Skype Technologies, which manufactures software that
allows users to make free phone calls over the internet, has said
it is closer to launching a prepay service allowing cheap calls to
any phone worldwide from a PC.
The Luxembourg-based internet telecoms company announced deals
with four carriers to route calls for the upcoming service, saying
the agreements will speed the company toward launching the global
service, called SkypeOut.
Skype, founded by the creators of the Kazaa P2P file-sharing
software, offers software allowing Skype users to call each other
free worldwide. More than 7.5 million people are now using the
service, according to a Skype spokeswoman, and the software is
available in 20 languages.
The forthcoming SkypeOut differs from the company's current
offering in that it will not be limited to calling just other Skype
users. The prepay service will allow users to call any fixed-line
or mobile phone around the world from their PCs. The calls travel
over the internet, as with VoIP, and then hit the public telephone
system at their destination, the spokeswoman said.
Agreements with the carriers provide routing and termination of
the calls on the public telephone network. The agreements were made
with pan-European carrier Colt Telecom Group, Teleglobe
International Holdings, and US-based companies iBasis and Level 3
Communications.
Because the calls travel mainly over the internet, the cost of
the service will be very low, the spokeswoman said. "Basically,
you'll be able to make international calls at local rates," she
said.
SkypeOut users will be able to download the software, manage and
add credit to their accounts from the company's website.
The service is best over broadband connections, although dial-up
customers can still use it. Sound quality over broadband is
markedly better, "like CD quality sound", the spokeswoman said.
Scarlet Pruitt writes for IDG News Service