Skype and Verizon Wireless announce a strategic relationship that will bring Skype to Verizon Wireless smartphones in March. The new Skype mobile product enhances Verizon Wireless' smartphones for users who have data plans by offering a new way to call around the globe, while also giving hundreds of millions of Skype users around the world the opportunity to communicate with friends, family and business colleagues in the United States using Verizon Wireless.

The two companies have created an exclusive, easy-to-use Skype mobile offering for 3G smartphones. Verizon Wireless 3G smartphone users with data plans can use Skype mobile to:

• make and receive unlimited Skype-to-Skype voice calls to any Skype user around the globe on America's most reliable wireless network;
• call international phone numbers at competitive Skype Out calling rates;
• send and receive instant messages to other Skype users; and
• remain always connected with the ability to see friends' online presence.

Initially, Skype mobile will be available on millions of best-selling Verizon Wireless 3G smartphones with data plans, including the BlackBerry Storm 9530, Storm2 9550, Curve 8330, Curve 8530, 8830 World Edition and Tour 9630 smartphones, as well as DROID by Motorola, DROID ERIS by HTC and Motorola DEVOUR.

John Stratton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless, said, "Skype mobile on Verizon Wireless changes the game. For Verizon Wireless' more than 90 million customers, Skype mobile adds great value because we're effectively giving customers with smartphones and data plans the option to extend their unlimited calling community to hundreds of millions of Skype users around the globe. And you're not limited to using a single type of phone; we'll have nine smartphones ready right at launch in March."

Josh Silverman, chief executive officer of Skype, noted, "People want to take their Skype conversations with them wherever they go, whether it's on a PC, TV or increasingly mobile phones. Verizon Wireless will give U.S. consumers the best Skype experience on mobile phones and will truly change the way people call their friends and family internationally."

Esna Technologies has added Skype VoIP/Video support to its market leading unified communication desktop software, UC Link. As part of its ongoing goal for interoperability and Rich communication and collaboration tools, Esnatech has integrated its UC Link desktop software with Skype VoIP and Video services for enhanced real-time communication services. Users of the Esnatech Telephony Office-LinX UC platform will have their live Skype VoIP & Video status tied into existing office infrastructure and applications so other users can see if they are available or not, on their office telephone, or off the network. It will bridge the Skype VoIP/Video world with Enterprise telephony and Groupware status.

The benefits to enterprise users are they can integrate their daily business communications with Skype VoIP & Video and start using the popular application for daily business use. Co-workers and customers will know their true availability and status and using the Esnatech UC link desktop software communicate in the most efficient and collaborative manner. Users can in one click initiate Live Secure IM, Live desktop to phone voice calls, Ad Hoc group conference session and Live Skype VoIP and Video Session.

Skype support will be part of the upcoming UC Link desktop software for the esnatech UC server Telephony Office-LinX expected in Q1 2010. Esnatech will commence beta trials in December/January with its partners.

UC Link desktop software is a rich multi-OS desktop unified communications software that delivers Rich Presence, Mobility, messaging for the Telephony Office-LinX unified communications platform. This Esnatech UC server is already tightly integrated with all major PBX's and VoIP services as well it provides Mobile UC services to RIM Blackberry, Apple iPhone, Google Android, Windows Mobile & Symbian devices. It can be deployed as a standalone UC solution or an integrated application to existing PBX's and messaging solutions such as Octel voice mail platforms.