Skype introduces 'unlimited' world calling plan
Maintaining its free computer-to-computer video, voice, and instant messaging, peer to peer telephone company Skype announced today an "unlimited" €8.95 monthly calling plan for connecting to international cell and landlines.
"Unlimited" is a bit of a misnomer, as the plans are limited to 10,000 minutes per month, which Skype equates to more than 5 hours a day, but the flat fee allows users to call any of 34 countries.
This plan appears to be an extension of the plan which was unveiled in Europe early last year with Skype Pro across Europe, an unlimited calling plan for the EU, costing €2 a month.
Some countries (Australia, Chile, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, Poland, Sweden, UK, US, Hong Kong, and Japan) even have a subscriber-exclusive feature called Skype to Go which allows users to dial an access number from any phone to connect to their Skype account to place calls.
Recent problems with that feature coincided with developments in Skype's petition to the FCC that demanded improvements to the openness of cellular networks. Increased openness in these networks would make more room for Skype-enabled devices which have not been able to penetrate the United States market like they have in other countries.
FCC Chair Kevin Martin said in a keynote speech at the CTIA wireless show in Las Vegas that he intended to shoot down the petition.