I have always been a big fan of Skype, even in the early days when you couldn’t get through a five minute call without losing the connection at least three times. With family scattered over three continents, even a few seconds of face-to face time with my mom or my sisters has always been priceless. As the software and Internet connections have improved, so has the Skype experience. And while there are now many different ways to video chat, Skype remains my favorite option.

Just last week, my nephew used Skype to give me a tour of his college dorm room, and I will never forget meeting my sister-in-law for the first time as my nervous brother used Skype to introduce his fiancée to an inquisitive family. I can only imagine how important Skype is for military personnel, where husbands and wives and fathers and mothers are away from their loved ones for months at a time.

Until the middle of last year, I always made my Skype calls from the home computer in my living room, but now I have the remarkable option of making Skype calls from my Verizon smartphone. Skype for Android gives me everything I am used to seeing on my PC. My contacts, my Skype instant messages, my notifications – everything is instantly available as soon as I turn on my phone. The picture on my smartphone is crystal clear and the 4G LTE network makes sure the connection is smooth and uninterrupted.

Even if you don’t have a 4G phone, you can still make Skype voice calls over your 3G network with Skype mobile™ on Verizon. Skype mobile allows you to make Skype calls and send IMs without anything counting against your wireless plan. You get free Skype-to-Skype calls and Skype’s low rates to hundreds of other destinations.

For many of us, it’s going to be hard to be separated from our mothers when Mother’s Day comes around next weekend. But a video call has a way of shrinking those miles and bringing everyone closer together. Try Skype on your smartphone – you will be amazed at the results!

I have been compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.