Time For Skype To Start Charging

[TechCrunch]

Beginning in 2007, SkypeOut calls will no longer be free. The company announced on Wednesday that they would start to charge a yearly fee to call from Skype to any mobile or land-line phone. Calls from PC to PC will remain free.

Unlimited yearly calling will cost $29.95. If you purchase the plan before January 31, 2007, it will only cost $14.95. Without an unlimited plan, users can pay 2.1 cents per minute to calls within the U.S. and Canada, which is the same as the rate for international calls.

“We see a willingness by consumers to make SkypeOut calls that are well priced,” Don Albert, Skype’s general manager for North America, told The New York Times.

SkypeOut calls have been free since last Spring as a promotion. Given that most phone plans average about $30 per month, $30 per year is still pretty darn cheap. I purchased the plan at $14.95 and noticed that you can only purchase one year at the discounted rate.

Tags: Skype, VoIP

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[Jeff]

This is disappointing, but inevitable. I've been enjoying the free calling. Even though all my calls in Canada and the US are free on my mobile already, I used Skype when I wanted to participate in a conference call. The sound quality is much better.

Still, it's a pretty good deal considering the annual cost is about the same as what I currently pay for AT&T's VoIP service on a MONTHLY basis.

[PolarBearNPR]

Yeah - the cost is very competitive. And the quality can't be beat. But, since this is the Big Blue Ball, and lots of folks are here from around the world, I'm wondering if/when this or some other service is going to offer free or low-cost pc-to-phone service to the far reaches of the globe.

Perhaps some already do that I'm unaware of, but these US-centric systems are somehow not representative of the global reality that is (or is becoming) IM/calling. (Or Skyping as some have taken to calling this venue.)

[Eagle_Kiwi]

Originally Posted by PolarBearNPR

... I'm wondering if/when this or some other service is going to offer free or low-cost pc-to-phone service to the far reaches of the globe. ...

Your concern for us "foreigners" is hugely admired, PB. ;)

Skype is not a case of spreading OUT FROM the USA, but more spreading IN TO it. It originated in Europe, and this year's "free calls" promotion was in an effort to gain a presence in America too.
Now that is ceasing it simply reverts to "normal" - a worldwide system.

Yahoo Messenger has a similar service (I use it to call from here in N.Z. to friends' phones in USA for just 1.5c/min).
If you still want "free" PC-to-Phone, you can still do this by using Gizmo !
Sign up there and you can call my phone here with no cost.

[PolarBearNPR]

Originally Posted by Eagle_Kiwi

If you still want "free" PC-to-Phone, you can still do this by using Gizmo !
Sign up there and you can call my phone here with no cost.

Heh, is that an invitation, Ian? Actually, I was wondering PC your end to phone my end. Does gizmo do this?