Skype Comes to Verizon Prepaid Phones

Verizon Wireless announced that it’s extending Skye support to more devices, specifically, “select prepaid smartphones,” now bringing the total number of supported devices to 20. For Verizon customers on prepaid accounts, this is good news – using Skype to make calls can dramatically lower your rates when making long-distance calls.

According to the carrier, the three new feature phones that now have access to the Skype app are the Pantech Crux, LG Octane and Samsung Zeal.

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This latest news further extends the partnership between Verizon and Skype, originally announced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona back in February. At the time, Skype was made available to smartphone devices like the Blackberry Storm, Curve and Tour editions and Android devices like the Motorola Droid, Droid Eris and Motorola Devour.

This marks the first time Skype has been made available to non-smartphone devices on Verizon’s wireless network. The feature phones and messaging phones now supported run the BREW platform. While not as robust a platform as either Blackberry or Android, BREW is able to run apps like Skype, among others.

For prepaid users, cost savings are clearly a major factor when buying a mobile phone. Offering these customers Skype as an alternative to pricey long-distance calls is sure to be a selling point for these devices among this demographic.

With the Skype app installed, customers can communicate cheaply with friends and family anywhere in the world, although Verizon makes a point to note its support for Skype-to-Skype calls in Mexico and Southeast Asia specifically, as the Skype application is offered in Spanish, Korean and simple Chinese localized versions.

Verizon customers can get the app for their phone from the built-in app stores on their device or the online store at www.verizonwireless.com/mp3.

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