Starting April 10, 2025, you will be able to offer lessons using up to three different calling apps!
(Zoom, Google Meet, and Cafetalk's own calling app Lattep)

We understand that you might be feeling nervous, anxious, and stressed about leaving a familiar Skype environment and adopting a new calling tool.
However, we will do our best to make this change not a negative experience, but a step towards a more satisfying environment for students and tutors alike.Thank you in advance for your patience.

▶︎Google Meet is a video conferencing tool operated by Google. It is free and supports long-duration calls.
Students can use a computer, smartphone, or tablet, and there is no need to install any apps in advance. Students can enter the room by clicking a button on the Cafetalk request page.

Learn more about Google Meet here (Go to the official page)

▶︎Lattep is our custom-built application is designed for simplicity and ease of use, with no need for external accounts, unlimited lesson durations, and the ability to save chat interactions directly to your request.

※This application is currently in development. We will update this page with more information as it becomes available.

Starting April 10 at 00:00 (UTC), 09:00 (JST) you will be able to select Google Meet or Lattep when submitting your request. (Zoom will also be available under certain conditions*).

*If the tutor you are taking lessons with uses a free Zoom account, you cannot select Zoom as an option for lessons exceeding 35 minutes. (Due to the 40-minute call limit)

The calling app that will be used will depend on your tutor’s settings.

＜If your tutor has set up Google Meet as their calling app＞

All Skype lessons that have already been scheduled for May 1st, 2025, 00:00 (UTC), 09:00 (JST) or later will be switched over to Google Meet.
If you would prefer to use Lattep, you can change the settings on your request page.

We will notify all of our users and offer detailed explanations about how to use Lattep and its user experience once release preparations are complete. (Scheduled in early April.)
Please note that we may not be able to answer inquiries about Lattep before its release.

＜If your tutor has not set up Google Meet as their calling app＞

All Skype lessons that have already been scheduled for May or later will be switched over to Lattep.
If your tutor sets up Google Meet on a later date and both the tutor and student agree, changes can be made on the request page about your preferred calling app.

1. Until when will I be able to use Skype on Cafetalk?
For lessons conducted in April 2025, you can select Skype as your calling app.
For lessons scheduled from May 1st, 00:00 (UTC) onwards, you will no longer be able to select Skype.

2. Will any of my Zoom lessons be affected?
No, your Zoom lessons will remain unchanged.

3. Will I be able to do a test call with Google Meet or Lattep?
Yes, you will be able to test call. When you connect to Google Meet, the system will automatically generate a meeting link which you should be able to use to test your microphone and camera.

As for Lattep, we will start accepting test calls in early April. Please wait a little longer for our announcement.

4. Why did Cafetalk decide to go with Google Meet and an in-house solution?
We know there are many great conference apps out there including strong candidates such as Microsoft Teams. When making the decision we considered primarily call quality, ease of use and the availability of a "free" option that allowed significant call times. After a LOT of testing and research, we believed that Google Meet offered the best balance of these points.
We also understood that some users would not want to use a third-party product for one reason or another, so we took this opportunity to develop our own solution.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

＜For Inquiries＞

Please use the chat box at the bottom right corner of our website or
use our inquiry form
https://cafetalk.com/about/inquiries/?lang=en