Skype and Intel Collaborate to Create New and Improved Ways for People to Communicate Over the Internet

• Wednesday, 08 February 2006

Delivering free, ten-way voice conference calling over the Internet, an industry first, and available only on Intel dual-core processor-based PCs


SAN JOSE, Calif.—February 8, 2006—Skype™, the global Internet communications company, and Intel Corporation are collaborating to further integrate Internet communication into the fabric of everyday personal computer usage. The companies are working together to optimize Skype for Intel dual-core processor-based PCs and are planning to further enhance voice and video over the Internet so that it delivers the richest possible communications experience for personal and professional users.

The first result of the companies’ joint technical efforts is the availability of free, ten-way voice conference calling for up to ten people in Skype 2.0 — an industry first for peer-to-peer Internet calling. The new feature is available exclusively for home and business users with Intel Centrino® Duo mobile technology-based laptop PCs, and desktop PCs based on Intel® Pentium® D processors, Pentium Extreme Edition processors, and the recently introduced Intel Viiv™ technology.

The two companies plan ongoing, additional feature extensions and optimization of Skype for Intel’s dual-core processors to take further advantage of the high throughput and simultaneous computing capabilities of Intel’s dual-core processor architecture. Later this year, Skype will release video calling optimized for Intel dual-core technology, boosting performance and bringing free, high-quality video calling to millions of users with Intel processors. Beyond laptops and desktops, Intel and Skype share a common vision to enable Skype to function seamlessly across a wide variety of Intel-based computing platforms and network environments, including handheld computers as well as WiFi and WiMAX wireless networks.

“We want to make communicating over the Internet simple and accessible,” said Alistair Shrimpton, general manager of Skype UK. “Through our partnership with Intel we can ensure that Skype performs better than any other Internet calling application and drive widespread business and consumer adoption.”

“Intel views the PC as a tool for collaboration for home and business users,” said Robert B. Crooke, vice president and general manager of Intel’s Business Client Group. “Skype is advancing this capability and today Intel dual-core processors allow you to host Skype conferences of up to ten participants with enhanced call quality on both laptop and desktop PCs. We will continue to work together on aligning our future PC platform technology with Skype’s growing roadmap of rich application features.”

For more information, visit: http://www.intel.com/go/skype.

About Skype

Skype is the world’s fastest-growing Internet communication offering, allowing people everywhere to make unlimited voice and video communication for free. Skype is available in 27 languages and is used in almost every country around the world. Skype generates revenue through its premium offerings such as making and receiving calls to and from landline and mobile phones, as well as voicemail and call forwarding. Skype also has relationships with a growing network of hardware and software providers. Skype is an eBay company (NASDAQ: EBAY). To learn more visit skype.com.

Skype is not a telephony replacement service and cannot be used for emergency calling.

# # #

For further information, please contact:

James Morley/Amanda Hassall
Six Degrees
james.morley@sixdegreespr.com
Skype Name: MorleyJS
01628 480280

This press release was distributed via SourceWire, a service from Daryl Willcox Publishing, on behalf of Six Degrees. For more information visit http://www.dwpub.com/pressreleasewires