Skype introduces new rates and connection fees

    New Skype Pro plans will come into effect in the very near future (exact dates are not specified). Tariffs provide for a monthly fee of? 2 per month for calls within the country, and as a bonus offer lower tariffs for international calls.

    A connection fee of 3.9 euro cents is charged for SkypeOut calls to all destinations.

    Skype could have expected new business offers because eBay paid for Skype? 1.9 billion and should somehow return the investment. The subscription fee of two euros for calls within the country is a real competition with national telecom operators, both cellular companies and traditional telecoms. Connection fee is a new source of income that will bring millions of dollars per month.

    However, Skype Pro tariffs are unlikely to be beneficial for most Skype users. Now the average subscriber spends on SkypeOut no more than a few dollars a month, so switching to a new tariff plan with a subscription fee of? 2 will in any case be disadvantageous for him, no matter how attractive the reduced international tariffs would look like. New tariff plans will be beneficial for the most active Skype users. It is these users in the long term that can completely refuse both cellular and wired phones in favor of VoIP.

    Skype Pro tariff plans with a subscription fee for calls within the country are a copy of the subscription feeintroduced in the USA since 2007 after a long marketing campaign when local calls were provided free of charge. Now it became clear that that marketing campaign was testing new tariff plans for the global market.

    Along with the announcement of new tariff plans, Skype announced a global reduction in prices for SkypeOut calls to some countries of the world. The cost of one minute of conversation is reduced to? 0.017 for the Czech Republic, Hungary, Israel, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Puerto Rico, Alaska and Hawaii. For some regions, discounts reach 65%.

    The connection fee of 3.9 euro cents is introduced for calls to all directions. Judging by the press release, it will be activated for all SkypeOut users, except for calls on unlimited tariff plans within the country (USA, Canada, Great Britain). It is possible that Skype Pro subscribers will also not pay for the connection when making calls within the country. The situation remains unclear. All we know is a brief mention in the press release .

    Skype also confirmed today that its previously announced connection fee rates, applicable worldwide, are now effective. The connection fee is a straightforward set-up charge per call. The Skype Unlimited Calling plan in the US and Canada and the Talk for Britain campaign in the UK do not include a connection fee for national calls.

    The connection fee is 0.039 Euro, excl VAT or the equivalent in local currency.

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