KIEV, 8 December — PrivatBank, Ukraine’s largest bank, is announcing a partnership with Skype in Ukraine. This partnership provides Ukrainian Skype users with easier access to the whole range of communication possibilities available via Skype including free Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls to other Skype users, free instant messaging and low cost international calls to mobiles and landlines.
The agreement between PrivatBank and Skype has led to the creation of a co-branded version of the Skype software client, available for download at https://skype.privatbank.ua. The agreement also enables easy online payments from PrivatBank web properties and the ability for users in Ukraine to purchase Skype Credit from thousands of offline PrivatBank cash kiosks, ATMs, and branches. While calls to other Skype users are always free, Skype Credit is needed to make low cost calls to mobiles and landlines using Skype.
The Skype-PrivatBank partnership will allow Ukrainian Skype users to communicate more easily over the internet, as a range of new ways to pay for Skype Credit become available. Users can now pay via PrivatBank’s extensive terminal network, online via their web properties, and via SMS dedicated to mobile banking users of PrivatBank. Prior to this partnership there were few options to buy Skype Credit in Ukraine. Now it has become simpler to access Skype’s paid-for features, using Skype Credit to purchase everything from online numbers on which to receive phone calls to making low cost calls to mobiles and landlines worldwide, from as little as € 0.017 per minute to Portugal for example.
“Facing new economic realities, we consider it very important to offer our clients ways to significantly reduce expenses on voice, video, and instant messaging communications, for the most part making them free,” said PrivatBank chairman Aleksandr Dubilet. “I’ve been using Skype for a long time myself and I am certain that the development of this product in our country will let people communicate freely without unnecessary expense and let business, particularly small to medium sized, optimize their communication expenditures.”
“We are thrilled to be able to partner with PrivatBank to bring an even better Skype experience to Ukrainians all over the world,” said Enrico Noseda, Skype’s European Director of Market Development. “While many people in Ukraine already use Skype to stay in touch with family, friends and business contacts around the globe, PrivatBank is providing payment options and content that is both convenient and relevant, thus playing a key role enabling conversations for millions of Ukrainians around the world.”
“A reliable connection becomes even more important as time and distance becomes less of an obstacle for communication” added Oleksandr Vityaz, PrivatBank’s Director of Electronic Business. “It is easy now – one just needs to download Skype software from PrivatBank’s website to start contacting business partners all over the world to carry out video calls and conference calls for cost effective and convenient negotiations and meetings.”
About PrivatBank
With a network of 2,859 sales points and branch offices and 5,750 ATMs all over Ukraine, PrivatBank is the largest Ukrainian bank. It has 3 million customers and 500,000 corporate clients. According to 2008 image research conducted by GFK Ukraine, 88% of Ukrainians can name the leading bank and PrivatBank’s logo is recognized by 60%. More than 34% of respondents were clients of PrivatBank. The bank has also been acknowledged as the Ukrainian bank with the highest reputation by international research “Global Pulse 2008”. The high level of respect, trust and benevolence which Ukrainian customers feel towards the bank (71.75%) has allowed it to enter the top five leading international and Ukrainian companies which enjoy high levels from Ukrainians.
About Skype
Founded in 2003, Skype is revolutionizing the way people communicate around the world. Skype has more than 370 million registered users globally who use Skype software to communicate for free through voice and video calls as well as instant messages. Skype generates revenue through its premium offerings, such as calls made to and from landlines and mobiles, voicemail, call forwarding, and SMS. Skype is used in almost every country on Earth, and people have made more than 100 billion minutes worth of free Skype-to-Skype calls. Conversations over Skype can take place on computers, mobile devices and Skype Certified™ hardware. Skype certifies and sells hundreds of hardware products from more than 50 partners, and works with hundreds of third-party developers who have created plug-ins to extend Skype’s functionality.
Skype is an eBay company (NASDAQ: EBAY). Learn more and download Skype at www.skype.com.
Access to a broadband Internet connection is required. Skype is not a replacement for your traditional telephone service and can not be used for emergency calling.
Skype, associated trade marks and logos and the “S” symbol are trade marks of Skype Limited.
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