Skype Launches Unlimited Flat-Rate International Calls

Today, Skype announced its first-ever, flat-rate international calling subscription. Sure, Skype has had unlimited flat-rate calling to the U.S. and Canada for some time, but today marks the first time Skype has given some non-North American countries (minus Mexico) some unlimited lovin'. As of today, Skype now offers unlimited international calling to 34 countries. The subscriptions do not require a long-term contract and customers can pay monthly, quarterly or annually. Unlimited World will cost you just $9.95/month making this a suitable solution for heavy international callers.

As part of the global roll-out of Skype’s new calling subscriptions, customers in the U.S. and Canada can choose from the following three options:

• Unlimited U.S. & Canada: Unlimited calls to landline and cell phones in the U.S. and Canada. ($2.95 per month)

• Unlimited Mexico: Unlimited calls to landline and cell phones in the U.S. and Canada, and to landlines in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey; up to 80% off normal SkypeOut rates to landlines in the rest of Mexico and up to 40% off normal SkypeOut rates to all Mexico cell phones. ($5.95 per month)

• Unlimited World: Unlimited calls to landline and cell phones in 34 countries and to Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey; up to 80% off normal SkypeOut rates to the rest of Mexico landlines and up to 40% off normal SkypeOut rates to all Mexico cell phones.($9.95 per month)

All subscriptions also include a Skype To Go number, which lets users make international calls at local rates from a cell phone or landline phone.

Similar calling subscriptions which are available for purchase to consumers worldwide also include an online number so anyone can call you from a landline or cell phone (U.S. subscribers get a 50% discount on the purchase of an online number).

Rich Tehrani has more including an interview with Don Albert, VP and GM of Skype North America about a number of new initiatives at the company.

Also, for more info on the new international pricing plans head on over to http://www.skype.com/go/subscriptions/.