Skype Offering Unlimited International Calls for Low Monthly Fee
Posted on: Monday, 21 April 2008, 09:45 CDT
Skype, the Internet calling subsidiary of eBay Inc. that allows users to make calls over the Internet to other Skype users free of charge, is introducing its first plan for unlimited calls to overseas phones on Monday.For $9.95 per month, the plan will allow users to make unlimited calls to land-line phones in 34 countries, according to Don Albert, vice president and general manager for Skype North America.
The countries qualifying for the plan include most of Europe, plus Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, China, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Malaysia.
Domestic calls to land lines and cell phones are included as well, as are calls to cell phones in Canada, China, Hong Kong and Singapore, but not cell phones in other countries.
Skype already sells unlimited calls to the U.S . and Canada for $3 a month and will now be expanding that offering with a $5.95 per month plan that gives free calls to Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, and a discount on calls to other places in Mexico.
Skype is a software application for a computer equipped with a microphone and speakers or a headset. Now subscribers will have the option of calling local numbers from their phones that will connect to international numbers that fall under their plan—paying only local access charges or using their cell-phone airtime.
Hardware-based phone services like Vonage International Holdings Corp. and cable companies have been offering unlimited international calling plans in recent years, but the prices are often higher, and the plans are add-ons to basic calling plans that cost even more.
According to Skype, their subscribers called phones for 1.7 billion minutes in the first three months of the year, compared with 14.2 billion minutes used in free computer-to-computer sessions.
The Skype Group headquarters are based in Luxembourg, with offices in several different parts of the world, including California. The company has experienced rapid growth in popular usage since the launch of its services. It was acquired by eBay in 2005.
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Source: redOrbit Staff and Wire Reports
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