Yahoo IM Service to offer Skype-like feature

Written by Administrator

Friday, 09 December 2005

Yahoo Inc. is reported to offer Skype-like features on its instant-message service. This new feature will allow people to dial regular phone numbers by using their computers. It will also allow the users to receive calls from conventional phones. The availability of this new paid service is still indefinite. However, the company has indicated that the launch was approaching. The launching of Yahoo’s new feature followed similar products from other companies. In October, Time Warner’s AOL Instant Messenger has finished its retooling of their computer-to-phone facilities. On the other hand, Skype is revamping its service with video calling – a feature that has been available for computer-to-computer calls at Yahoo Messenger for several years. Last month, Sony Corp. also introduced a free Internet-based phone service that emphasizes on visual calling. The company is expecting a sales increase on its video equipment. The new “Phone Out” option of Yahoo allows users to call both regular and mobile phones for one cent per minute in the U.S. and two cents per minute to about 30 other countries such as Australia, Argentina, China, Germany, France, Japan, Italy and Korea. In addition, users can also sign up for a traditional phone number to receive unlimited calls to their computers from anywhere. The monthly fee will be US$3 and the annual payment will be US$30. Skype’s similar service, which was acquired by eBay Inc. for US$2.6 billion in October, offer 2.3 cents per minute for computer-to-computer calls to 25 countries including the U.S. and a $35-dollar per year for SkypeIn phone number to receive calls worldwide. Yahoo’s upgraded Instant Messenger also includes a contact search-bar window that provides the user to find people in their buddylist by typing parts of a phone number or a name.

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