Skype Simplifies Cheap Overseas Calling From Any Phone

Skype just made it easier to save money on international calls. Users can now directly call any phone in the world from a cellphone or landline, and that phone will ring immediately, with no pesky voice-prompt hoops to jump through.
The Skype to Go service — which allows users to call other users via any phone — has been around since 2007, but this new capability makes it easier to use. Now, you can assign Skype’s local phone numbers for up to nine of your far-flung friends, thereby making foreign phone numbers local for you. Then, according to Skype, you simply call that number as you would any other; no Internet connection required. As Skype puts it, “No more waiting around with voice prompts — the call just goes straight through.”
The result? Low-priced, extreme long-distance calling that feels like a conventional phone call. And Skype prices are indeed low, with a subscription getting you per-minute rates for less than a penny.
Now if Skype could just reduce that distracting voice delay in its calls, occasional outages and sound quality issues, this would be a painless way to save lots of money on your overseas gabfests.