Skype Calls Now Free to Regular and Cell Phones in U.S. and Canada

Skype, the global Internet communications company, today announced that all U.S. and Canadian-based Skype customers can now make free SkypeOut calls to traditional landline and mobile phones in the US and Canada. Previously, Skype users in both countries were required to pay for Skype calls from their PCs to traditional telephones. Free SkypeOut calls to the US or Canada will be available to US and Canadian-based Skype users until the end of the year.

"Millions of consumers around the world are flocking to Skype every month, and we believe free SkypeOut calling will rapidly accelerate Skype adoption in the US and Canada," said Henry Gomez, General Manager, Skype North America. "We're very excited to be bringing Skype's convenience and voice quality to so many people for free."

We use Skype to call friends and relatives in Spain and Panama at a fraction of the cost of usual international long distance calls. It works great on our Macs. Now we'll also use Skype in the U.S. for long distance. [Bill Fox]