msmobiles.com - Cellular News - Revolution is on: flat rate Skype over UMTS available in Germany

Revolution is on: flat rate Skype over UMTS available in Germany
September 01, 2005;
Even in USA it is not available: although there is flat rate mobile Internet access in USA, operators in USA are usually forbidding usage of Voice over IP programs!

Skype, the Global Internet Communications Company, which is revolutionizing communications by offering free, high-quality phone calls to anyone with an Internet connection, today announced a landmark partnership with E-Plus, Germany's third largest mobile phone network, which marks an important step in Skype's global mobile strategy to move beyond the desktop.

From October, Skype software will be bundled with E-Plus' flat-rate data subscription, allowing people to gain both a high bandwidth Internet connection and free, high-quality Skype calling over E-Plus' mobile network. The E-Plus network has 9.8 million subscribers.

"E-Plus is the first mobile operator to partner with Skype, taking the first step to deliver Skype's vision of making Skype available over any network, including 3G. Now anyone with an E-Plus data flat-rate subscription will be able to enjoy the benefits of Skype's personal communications service when they are on the move in Germany", said Niklas Zennstrom, Skype CEO and Co-founder. "We look forward to working with other innovative mobile operators around the world to bring the value and convenience of the Skype global Internet communications experience to their millions of mobile phone subscribers."

The flat-rate data subscription is available throughout Germany for EUR 39.95 per month. Skype will be the only company offering calls over the Internet on the E-Plus mobile network.

Mobile users of the Skype/E-Plus bundle will benefit from:

-- fixed-rate mobile Internet access and free Skype calling

-- ability to control call costs using the E-Plus flat-rate data subscription

-- freedom to call from home, office or on the road

"The use of Skype is growing strongly. Through our co-operation we are combining the advantages of mobile and stationary Internet access," said Uwe Bergheim, Chief Executive Officer of E-Plus.

Skype has more than 2.8 million Skype users throughout the country. Worldwide Skype has more than 52 million registered users and has enabled more than 12 billion minutes of high-quality talk time.

Skype is working with a number of leading mobile handset and headset manufacturers, including Motorola, to offer Skype callers an extensive range of Skype-ready devices.

Back to other news index