Digium and Skype Collaborate to Bring Skype to Business Phone Systems

Skype, a global Internet communications company, and Digium, a creator and primary developer the open source telephony platform, Asterisk (News - Alert), have come together and announced the beta version of Skype For Asterisk.

 

The Skype For Asterisk will facilitate the integration of Skype functionality into Digium’s (News - Alert) Asterisk software, which will allow customers to make, receive and transfer Skype calls from within their Asterisk phone systems.

 

Combining Skype (News - Alert) Internet calling with Asterisk-based telephony products, the beta version of Skype For Asterisk acts as an add-on channel driver module. By offering low rates for calling landline and mobile phones around the world, Skype For Asterisk also complements small- and mid-sized business users’ existing services.

 

In the past, both Skype and Asterisk have disrupted conventional communication methods through innovative, cost-effective solutions. Skype states that by working together with Digium, the company can offer small- and mid-sized businesses an even more powerful communications solution to conduct business worldwide.

 

With the beta version of Skype For Asterisk, users can save money on inbound calling solutions such as free click-to-call from a Web site, as well as receive inbound calling from the PSTN through Skype’s online numbers. Users will also be able to manage Skype calls using Asterisk applications such as call routing, conferencing, phone menus and voicemail.

 

In addition, they can complement existing services with low Skype global rates (as low as 2.1 cents per minute to more than 35 countries worldwide), as well as make, receive and transfer Skype calls from within Asterisk phone systems, using existing hardware.

 

The initial beta is limited to a select number of users, developers and integrators. Asterisk users, system administrators and developers are invited to apply at http://www.astricon.net/skype.

 

“Working together with Skype, our goal is to help businesses boost productivity and reap the rewards of feature-rich telephony software, all while saving a substantial amount of money,” said Danny Windham, CEO of Digium, the creator and sponsor of Asterisk. “The Skype For Asterisk beta program is a first step towards adding Skype capabilities to Asterisk-based phone systems and enabling them to reach more than 338 million Skype users.”