Archive notice: This article was originally published on October 18, 2007. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
MySpace, the world’s most popular social network, and Skype, the leading Internet communications company, have concluded an agreement under which the MySpace community can now also communicate with one another by voice. With more than 110 million active MySpace users per month and 220 million registered Skype users around the world, this partnership brings together the most popular communication platforms on the Internet to form the world’s largest online community with a voice connection.
For this purpose, MySpaceIM with Skype is being presented as a new product, integrating MySpace’s popular instant-messaging client – currently the fastest-growing IM platform with more than 25 million registered users – with Skype’s free and high-quality calling functions. In addition, users can now link their MySpace profiles and the associated photos with their Skype accounts. Both products will be available to end users from November.
MySpaceIM with Skype will be available in the 20 countries in which localized MySpace communities exist. In this way, millions of users can conduct free Skype conversations over the Internet with other MySpace and Skype users. By integrating Skype voice calls into MySpace’s instant-messaging function, MySpace users gain even more possibilities for getting in touch quickly and easily with friends and relatives around the world. The Skype software no longer has to be downloaded separately for this.
“MySpaceIM with Skype is a truly groundbreaking product integration and partnership,“ says Chris DeWolfe, co-founder and CEO of MySpace. „Skype has the leading technology in Internet voice communication and a huge international user community that we are only too happy to connect with our existing community. Our network knows no geographical boundaries – Internet telephony is therefore the natural next step in the development of communication between our members.“
Skype is available in 28 languages and is used in almost every country in the world. Linking Skype accounts with MySpace profiles will be possible worldwide with the exception of Japan, China and Taiwan. In addition to free Skype calls with the best voice quality, MySpaceIM with Skype offers MySpace users the option of using the following fee-based Skype premium services:
-SkypeOut – Calls to landline and mobile telephones at home and abroad
-SkypeIn – A local telephone number for incoming calls from landline and mobile telephones
-Voicemail – Recording of voice messages for unanswered calls
-Call forwarding – Forwarding incoming Skype calls to a landline or mobile telephone
“MySpace and Skype have become a part of our lives by bringing people everywhere in the world closer together. This partnership strengthens Skype’s position as the platform for Internet communication par excellence, since we now make it as easy as possible for participants on Skype and in the MySpace network to call one another,” says Michael Van Swaaij, interim CEO of Skype.
MySpaceIM with Skype uses the numerous call-protection settings available to users in the MySpace network. Users whose MySpace profile is set to “private” can receive Skype calls only from people who are entered in their friends list. There is also the possibility of restricting incoming calls to those people who have been expressly added to the personal Skype contact list. Users can block any MySpaceIM with Skype user if necessary and optionally accept, ignore or reject calls in the “Incoming call” window.
No information was provided on the financial terms of the MySpace/Skype partnership.
Further links:
- Skype
