Skype to offer unlimited overseas calls

Skype is set to begin offering unlimited calls from the U.S. to phones in a wide range of international locations, according to the Associated Press.

For $9.95 per month, callers will be able to ring folks abroad in 34 countries, including many in Europe, along with Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, China, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Malaysia, the AP reported Sunday evening. There is one limit--in most of those countries, the calls must be to a landline.

Calls to cell phones abroad are allowed under the $9.95 price only to Canada, China, Hong Kong and Singapore.

The plan also allows unlimited domestic calls, via Skype's Internet-based phone service, to both landline phones and mobile phones.

In December 2006, Skype began offering unlimited calls to cell phones and landlines in the U.S. and Canada at $29.95 per year.

Skype, a unit of e-commerce giant eBay, expects to hit $500 million in revenue this year, and profits have been strong. Still, eBay is giving the service a hard look and may consider selling it, if the "synergies" don't work out favorably.