Skype Pro launches today
Good news for European Skype users — from today, you can choose to pay a low monthly subscription of €2 and make zero cents per minute calls to domestic landlines in 15 countries in Europe.
The [Skype Pro subscription deal](http://www.skype.com/products/skypepro/) includes:
* Zero cents per minute calling to domestic landlines in your country — this means you can talk as long as you like and only pay the connection fee ([3.9 cents or equivalent](http://www.skype.com/products/skypeout/rates/connection_fee.html)) for each call that you make to domestic landlines
* Free [Skype Voicemail](http://www.skype.com/products/skypevoicemail/) (normally €15 per year)
* €30 discount on SkypeIn numbers
* €5 Skype Credit included as part of the introductory offer (see below)
* A €30 discount on a [Philips VoIP 841 cordless phone](http://accessories.skype.com/item?sku=VOIP8411B).
* A €10 discount on an [SMC WiFi phone](http://accessories.skype.com/item?sku=BWSKP100PRO).
* Money off a series of [Skype Extras](https://extras.skype.com/).
Bonus: If you get there quickly, you can [purchase Skype Pro](http://www.skype.com/products/skypepro/) on a five month basis for €10 and receive €5 Skype credit absolutely free.
This is great for regular Skype users, who will benefit from flat rate calling to domestic landlines, plus all of the other goodies.
### The lowdown
Skype Pro is now available across Europe in the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Portugal, Spain and the UK — it’ll be launched in other countries across the world during 2007.
If you aren’t based in one of these countries you can still purchase Skype Pro if you’re really keen. You still get all the other benefits, but you don’t get the advantage of the zero per minute local calls.
Extra: You can use your Skype Pro deal wherever you are — if you’re in France, you get free calls to French landlines; if you’re in Austria, you get free calls to Austrian landlines, and so on.
### Show you’re Pro
Feel free to show off the fact that you’re using Skype Pro — you can steal the image at the top of this post to use as an avatar. Right click on it and save it to your computer, then [follow the instructions here](http://www.skype.com/help/guides/stepbystep/edityourprofile_windows/step6.html).
Switzerland too, please.
Does this include phoning Gibraltar?
I’m looking forward to Skype Pro for Russia.
Most definitely Switzerland, yes please!
It’s a pity that SkypeIn has been increased to €15 for 3 months and €50 for 12 months so it’s not as big a saving as it first appeared. This is significantly more than certain rivals charge.
Is it correct that we can take our Pro package with us abroad? For example if I’m in the UK with a pro package and I travel to France I can get free calls within France. That’s what the ‘Extra’ paragraph seems to be saying.
so the prices have gone up dramatically for skypein (now 50 euro/year), the connection fee applies to every single call, and you’re still charging 2 euro/month for this “innovative” package called skype pro. if only it was 1980 and i called landlines, then this package may be of benefit. but shock horror, it’s 2007 and i’m only calling mobiles or international numbers. that’s the way the world works now. did you forget?
i guess you also forgot that australia exists, leaving us without the skype pro package to pay EVEN MORE for your paid services. sorry, the competition is too strong and i’m taking my money to GIZMO PROJECT. insulting your customers’ intelligence will come back to bite you.
My real biggest problem with all these increases is that NOT ONCE Skype acknowledged them or even ANNOUNCED then anywhere on their web-site.
Per se I don’t have an issue with a price increase, it is common practice and can be more than justified. We live in the real world so no real issue here, I take note and make my decisions accordingly without fuss. But for God sake, if you hear their marketing delirium it is always bonanza day with them !…
If you want to ran it as a business fine with me, then communicate as businesses do, close the “community” (sic) forums, hire staff for tech support and act as a business not as a claptrap trendy lifestyle that is meant only to lure people…
Thanks for all of your comments so far, guys.
louisepisani: The UK Skype Pro deal doesn’t include Gibraltar – I’m not sure about the technicalities of calling Gibraltar from Spain, though, so let me get back to you on this one.
akelsall: You’re absolutely right. If you’re a Pro subscriber, you get the Pro deal whenever you’re in a Pro country; if you go to Germany for the day, you can call German landlines for free while you’re there, and so on.
willagnew: It won’t be long before Australia and New Zealand get Skype Pro, so watch this space.
Before there were any connection fees, I could call most landlines for 2 eurocents per minute, so I had 100 minutes for 2 euros. With skype pro, I’m paying 2 euros and have not made a single call yet, for which additional connection fees apply. That means that SkyePro is NOT “great for regular Skype users”, only for those who call landlines for more than 200 minutes per month.
Furthermore, SkypeIn went up from 30Euros per year to 50Euros per year. This is a great way to annoy loyal customers. I have not ever seen any telecommunications service which increases prices instead of decreasing them – except Skype.
I want skype Pro soon in Brasil!!!!!!!!
peterparkes… i’ve been “watching this space” for way too long and every promise has led to blatant price increases and frustration. i’m sorry, but these false promises and stalling tactics has opened my eyes to your competition and made me realise what a blatant rip off skype is. spending copious amounts of money for such an unprofessional service is not something i’d be proud of. so i’m off to GIZMO PROJECT. i recommend others do the same
Great. Thanks for Skype Pro. £8 and I get £4 of credit… so its just £4. Then I buy a Skype In number and get a 50% discount! Fantastic. The only issue now is I would like to buy the Philips Skype Phone but it is not yet available… shame.
And how does it work?
I signed up for skype pro 2 days ago, my home country is set to Germany, all calls I did since then were to German landlines.
Looking in my skype-account it says that skype pro is activated. But still: I get charged for every single minute…
Sorry guys, but is this just a marketing gag???
Notice that here is the only place on Skype.com, outside the forums, where you’ll find it spelled out that “if you’re in France, you get free calls to French landlines; if you’re in Austria, you get free calls to Austrian landlines, and so on.” In other places, the use of “free calls to national landlines” is a bit vague, and–perhaps done purposefully by the marketing guys–can be interpreted as free calls to any and all of the other (24-25) countries where skypepro is available. Bit of a rip if you live in the NL and want to call 20km down to Belgium. Annoying for Skype to start focusing so tightly on our IPs, and even more annoying to not make it clear in their offer.
The real Low Down : skype pro is a complete gimmick. I want the Skype in 2004-2005 back please, not the eBayHype as it is now.
voipcheap lauched a unlimited minutes plan similar a skypepro with many benefits. Im a skype user since 08/2004 and i have a skypein number and love skype, but if you don´t start soon with skypepro in Brazil, i will force to change my voip server!!!
Please, don´t treat us like a 3º world!!!
Sorry for my english!
I am VERY DISEAPPOINTED with using SKYPE Pro. I just feel that I was CHEATED. It is more expensive then I paid before. I am charged twice: connecting fee + minutes!
The words “national landlines” schould be explained. For the most people “national landlines” means all landlines phones in th world (excluding special lines, cell phones) but really, it really means that skype has changed the rules and now you have to pay twice even when you want to call the country where your phone is registretad.
Skype schould make it clear. SKYPE PRO, NOW YOU PAY MORE!
Their PR department will have to explain why they want to loose clients.
I was loyal consumer of Skype for long time but now I want to change VOIP provider.
PLEASE check what you sign for! I just made mistake.
I made a big mistake and bought SKYPE PRO. Even though they claim that you will not pay for “national landlines” I still pay for my calls. I have tried three times to get an explanation but I am simply ignored. It seems that there are other people in the same situation. Just read all the comments above and check the following link.
http://forum.skype.com/index.php?showtopic=79397
You may also post your frustration or otherwise at http://donotbuyskypepro.blogspot.com/.
Brazil is a great country, needs the Skype pro.