It was one of the most obvious match-ups ever, particularly in the current economic climate. Combining Asterisk open-source IP PBX software with Skype's cheap Internet calling service was the ultimate penny-pincher for cost-conscious small businesses. Ironically, Skype for Asterisk costs money, while the Asterisk software itself doesn't. Either way, the combination lets a company's employees make and receive calls to and from Skype users, as well as people using landline or cellular phones, around the world cheaply or for free.
Asterisk creator Digium and Skype introduced a free beta version of Skype for Asterisk in September 2008. The commercial version it came out with this week costs a one-time fee of $66 per concurrent call, or channel, supported. Each Skype call connecting an employee with an outside person requires one channel, while Skype calls between two employees managed through the same Asterisk system require two channels. The company must use the free downloaded Business Control Panel management interface to set up individual accounts that let employees make outbound calls to landline or mobile numbers.
Companies can use Skype for Asterisk to save money or boost business in several ways. If they set up incoming (SkypeIn) numbers in different countries, a customer in those places will be able to call them for the price of a local call. They can also make outgoing (SkypeOut) calls to the PSTN in various countries at low Skype rates. Calls to and from Skype users are of course free. And adding a click-to-call button to the company Website automatically launches calls from Skype users who click it.
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