Message #88 From:
NewsBot Date: December 5, 2006 06:01:00 AM
EBAY News SMC Teams with Skype and FON on New WiFi Phone Bundle That Makes Internet Calling Easy
IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SMC® Networks (www.smc.com)
announced today, in a move aimed at fueling conversations and lowering
communication costs around the world, that Skype™,
SMC Networks and FON have combined their technologies to create a
stylish and practical platform that makes it easy to enjoy Internet
calls without any need for a computer.
The bundle is exclusively available to U.S. and European consumers from
the Skype Web store at skype.com/shop. Priced at $159.99 for U.S.
customers, the bundle includes everything you need to make Internet
calls at home, at work and on the move: the sleek SMC Wi-Fi Phone for
Skype (WSKP100), FON’s wireless router “La
Fonera,” 500 minutes of SkypeOut™
credit, and Skype Voicemail for a year.
While calls between Skype users will always be free, 500 SkypeOut
minutes come in handy when making cheap calls to ordinary telephones
around the world. With the optional purchase of a SkypeIn™
number, you are reachable from any phone in the world.
“The arrival of WiFi phones has helped
liberate Skype users from the PC and made Internet calling truly mobile,”
said Stefan Oberg, Skype’s General Manager,
Hardware. “But never before have all the
necessary ingredients been combined in one package at such an attractive
price. This partnership delivers a ready-to-use system, leaving more
time for conversations with family, friends and colleagues everywhere.”
“We’re pleased to
have the opportunity to work with innovators —
Skype and FON — to bring together a package
that makes communication better,” said Tony
Stramandinoli, SMC Networks’ vice president
of marketing. “The SMC Wi-Fi Phone for Skype
opens a new means for easy voice communication, and this bundle combines
the best of components and features to get users started with WiFi
calling.”
SMC’s Wi-Fi Phone for Skype can be used
anywhere where there is an open wireless access point. FON is offering
the La Fonera WiFi router, which allows users to share some of their
bandwidth at home, and get free access to the global community of FON
Access Points in exchange. FON already has tens of thousands of access
points where the SMC Skype Wi-Fi Phone can already be used. In fact, it
is the world’s fastest-growing WiFi community.
“Our goal at FON is to build a global WiFi
community so that consumers can benefit from the fantastic capabilities
and services that ubiquitous WiFi has to offer,”
said FON founder and CEO Martin Varsavsky. “The
combination of Skype, SMC’s Wi-Fi phone and
FON is a huge leap forward towards this new realm of WiFi everywhere.”
For more information about SMC Networks, the WiFi phone bundle, or any
of the company’s other products for wired and
wireless networking, visit www.smc.com,
or call 800-SMC-4YOU (800-762-4968).
About Skype
Skype is the world's fastest-growing Internet communication offering,
allowing unlimited free voice, video and instant messaging communication
between users of Skype software. With over 136 million registered users,
Skype is available in 28 languages and is used in almost every country
around the world. Skype generates revenue through its premium offerings
such as making and receiving calls to and from landline and mobile
phones, voicemail, call forwarding and personalization including
ringtones and avatars. Skype also has relationships with a growing
network of hardware and software providers.
Skype is an eBay company (NASDAQ: EBAY). To learn more visit skype.com.
Skype is not a replacement for your ordinary telephone and cannot be
used for emergency calling.
About FON
FON is building the world's largest WiFi community. Founded in 2006 in
Madrid, Spain, FON's mission is to stimulate growth of WiFi Internet
access through its WiFi sharing community of "Foneros." FON’s
La Fonera WiFi routers, which are subsidized for those who join the FON
Community, have been specifically designed to enable Foneros to share
their home access points with the FON Community. In return for sharing,
Foneros gain free WiFi access everywhere in the world. FON's investors
include Google, Skype, Index Ventures and Sequoia Capital. For more
information, please go to www.fon.com.
Skype, SkypeIn, SkypeOut, Skype Me, Skype Certified, Skypecasts,
associated logos and the “S”
symbol are trademarks of Skype Limited.
