Note on May 1, 2008: If you've arrived on this page while looking for calling subscriptions that Skype announced in late April 2008, please click here for the up-to-date product site. If you're a journalist, you may also wish to see the fresh press release. The announcement below dates from December 2006 and is not relevant to the new subscriptions.
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Offers 12 Months of Unlimited Skype Calls to Any Phone
Within the US and Canada for a Flat Annual Rate
SAN JOSE, Calif., December 13, 2006 – Skype, the global Internet communications company, is now offering U.S. and Canadian consumers the new Skype Unlimited Calling plan, a paid annual subscription service that allows registered users to make 12 months of unlimited SkypeOut™ calls to any phones within the U.S. and Canada.
Skype allows its users to make great quality voice and video calls over the Internet. In addition, Skype can be used to share files, send instant messages, conduct conference calls, and more.
The Skype Unlimited Calling plan is available for a flat rate of $29.95 per year. People who sign up for the new plan before January 31, 2007 will receive a special discounted introductory rate of $14.95 per year – 50 percent off the regular price. While Skype to Skype calls will remain free, the new Skype Unlimited Calling plan is an easier and cheaper way for our growing number of SkypeOut users to stay in touch with friends and family over any phone line. Consumers can also choose SkypeOut’s pay-per-minute offering.
“The new Skype Unlimited Calling Plan is an affordable option that will save consumers hundreds of dollars compared to high rates charged by traditional phone companies,” said Don Albert, North America General Manager for Skype. “We want to give Skype customers convenient options of choosing either an unlimited calling plan with a flat annual rate and or staying with our standard pay-per-minute offering.”
The new pricing plan follows Skype’s very successful promotion in which calls within the US and Canada are free until December 31, 2006, at which time the new Unlimited Calling plan takes effect. Customers who purchase the new Skype Unlimited Calling plan before January 31, 2007 will get the discounted pricing of $14.95, as well as a bonus offer of 100 minutes of SkypeOut credit for making International calls and over $50 in discount coupons for purchasing Skype-certified hardware products.
Skype is the leading Internet voice calling solution in North America, with 11.9 million registered users, as of the end of September 2006. An independent research report called Consumer Home VoIP Trends published by ChangeWave Research in November 2006 found that Skype is the most popular residential VoIP service (29 percent) among the more than one-in-five (21 percent) U.S. telecommunications consumers already using VoIP at home. The survey also found that another 13 percent of U.S. telecommunications consumers plan to adopt VoIP technology within the next 12 months, which means that by the end of 2007, 1 out of 3 consumers will be using VoIP.
About Skype
Skype is the world's fastest-growing Internet communication offering, allowing unlimited free voice and video communication between Skype users. Skype is available in 28 languages and is used in almost every country around the world. Skype generates revenue through its premium offerings such as making and receiving calls to and from landline and mobile phones, voicemail, call forwarding and personalization including ringtones and avatars. Skype also has relationships with a growing network of hardware and software providers.
Skype is an eBay company (NASDAQ: EBAY). To learn more visit skype.com.
Skype is not a replacement for your ordinary telephone and cannot be used for emergency calling.
Skype, SkypeIn, SkypeOut, Skype Me, Skype Certified, Skypecasts, associated logos and the “S” symbol are trademarks of Skype Limited.
