Skype and Plantronics in deal to deliver voice solutions

Plantronics and Skype Technologies S.A. announced a worldwide strategic partnership to provide voice communications solutions for users of Skype's online telephony services. The companies signed a strategic agreement detailing their shared vision for the advancement of modern telephony solutions. As part of the agreement, Plantronics will be the globally preferred headset provider for Skype, and in the future, a range of Plantronics headsets will be made available bundled with a free trial of Skype's premium services.

Skype technology enables free, superior quality, unlimited worldwide voice calls via broadband, LAN and hot spot wireless IP connections.

"PC-based VoIP is really just the beginning for Skype, and the partnership with Plantronics is a big step towards the next level," said Jon Arnold, VoIP Program Leader for marketing consultancy Frost & Sullivan. "Skype has quickly built a critical mass of users globally around its peer-to-peer free model. Plantronics brings a global distribution channel, a broad offering of mobile communication solutions and the ability to enhance audio quality that will help Skype reach a broader audience. Perhaps more importantly, their headsets enable mobility, dramatically enhancing Skype's appeal, especially in the enterprise space," Arnold adds.

"Skype is changing the communications landscape and is bringing forward a new level of personal connectivity," stated Ken Kannappan, President and CEO of Plantronics. "Headsets play an important part in this shift, affording new standards of sound quality and mobility that offer tremendous value to Internet telephony users."

Plantronics also announced a partnership with TDK Systems. The TDK Bluetooth adaptors allow users to quickly take advantage of new applications powered by their computer. All TDK Systems' adaptors support Bluetooth's audio functions and make them easy to set-up and operate. By utilising a Bluetooth headset with their PC users can exploit low-cost PC based telephony and VoIP services.

"Unlike other Bluetooth developers who concentrate only on data, TDK Systems has concentrated on incorporating robust audio support into all its products," said Nick Hunn, Managing Director at TDK Systems. "That uniquely positions us to serve this new tranche of VoIP applications which Skype is bringing to the mass market."