Skype Technologies announced agreements with COLT, iBasis, Level 3, and Teleglobe to provide call termination services worldwide. The agreements are in place in preparation for SkypeOut, a soon-to-be-launched pre-pay service that allows people to call any landline or mobile number in the world from anywhere in the world using the Skype software. Terms of the agreements were not disclosed.
Skype reports more than 7 million users in over 170 countries for its free VoIP service since its Internet telephony software was launched last year. The company said it is averaging more than 400,000 active users at any point in time. It’s web applications has been downloaded nearly 17 million times since last August. http://www.skype.com
- In March, Skype, the free VoIP service from the developers of KaZaA, raised US$18.8 million in second round funding for its consumer voice offering. Skype uses P2P (peer-to-peer) technology to provide free worldwide phone calls to other Skype users. The company is building a global user directory. It is also offering headsets and handsets that work with its service. The venture money will be used to expand global operations and enhance its consumer offering. The investment round was led by the venture capital firms, Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Index Ventures.