list, please add her or him first.
-
Inviting friends.
You may invite your friends to join Club Spikko using your Spikkophone:
-
Press the "Invite" button - an invitation window will then open.
-
Enter your friend's e-mail address and select add.
-
Press the "Invite" button
-
When finished you will receive a message: "the invitation was sent successfully"
-
Disconnecting
In order to disconnect the Spikkophone, select one of the following from the Menu:
Public computer -> Logout and Exit (detail of your calls, and the list of contacts will be erased)
Or
Exit (Spikkophone will connect to your account automatically next time you launch , your details, list of calls, contact list, notes will not be erased from the computer)
Back to top
-
Is it possible to call other Spikko members?
Certainly. Spikko members can call each other over Spikko for free. To call other Club Spikko members use their usernames rather than their phone numbers.
-
Press the "Dialpad" button.
-
Enter the club member's username.
-
For example, to call club member "John12" type "John12"
-
Press the "Dial" button.
Back to top
-
How do I make outgoing calls?
You can dial in the same way that you dial from your cell phone in Israel. For example,
-
to Tel-Aviv dial 03__________
-
to America dial 001 ______________
You can save your numbers in your contact list and dial from your there by double clicking the number.
Back to top
-
Can Spikko work with USB phones?
The new Spikkophone version supports interaction with USB telephone sets.
Once connected and installed on your computer these phones will enable the making and receiving of calls through Spikkophone at a high sound quality and without a need to be near the computer.
You may determine your Spikkophone version by clicking Menu > Help > About.
In order to upgrade your Spikkophone you should enter the Spikko website, Log in through the members entrance and click the “download Spikkophone” link at the bottom of the page.
To learn more please donwload Spikko and USB phones manual
.
Back to top
-
How can I invite someone to the Spikko Club?
You can invite someone to join Spikko through your Spikkophone.
-
Click the "Invite" button - an invite window opens
-
Enter your friend's electronic mail address and select "add".
-
Click the "Invite" button
-
Your will be notified that the mail was sent successfully.
Back to top
-
How can I check my audio (microphone and speakers) is working using SpikkoPhone?
It is recommended to perform an audio test (microphone and speakers) before using SpikkoPhone.
Using SpikkoPhone, press the "Contacts" button, dial "Connection Test" and follow the audio test instructions.
For additional audio tests, please check the audio settings on your computer, as described in the Troubleshooting section in the User Manual.
Back to top
-
How to preserve high voice quality?
It is recommended for the computer running Spikkophone to have a fast internet connection.
Use a headset and microphone to get best results. Without an external microphone, you will hear an echo from your computer speakers.
It is better not to run other internet programs during a call because they may use limited internet resources and reduce the call quality. [you sure you want this?]
Back to top
-
The person on the other end cannot hear me.
During a call you can hear the other side but they cannot hear you. This kind of problem is caused by a bad microphone or a microphone not recognized by Spikkophone.
Check if the microphone is properly plugged in (to the connector with a microphone logo, usualy pink) Also try to increase its volume by clicking on the small microphone logo on the lower right corner of your screen.
Back to top
-
Is it possible to change the password? I changed the password on the website and the Spikkophone disconnected!
You can change your password.
To do so enter the "Update Personal Information" option on spikko.com.
If you changed your password on the website you must log out and log back in to your Spikkophone with the new password.
To do this, click on Login in the main menu, and enter your new password.
If you do not log out and into your Spikkophone you won't receive any calls. That is because password on Spikko's web site and on your Spikkophone must be the same.
Changing your password is important to protect your privacy and security.
Back to top
-
How do I use the voicemail?
Immediately, upon signing up for Spikko, you get a voicemail box.
If your Spikkophone is not connected (you are not connected to the internet) people calling you will reach your voicemail box. They will get a message that "Member No. XXXX is not available , please leave a message."
Messages left in your voicemail box will be sent as an attachment to your email address. You can listen to messages by double clicking on them. Alternatively you can enter your personal portal on spikko.com and listen to your messages.
If your Spikkophone is connected, and you reject or don't answer, the call will be directed to your voicemail.
Important note – messages left on your voicemail earn you minutes as well. So even when you are not available, you can accumulate minutes.
To learn more about accumulating minutes, click here.
Back to top
-
I noticed I can buy minutes. Why do I need it? How does it work?
Following requests by our users, to solve their dependency on minutes accumulated from incoming calls, we have added a minute purchasing option.
Please note: Spikko's unique advantages remain unchanged - incoming call minutes still reward you with outgoing ones. Thus, purchasing minutes is only needed if your supply of minutes becomes too low.
You said you are a free service and now I see you are selling minutes?
We have added a minute purchasing option following user requests, to buy minutes so as not have to accumulate minutes from incoming calls.
Minute purchasing is not mandatory - we encourage use of the service without using any payment methods.
Am still accumulating minutes from incoming calls?
Absolutely. The minute packages are offered as a backup so you are not dependant on accumulation.
As long as you get incoming calls you will not need to purchase minutes.
How can I pay?
Pressing one of the Buy Now buttons on the Purchase Minutes page will direct you to a payment options page.
Are the payments secured?
Yes. All payments are secured by PayPal, using the most advanced encryption protocol (SSL 3.0), to protect all your payment information.
More information at the PayPal security center.
When am I charged?
Charging will appear on your credit printouts, in accordance with the agreement you have made with your credit card company.
Where can I see my purchase records?
At the end of every purchase, the minutes you buy are added to your minute reservoir. The updated reservoir can be viewed on your private area at Spikko.com.
The details of your purchases are displayed on the Movements tab (located at the top of the private area).