Skype Logo
Buy Skype Credit · Help ·
  • Download
  • Use Skype
  • Business
  • Shop
  • Account

March 2009

Watch the Skype Press Conference from CTIA Wireless 2009 Live

March 31, 2009

LAS VEGAS, March 31, 2009 - Join us live, beginning at 3:30 PM PDT by visiting here.

Or watch a replay of the video and presentation anytime after 6:00 PM PDT today.

Link

Skype Coming to BlackBerry Smartphones in May

LAS VEGAS, March 31, 2009 - Skype today announced that the lite version of Skype™, a 'thin' Skype client for mobile phones, will soon be available as a free download for BlackBerry® smartphones. A beta version will be available in May for the BlackBerry® Bold™ and BlackBerry® Curve™ smartphones, with support for other BlackBerry smartphones coming later.

The lite version of Skype delivers core Skype capabilities to BlackBerry smartphones, including:

  • Make Skype-to-Skype calls to other Skype users anywhere in the world
  • Send/receive instant messages to/from individuals or groups
  • Make Skype calls at low rates to people on landline or mobile phones
  • Receive calls to your online number on Skype
  • See when your Skype contacts are online/available to chat

BlackBerry smartphone users who download Skype can save money on calls to landlines and mobiles abroad, and stay connected with friends and family over Skype. The application works wherever your mobile phone works, without needing a Wi-Fi connection. It uses local air time and a mobile Internet connection to sign in to Skype, update your contact list and presence and to send/receive calls or messages. As a result, you must have both a calling plan and a data plan to use the lite version of Skype.

"With Skype on BlackBerry smartphones, we are making Skype available in the briefcases and purses of BlackBerry users around the world," said Scott Durchslag, COO of Skype. "We have heard loud and clear that our users want Skype on whichever smartphone they choose to use. This fulfills our promise of making Skype available on the major smartphones so consumers and mobile professionals can connect to Skype whenever, wherever and however they choose."

The lite version of Skype will be available to BlackBerry users worldwide. The ability to make calls will be available in 10 countries: Australia, Brazil (Rio de Janeiro & Sao Paulo), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, New Zealand, Poland, Sweden, the United States and the UK. English will be supported first, with additional languages to follow. Those who download the beta version will be able to provide feedback on the application via an online survey.

The lite version of Skype on BlackBerry smartphones is just the latest offering from Skype that allows users to take their Skype conversations with them. Skype recently announced the availability of the Skype for iPhone application, the lite version of Skype for Android-powered devices and more than 100 other Java-enabled mobile phones, as well as a strategic partnership with Nokia. Skype has also released Skype for Windows Mobile, an application that has been downloaded more than 12 million times worldwide. The beta of the lite version of Skype will be available as a free download to BlackBerry smartphone users beginning in May from www.skype.com/m using their BlackBerry® Browser.

*Costs for using the lite version of Skype:
You will be charged by your mobile operator for local air time and data usage based on the type of calling service and data plan you have purchased. Since the lite version of Skype uses a mobile data connection to sign in to Skype, update your contact list, update presence and send/receive messages, you will be charged by your mobile operator for data usage. You will not incur charges from Skype when you make Skype-to-Skype calls or send instant messages to friends on Skype; however national calling rates apply from your mobile operator due to the use of local air time. Skype will charge its regular very low Skype rates when you call landlines and mobiles using Skype or when you receive calls on your mobile handset from other Skype users or people calling your personal online number. We highly recommend getting an unlimited data plan for use with the lite version of Skype. The longer you remain signed in, the more Skype contacts you have, or the more you send and receive instant messages, the more data you will use.

About Skype
Founded in 2003, Skype is revolutionizing the way people communicate around the world. Skype has more than 405 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 cannot be used for emergency calling.

Skype, associated trademarks and logos and the "S" symbol are trademarks of Skype Limited. The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited.

Link

Skype Available on Apple App Store

Free application enables millions of iPhone and iPod touch users worldwide to take their Skype conversations with them

LAS VEGAS, March 31, 2009 - Skype announced that its highly anticipated application, Skype™ for iPhone, will be available on the Apple App Store beginning today. The app also adds Skype calling and instant messaging to any second generation iPod touch with a compatible headset and microphone.

"Skype software for the iPhone has been the number one request among our users. We are delighted to deliver on this request and put Skype into the pockets of millions of people around the world who are carrying iPhone and iPod touch devices," said Scott Durchslag, Skype's Chief Operating Officer. "Skype for iPhone will open up new ways for more than 400 million Skype users to stay connected and take their Skype conversations with them. Skype for iPhone is an experience that offers the same simplicity, ease-of-use and quality our users have come to expect from Skype, combined with an elegance of design and richness so loved by Apple's many customers worldwide."

The application delivers core Skype capabilities including:

  • Free Skype-to-Skype calls from any Wi-Fi zone to other Skype users worldwide
  • Call landline or mobile phones at Skype's great low rates from any Wi-Fi zone
  • Send/receive instant messages to/from individuals or groups via 3G, Wi-Fi, GPRS or EDGE (whichever is available)
  • Receive calls to a personal online number on Skype
  • See when Skype contacts are online/available to IM or talk

Skype for iPhone requires a Wi-Fi connection to make free Skype-to-Skype calls or low-cost Skype calls to mobiles and landlines. Users will not be charged by Skype for making and receiving Skype-to-Skype calls using an iPhone or iPod touch. Skype's normal low rates apply if using Skype to call landlines or mobiles.

The app uses Wi-Fi, 3G, GPRS or EDGE (whichever is available) to sign into Skype, update a contact list, maintain and update presence and send/receive instant messages. Skype recommends an unlimited data usage plan for using Skype over a mobile data connection to avoid being charged by a wireless service provider for 3G, GPRS and EDGE mobile data usage.

Profile pictures of other users in a Skype Contacts list are also visible, making it easy to identify them. In addition, users can update their own Skype profile picture from within the Skype for iPhone app, either by choosing an existing image from a photo album on the device, or by using the camera on the iPhone to take a new photo.

The Skype application for the iPhone or iPod touch will be available for free from Apple's App Store on both devices, or at www.itunes.com/appstore/.

About Skype
Founded in 2003, Skype is revolutionizing the way people communicate around the world. Skype has more than 405 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 cannot be used for emergency calling.

Skype, associated trademarks and logos and the "S" symbol are trademarks of Skype Limited. Apple, Mac, iPhone, iPod, and iTunes are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

Link

Skype opens up to corporate SIP communications

March 23, 2009

New beta program brings Skype voice calling to SIP-based PBX systems

LUXEMBOURG, March 23, 2009 -- Skype today announced the beta version of Skype For SIP for Business users. SIP, short for Session Initiation Protocol, is an open standard and the leading voice over Internet protocol used in businesses telephony networks at millions of locations globally. According to IDC, 438,000 IP PBXes were shipped worldwide in 2008 (Source: IDC, Worldwide IP PBX and Desktop Hardware IP Phone Market Forecast, 2008-2012: Using the PBX as the Foundation of Unified Communications, Doc #210695, February 2008).

Skype For SIP allows SIP PBX owners to benefit from Skype's low cost calls to fixed phones and mobiles around the world, and to receive calls from Skype users directly into their PBX system.

Businesses can now be reached by the community of over 405 million Skype registered users through click-to-call from their business Web sites. The calls will be received through their existing office system at no cost to the customer. At the same time, businesses can benefit from Skype's low-cost global calling rates when placing calls to landlines and mobiles worldwide from devices connected to their PBX systems. In addition, they can choose to purchase online Skype numbers available in over 20 countries to receive calls from business contacts and customers who are using traditional fixed lines or mobile phones.

"The introduction of Skype for SIP is a significant move for Skype and for any communication intensive business around the world," said Stefan Oberg, VP and General Manager of Skype for Business. "It effectively combines the obvious cost savings and reach of Skype with its large user base, with the call handling functionality, statistics and integration capabilities of traditional office PBX systems, providing great economical savings and increased productivity for the modern business."

"Businesses have been waiting for Skype to make a concerted push into the business space for a while," said Rebecca Swensen, IDC's Research Analyst, Enterprise Mobility and IP Communications Services. "Connecting to existing standards-based SIP PBXes is a good way for Skype to start doing so. It will be interesting to see how large companies change their thinking about the deployment of Skype within the network."

Key Features
The beta version of Skype For SIP will enable business users to:

  • Receive and manage inbound calls from Skype users worldwide on SIP-enabled PBX systems; connecting the company Web site to the PBX system via click-to-call
  • Place calls with Skype to landlines and mobile phones worldwide from any connected SIP-enabled PBX; reducing costs with Skype's low-cost global rates
  • Purchase Skype's online numbers, to receive calls to the corporate PBX from landlines or mobile phones
  • Manage Skype calls using their existing hardware and system applications such as call routing, conferencing, phone menus and voicemail; no additional downloads or training are required

How to participate
The Skype For SIP beta program for business users opens today. SIP users, phone system administrators, developers and service partners are invited to apply at www.skypeforsip.com. Applicants will need to be businesses, have an installed SIP based IP-PBX system, as well as a level of technical competency to configure their own SIP-enabled PBX. The initial beta is available to a limited number of participants.

During the beta period all calls will be charged at standard Skype rates. Further pricing details will be announced when the product is fully launched later this year.

About Skype
Founded in 2003, Skype is revolutionizing the way people communicate around the world. Skype has more than 405 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 cannot be used for emergency calling. Skype for SIP is meant to complement your existing telephone services.

Skype, associated trade marks and logos and the "S" symbol are trade marks of Skype Limited.

Link

New Study Suggests Consumers Want European Lawmakers to Preserve and Protect an Open Internet

March 18, 2009

Internet companies Dailymotion, eBay, Skype, Google, YouTube, PriceMinister, and Yahoo! today called on the European Parliament to keep the Internet lanes open, pointing to a new study showing that consumers expect Internet Service Providers to allow open, unrestricted access to the Internet.

The European Parliament and EU governments are considering a major telecoms reform package. Certain proposed amendments could erode end-users’ rights by allowing Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to limit access to websites or applications, or to prioritise some Internet traffic in favour of their own or their partners' traffic. Parliament is expected to adopt legislation at its second reading in April of this year. (See the European Commission website for details).

International market research firm Synovate polled 944 consumers in France, Germany and the United Kingdom on their Internet needs and service. Commissioned by Google, Skype, and Yahoo!, the firm conducted the study independently, with no influence of the companies on the methodology, interviews or results. Synovate’s survey is available at: http://www.synovate.com/ispconsumerresearch/
.

Synovate presented its study at an event held this morning at the European Parliament and hosted by MEP Karin Riis-Jorgensen. Levi Nietvelt of Europe's consumer organization BEUC and Benoit Tabaka of PriceMinister also spoke. Synovate's key findings include:

  • An overwhelming 91% of consumers expect their Internet service provider to avoid blocking or limiting their service. This overwhelming majority expects all legitimate websites and applications to receive similar treatment.
  • Among those who have recently switched ISP, the research shows that gaining access to more advanced services was a key consideration for many online consumers (e.g. watching or downloading movies, making calls online). This suggests strong demand exists if high speed networks are built out allowing Internet companies to innovate and mount new, exciting services. Already, more than two-thirds of respondents regularly use online banking, online shopping, video streaming and various forms of online communication. On average, consumers undertake about 8 different online activities.
  • Only a minority of 7 to 15 percent would actually consider changing their ISPs, especially if the Internet connection would cost them more. If unable to access certain websites or online services, more than a quarter of users blame the website - even if it is not responsible.

“The study highlights the importance of consumer views and experiences in formulating policy on important topics such as access to online services and websites. Consumers clearly think that they should have access to all legitimate sites and services online. They do not want their access blocked or limited. However, most are unaware that their ISP may be restricting access to such services in any way.” Synovate head Nigel Jackson commented.

Mrs Riis-Jorgensen, who hosted today's event in the European Parliament, comments: “The study shows that the current EU legislative approach relying on transparency for consumers may not be sufficient. If access to certain websites is limited or degraded, consumers may actually not vote with their wallets and switch providers, especially if there's a lack of cheaper Internet access packages. Additional safeguards are necessary that should include a level playing field where an ISP does not favour its own or affiliated services or applications.”

The leading Internet companies urge European lawmakers to ensure that the necessary safeguards exist to protect end-users rights and to preserve the open Internet. “Enabling Europeans to access and distribute the information, services and applications of their choice, using whatever device they want, is central to maintaining and encouraging the innovation that the Internet has become famous for. EU lawmakers should make sure that national authorities have the powers they need to act in cases where traffic management by telecommunication companies constitute unnecessary, discriminatory and/or anti-competitive behaviour.”

Contacts

Synovate

Nigel Jackson, +44 203 059 5231

Companies

Dailymotion: Giuseppe de Martino, +33 1 77 35 11 00
Google: Bill Echickson, +32 475669736
PriceMinister: Benoit Tabaka, +33 1 42 78 88 40
Skype: Paul de Lara, +44 7974 161211
More at: http://share.skype.com/sites/en/2009/03/open_internet.html
Yahoo: Rose Davidson, +44 20 7131 1644

Ms Karin Riis-Jorgensen, Member of the European Parliament, +32 228 45794

Link

Worldwide, consumers still perceive wide gap between their computers and mobile devices; want greater control over mobile experience

March 17, 2009

Zogby survey of U.S., Japan, Spain and U.K. mobile users shows most do not currently download applications to mobile devices; Skype calls for greater collaboration between carriers, software providers and device makers to assist consumers in embracing next generation of mobile experience

LUXEMBOURG, March 17, 2009 - Skype published data today from a recent Zogby survey showing that most mobile users still perceive a gap between the purpose and controllability of their computers versus their mobile devices. This gap correlates with the finding that the vast majority of mobile users do not yet download applications to their mobile devices. However, the same people expressed a strong desire to be able to choose mobile applications for themselves, and not have their carriers decide what applications they can use. The results also indicated that people will pay more for a device that will allow them to control the applications.

The study surveyed approximately 3,000 mobile users in four markets -- the U.S., U.K., Japan and Spain - between December 2008 and February 2009. Highlights of the findings include:

  • 62% do not yet view their mobile device as an extension of their computer.
  • Only 23% feel that they have more or the same level of control over their mobile device as they have over their computer.
  • 70% have never downloaded an application to their mobile device.
  • 67% want to be able to choose their mobile applications for themselves, rather than have their carriers choose for them.

Regional Breakout: Spain Leads the Way
When the results are broken out by market, regional differences emerge. In Japan, the U.S. and the U.K., respondents felt the least control over their mobile devices versus personal computers (67 percent, 78 percent, 65 percent, respectively), which correlates to few users downloading applications to their mobile devices (22% in Japan, 26% in the U.S., and 28% in the U.K.)

The results from Spain, however, paint a different picture, one that hints at what happens when mobile consumers are given more control. In that market, more than half of the respondents felt there was no difference or they had more control over their mobile devices (53%) as they have over their computers (46%). Nearly half (47%) view their mobile devices as extensions of their computers. Given these attitudes, it is perhaps not coincidental that nearly half of Spanish mobile users (48%) have downloaded applications to their devices, a much larger percentage than the other markets surveyed. And, a much larger percentage of Spain's mobile users - 50% -- are willing to pay more for a mobile device that allows them to control their applications.

The Age Gap: Younger People Less Likely to View Mobile Devices as Merely Phones
The survey results also indicate that younger adults have a different view of what a mobile device is than their older counterparts. When asked if they view their mobile device as a phone to make calls on, a computer to access the Internet and download applications, or both, younger respondents were less likely to consider their mobile device to be just a phone. For example, in Japan, respondents under 30 were more likely to view mobile devices as a computer, or both (50%) than view them as merely phones (47%), while only 1 in 4 respondents in that market between the ages of 50 and 64 shared a similar view.

"These results show that work could be done to continue to blur the line between the computer and the mobile device, and that advances in new Internet-based services and mobile devices will help drive innovation. Overall, people want the ability to have control over which applications they download and this is consistent with trends in other industries," said Chad Bohnert, VP Marketing and E-Commerce at Zogby International.

"This is a clear call to action for all of us in the communications industry - carriers, device manufacturers, and software companies like Skype - to work together to deliver what the mobile consumer, especially the next generation of device and data plan buyers, obviously want and expect," said Scott Durchslag, Chief Operating Officer of Skype. "Together, we can bring a rich PC-like communications experience to mobile devices - one that combines voice, video, presence, instant messaging, and file sharing. In doing so, consumers win, and so does the industry as it fuels growth in data minutes and revenues."

To answer mobile consumer demand, Skype is focused on delivering more choice, value, and functionality to the billions of mobile devices in the market today. In recent months, Skype now offers mobile applications for a wide range of operating systems, including Android, Windows Mobile, and Java-enabled phones, and is now available on more than 100 devices from LG, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson. In addition, the 3 Skypephone, available from Hutchison Whampoa's wireless subsidiary 3, has been used to make more than 300 million Skype-to-Skype calls.

About Skype
Founded in 2003, Skype is revolutionizing the way people communicate around the world. Skype has more than 405 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 cannot be used for emergency calling.

Skype, associated trade marks and logos and the "S" symbol are trade marks of Skype Limited.

Link

SpinVox powers first Skype voicemail to text

March 3, 2009

LONDON and LUXEMBOURG, March 03, 2009 - SpinVox, the global leader in voice to content messaging and Skype, announces the availability of voicemail to text conversion for all Skype voicemail users today. SpinVox conveniently converts voice messages to text in English, Spanish, French and German. The messages are then sent by Skype as an SMS text directly to a designated mobile phone for users to read.

Skype users can now benefit from instant 'visible voicemail', and never miss those important calls from friends or colleagues when they are away from Skype. Recipients of converted voicemail messages can listen to the full voice message by either signing into Skype or by calling their Skype To Go number . As well as being able to receive voicemail as text via SpinVox, Skype users may choose instead to receive voicemail notification via SMS or for free by email.

"Skype is the first internet communications software provider to deploy SpinVox, further reinforcing our position as the only provider of voice to text messaging services which are used daily by millions of people on five continents," says SpinVox co-founder and CEO, Christina Domecq. "Our user base has grown over twenty-fold in the last 12 months and bringing Skype's voicemail subscribers on board will accelerate this trend."

"Using SpinVox gives our users added flexibility and convenience over their Skype voicemails, said Mike Bartlett, director of product strategy at Skype. "As people continue to spend more time on the move and on their mobile devices, people want to take their Skype conversations with them. SpinVox is a great option for our users to save time on checking their Skype voicemail and receive messages immediately sent to their mobile phone."

It's easy for Skype users to set up voicemail to text from their account page, by simply registering a mobile phone number. Each voicemail to text conversion will cost €0.20/ £0.17/ $0.25 plus the cost of sending an SMS at standard low Skype rates. Additional SMS charges - a maximum of 3 - may apply depending on the length of the voicemail message.

All payments are made fuss-free through Skype Credit. Users have a choice to set a limit on the number of voicemail conversions received per day and to receive messages from people only in their contact list to help them manage their Skype credit. An email notification will be sent if that limit is exceeded. For more information please visit http://www.skype.com/go/voicemail-to-text.

About Skype

Founded in 2003, Skype is revolutionizing the way people communicate around the world. Skype has more than 405 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 cannot be used for emergency calling.

Skype, associated trade marks and logos and the "S" symbol are trade marks of Skype Limited.

About SpinVox

SpinVox® is the world's largest privately-held speech technology company, providing the only voice to text messaging services which are used daily by millions of people and whose user base has grown over twenty-fold in the last 12 months.

Through significant innovations in voice and network technologies which are protected by over 60 patents worldwide, SpinVox has converged the two most natural forms of communication - voice and text - to create the fastest-growing form of messaging: Voice-to-Content™.

SpinVox services are available directly on www.spinvox.com and through leading carriers and through new media, Unified Communications and other service providers globally.

Implemented as a carrier-class hosted network feature, SpinVox is proven to able to easily create value from everyday user behaviour using voice and deliver rapid and easy implementation of low input, sustained high reward services.

At the heart of SpinVox is its ground-breaking Voice Message Conversion System™ (VMCS), which works by combining state-of-the-art speech technologies with a live-learning language process. Developed by the Cambridge, UK- based SpinVox Advanced Speech Group; VMCS now serves users across five continents in English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese and Italian.

SpinVox is now live with Alltel, Cincinnati Bell, Sasktel, Rogers Wireless, Telus, Telstra, Vodacom South Africa, Vodafone Spain, Movistar Chile, Skype and Livejournal.

Link

  • About Skype
    • News
      • Service announcements
    • Executive team
    • Images
    • Jobs-site
    • User stories page
  • Contact us
Subscribe to
Skype news
News archive
Skype Blogs
  • Share Skype Blog
  • Heartbeat
  • Developer Zone
  • Business
  • Skype Gear
  • Security
  • Garage
  • Mac
  • Linux
  • Eesti keeles
  • 日本語
  • Česky
  • Deutsch
  • Français
  • Italiano
  • Brasil
  • United Kingdom
  • Polski
  • United States
  • 한국어
About us · Partners · Jobs · Prices · Security
Privacy policy · Legal · © 2009 Skype Limited