Skype announced a landmark partnership with E-Plus, Germany's third largest mobile phone network, which marks an important step in Skype's global mobile strategy to move beyond the desktop.

From October, Skype software will be bundled with E-Plus' flat-rate data subscription, allowing people to gain both a high bandwidth Internet connection and free, high-quality Skype calling over E-Plus' mobile network. The E-Plus network has 9.8 million subscribers.

"E-Plus is the first mobile operator to partner with Skype, taking the first step to deliver Skype's vision of making Skype available over any network, including 3G. Now anyone with an E-Plus data flat-rate subscription will be able to enjoy the benefits of Skype's personal communications service when they are on the move in Germany", said Niklas Zennström, Skype CEO and Co-founder. "We look forward to working with other innovative mobile operators around the world to bring the value and convenience of the Skype global Internet communications experience to their millions of mobile phone subscribers."

The flat-rate data subscription is available throughout Germany for €39.95 per month. Skype will be the only company offering calls over the Internet on the E-Plus mobile network.

Mobile users of the Skype/E-Plus bundle will benefit from fixed-rate mobile Internet access and free Skype calling, ability to control call costs using the E-Plus flat-rate data subscription and freedom to call from home, office or on the road

Skype has more than 2.8 million Skype users throughout the country. Worldwide Skype has more than 52 million registered users and has enabled more than 12 billion minutes of high-quality talk time.
Skype is working with a number of leading mobile handset and headset manufacturers, including Motorola, to offer Skype callers an extensive range of Skype-ready devices.

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