The partnership comes as MySpace rival Facebook gains ground and Internet telephony pioneer Skype struggles for ways to profit from the technology.<\/p>\n
Skype will craft its voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) into MySpace instant messaging software worldwide by December, letting website members easily call each other's computers free of charge.<\/p>\n
MySpace says it has 110 million active monthly users and that 220 million people have Skype accounts.<\/p>\n
Approximately 25 million MySpace members use its instant messaging service.<\/p>\n
MySpace members will be able to link profiles, photos and animated online personae, referred to as "avatars," to the Skype feature.<\/p>\n
"Internet calling is the natural next step for how our members communicate with each other," said MySpace chief executive Chris DeWolfe.<\/p>\n
The MySpace IM with Skype service will be available to website members in all countries it serves, except Japan, China and Taiwan due to constraints from existing deals.<\/p>\n
MySpace users will have the option of using for-fee premium Skype services such as call forwarding, voice mail, and calling from computers to landlines or mobile telephones.<\/p>\n
"Wherever people are hanging out on the Internet they should be able to use Skype," Skype director of business development Scott Miller said.<\/p>\n
"MySpace is a great hangout so it is a great way to get Skype to people hanging out on MySpace."<\/p>\n
Alliance talks date back to before California-based eBay bought Skype and New York-based News Corporation acquired MySpace, according to Smith.<\/p>\n
Engineers from the companies began work on the project in July after "all the pieces came together," according to Kyle Brinkman, vice president of product development at MySpace.<\/p>\n
"I think it shows our chops a little as far as technology, not to brag, which helps us with our foothold in Silicon Valley," Brinkman said.<\/p>\n
Los Angeles-based MySpace opened an office in San Francisco this week to tap into Silicon Valley engineering talent and creativity.<\/p>\n
The Skype service built into MySpace will be a test, or beta, version. It will be part of instant messaging software downloaded by new users and be available as an upgrade to existing MySpace IM users.<\/p>\n
"The partnership will create the world's largest VoIP community," Smith said.<\/p>\n
"It is a natural fit. MySpace has been the place to communicate on Internet while Skype has been the way."<\/p>\n
Despite its global popularity, Internet telephony has not become a gold mine for Skype.<\/p>\n
Popular online auction firm eBay, which bought Skype two years ago for 2.6 billion dollars, attested to that fact early in October when it devalued the once-darling firm, knocking 1.43 billion dollars off its value.<\/p>\n
Analysts interviewed by AFP wondered how Skype can convert its extraordinary global popularity into hard cash and corporate revenue.<\/p>\n
Skype fans as far away as China download software that enables them to make telephone calls from one computer to another anywhere in the world for free.<\/p>\n
A problem for the company has been that few of those fans use additional for-fee services.<\/p>\n
People also prefer combination telephone, Internet, cable television deals offered by major telecommunications companies to relying on Internet telephony firms for long-distance calling, according to iSuppli analyst Steve Rego.<\/p>\n
EBay's original plan was to integrate Skype into its online auctions so, for example, sellers and buyers could call each other instantly using their computers.<\/p>\n
This course seems to have been abandoned by eBay.<\/p>\n
Skype has heavyweight competition in the online telephony arena. Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo have woven VoIP calling into their online messaging services.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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