The Wall Street Journal reports that Yahoo! launches computer to phone calling via it's IM product, not just computers to computers until now. Specifically:
"U.S. users of Yahoo's Messenger instant messaging service will be able to call friends' telephones from their computers for low fees such as two cents per minute within the U.S.
Consumers can also pay to have a traditional telephone number that directs incoming calls to their computer for $2.99 a month or $29.90 a year. U.S. users can select a telephone number located in the U.S., France or U.K.
Yahoo previously offered these features to some users outside the U.S. They largely mirror what rivals such as eBay Inc.'s Skype Internet telephony unit already offer. Yahoo said its per-minute prices are lower than Skype for calling many locations.
It said the links between Messenger and other Yahoo services, such as shared address books, make it more attractive than rival offerings. "It isn't just about making phone calls," said Brad Garlinghouse, Yahoo Vice President of Communications Products."
Besides a lower price than eBay's Skype unit, the ability to leverage one's Yahoo! address book for internet telephony is a competitive feature. And as USA Today reports, both MSN and AOL will soon offer PC to phone services as well.
Incremental?
You betcha.
Insignificant?
No siree.
This is Yahoo! we're talking about, as mainstream you can get on the Internet. Yahoo! making telephony feel more natural, as I discussed in this post a few days ago, is significant for both competitors and consumers alike.
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