Since acquiring Skype, Microsoft has been implementing the VoIP software and technology into every product possible. So far, so good, and as well as a slew of new apps for various different platforms, the promotions have also been rolled out at a rate of knots. In the latest, regular Skype users can make free calls for a month not only to other Skype users, but to mobiles and landlines.
The offer is valid for calls made to mobiles in a number of countries, including the United States, Canada Hong Kong, and Thailand, as well as landline calls to more than 40 (mostly European) nations.
The main reason why many people use Skype is for the free Skype-to-Skype calling capabilities, but if Microsoft is going to successfully recoup some of the billions of bucks forked out for Skype in the first place, it’ll need to turn some of these users into paying customers. The Skype credit system, which is the main source of the revenue generated from Skype, allows for these landline and mobile calls to be made, and by putting it out there for a month free of charge, it’s hoped many will become reliant on the new-found capabilities and pay for more Skype credits.
As with any promotion that sounds rather too good to be true, there is a catch. It’s only currently available existing Skype users that have been registered for 30 days or more. It’s a bit of a shame, since once would have thought this a good opportunity for Microsoft to coerce new customers into signing up, but for the time being, only those already accustomed to Skype will be able to enjoy the benefits of the free month.
The 30 day palava isn’t the only issue with the promotion, either. You need to sign up with your credit card in order to enjoy the free calls for a month, and after that, the onus is on you to cancel or be charged. If you’ve ever used an enticing service like Amazon Prime, you’ll know how easy it can be to forget, but if you set yourself a reminder to cancel, you shouldn’t have any issues, and handing over your credit card details is a small price to pay for free mobile and landline calls.
(source Skype)
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