Yahoo! Messenger Upgrades Voice Capabilities
Yahoo! Messenger Upgrades Voice Capabilities
December 12, 2005: Taking a leaf out of Skype’s book, Yahoo! is launching external phone service support for its popular instant-messaging (IM) software.
The service currently allows voice and video calls to be made across the internet from one computer to another for free. The new addition will allow voice calls to be made to and received from normal telephones. Yahoo’s IM service is free, however making and receiving regular phone calls will most likely be based on the Skype model of cheap timed calls anywhere in the world.
Charges will be as low as US2c a minute to around 30 countries, or alternatively for US$3 per month customers will be able to purchase a regular phone number and receive unlimited incoming calls to the computer.
Sony, Skype, AOL and Yahoo! are now all competing for the same emerging market space. From here on in, it’s survival of the fittesteBay certainly thinks it is with its US$2.6 billion purchase of Skype doing all the talking.
No firm release date has been announced as yet for Yahoo!’s upgrade however, it says the release is date is looming.
Yahoo! has also announced that it is partnering up with the Seven Network to combine their online, mobile and IPTV businesses in Australia and New Zealand. Seven and Yahoo! will be forming a new company with 50-50 stakes.
Yahoo! will combine its global content and technology with Seven’s content to create an Australian focussed online media and entertainment portal with dedicated Australian video and other content. Seven will also contribute its 33 percent stake in mobile solutions provider m.Net Corporation Ltd, and AUD$10 million to match the existing development capital in the business.
“We are building on our strengths to create a broad media company focused on the delivery of relevant content to all Australians across a number of delivery platforms.” says Executive chairman of Seven Network Limited, Kerry Stokes. “Yahoo! is the global Internet leader and their focus on developing compelling content to engage with online audiences complements our strategy.”
Will you yahoo for internet telecommunications?
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