I am running windows 7 and need Skype 5.3.

Every time I try any Skye address or follow any link it takes me to the Chinese skype.tom.com which only has win 5.1 and is written by a company in Beijing.

I don't want this software on my computer.

Can anyone tell me how to get skype 5.3?

I had the same problem. I got around it by using VPN through a North American server, then accessing the Skype website.

www.filehippo.com/download_skype/

Try this, a trusted mirror. This is not tomtom rubbish, you're right not to trust to trust tom tom.. even though recently skype.tom offers an English version.

@tigertiger,

I was running Skype V4.2.0.169 on English XP Professional with SP3. By turning on Skype and clicking "help" at the toolbar and then "check for updates" I was able to update to V5.3.0.120 in about a minute just about 10 minutes ago - No tricks or VPN necessary.

Is it because you are installing Skype on Win 7 w/o an already installed older version of Skype the reason you are unable to avoid the Chinese version? If so, I have a complete Skype V3.8.0.188 (about 22MB) saved in an external hard drive, and be glad to send it to you so you can try updating to V5.3 after installing the older version, if you PM me your e-mail address.

I anyway wouldn't recommend skype 5.x. Mine updated automatically some months ago and it sucked! The new layout is horrible and it eats tons of memory. Stick to skype 4.x which I went back to. Can get it here: www.oldversion.com/Skype.html

@aiyaryarr
Thanks. PM sent

@Heinz
I know what you mean about newer versions.
However, 4.x won't run on Win 7

Mine seems to work fine.

Hi Heinz

You are right it does work. Perhaps they are just trying to push 5.x.

Thanks for the link, it got me around the tomtom garbage

Again big thanks

Seriously, this tomtom signed me out a private conversation when using the word "fuck" or other swear and "sensitive" words. It wasn't even a political or sexual conversation, just some file transfer. They admitted to run a real-time filtering software 3 years ago.

So they signed a cooperation with tomtom, but their file sending is incredible slow in China and not reliable. Skype is not the only one around and after skype being swallowed by Microsoft it's time to look for alternatives.

My concern was also the possibility of monitoring, not that I have anything to hide.
You also don't know what other add-ons there might be, apart from filtering.
Paranoid? Yes.
Trust Chinese vendors? No.