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3 Skypephone delivers free Skype-to-Skype

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CIOL Bureau
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LONDON: Skype, the global Internet communications company and 3, the mobile operator, have launched a new affordable handset that lets you make free Skype-to-Skype calls and send free Skype instant messages from your mobile phone to other Skype users no matter where they are.

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The 3 Skypephone is a fully-featured 3G Internet phone with Skype built-in. In addition to Skype calls the phone makes conventional calls and can be used to access 3's broad range of other internet services. 3's customers, using the 3 Skypephone, will be able to make Skype calls and send instant messages on the move with the push of a button.

This is the first time an operator has offered a mass market device which is tailor-made for free calling over the internet from a mobile. Now, all of Skype's 246 million registered can be reached for free with the 3 Skypephone.

According to Michael van Swaaij, acting CEO at Skype: "Skype is now truly mobile. This new handset is incredibly easy to use and lets you make free mobile Skype calls when you are on the move to other Skype users all over the world no matter where they are. It couldn't be simpler -- put Skype in your pocket and make free Skype mobile calls and send free Skype instant messages at the touch of a single Skype button."

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He added: "Skype began by offering free PC-to-PC calling, and now we're doing the same with mobile calls with 3. Thanks to 3, Skype has now taken a giant step forward in the mobile arena. It takes an innovative operator like 3 to challenge traditional thinking and offer the kind of product other operators are still shying away from."

Kevin Russell, CEO, 3 UK, said: "3 wants to make the mobile internet available to everyone. To do this, we believe that services need to be simple to access and affordable. Communication is the prime function of the mobile today. Skype is the leader in Internet communications. To enable Skype to go mobile in this way brings free internet calls together with an affordable 3G handset. Mobile has the potential to massively increase access to internet calling."

The handset was developed by Skype and 3 in partnership with Qualcomm, using Qualcomm's BREW platform to enable Skype to work with core handset features such as address book and messaging.

The 3 Skypephone will be available this year in the UK, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Italy, Ireland, Macau and Sweden. Skype-to-Skype calls will always be free from your 3 Skypephone as long as you are on contract or your PAYG 3 credit is topped up monthly.

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