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SMC Networks, The Cloud and Skype partner to deliver first European Skype WiFi handset service at public hotspots
Tuesday, 10 October 2006
Barcelona & London – October 10th 2006. SMC Networks (www.smc.com), The Cloud (www.thecloud.net) and Skype (www.skype.net) today announced a partnership that will deliver the first mobile roaming Skype service on WiFi handsets with access to over 8,500 public WiFi hotspots across Europe.
After registering their SMC WiFi phone for Skype using an Internet enabled PC, customers can use their SMC Wireless Internet mobile phone to automatically connect to Skype when they are within range of a The Cloud hotspot. The first customers of this service can benefit from a month’s free WiFi hotspot access with additional access packaged at an unlimited use flat rate.
Calls to and from other Skype users are entirely free, while calls to fixed and mobile users can be made at substantially reduced cost via optional purchase of SkypeOut minutes. The phone also provides quick and easy access to Skype accounts and contacts.
“Our agreement and technology development with The Cloud adds a new level of flexibility and mobility to the concept of WiFi telephony, “ comments George Zervos , General Manager Europe and Africa , SMC Networks, “Our customers can still use accessible WiFi networks at home, in the office, on university campuses and many other places but with this innovative new arrangement, users can seamlessly access thousands of The Cloud hotspots, as well as city centres across Europe and eventually across the world as roaming agreements develop.”
The Cloud offers sophisticated WiFi coverage at over 8,500 locations including airports, hotels and railway stations across the UK, Germany, the Nordics and The Netherlands with hundreds of new hotspots coming online every month. The Cloud also operates large scale networks across the City of London, Canary Wharf, Amsterdam and 9 other UK cities including Manchester and Edinburgh.
“We are delighted to partner with SMC Networks and extend the service we provide today with Skype to WiFi enabled handsets. This agreement delivers on our commitment to provide the widest range of WiFi services to customers across Europe,” commented Niall Murphy, CTO of The Cloud. “Mobile VoIP using Skype is an innovative and rapidly emerging market and our agreement with SMC provides an exciting new service for our WiFi hotspots and marks the start of a real low-cost alternative to traditional telecoms services.”
The SMC WiFi phone service with Skype and The Cloud will initially launch in the UK in October, with the Nordics and Germany to follow towards the end of the year. The service is due to commence in France, Spain, Italy and Benelux at the start of 2007. The Award winning SMCWSKP100 is SMC’s first WiFi phone for Skype and delivers 3-hours continuous talk-time and 30-hour standby from its Li-Ion Battery and can be recharged from any USB enabled socket or a mains charger. SMC Networks offers full quantity shipments of the SMCWSKP100 to its partners across Europe with an initial English Language version. French, German, Portuguese, Italian and Spanish language version units will follow in Q4, 2006.
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Further information about the partnership between SMC, The Cloud and Skype can be viewed in an online film at:
http://www.talkingaboutit.com/index.php?video_id=567&cat=0
About SMC Networks
SMC Networks is a leading provider of LAN hardware and broadband connectivity devices. Globally, SMC Networks leverages manufacturing resources and strategic relationships to bring to market a growing range of affordable, leading-edge products; including Gigabit and Fast Ethernet Switching, Wireless networking, Broadband connectivity products as well as traditional wired network adapters. SMC Networks specialises in solutions for the SMB/e, and the home. Worldwide, SMC delivers network solutions through an infrastructure of VAR partners, ISPs and retailers.
About The Cloud
The Cloud offers sophisticated hotspot, hotzone and metro WiFi coverage at over 8,500 locations including airports, hotels and railway stations throughout the UK, Nordics, Germany and The Netherlands. The Cloud's infrastructure is a multi-service provider platform, which allows providers such as ISPs, mobile operators, gaming, VOIP and broadband companies to offer a fully branded WiFi experience to their customers. With The Cloud, site owners maximise their revenue potential by supporting all major service providers at their location and customers enjoy choice of provider and the best possible user experience.
Launched in mid 2003, The Cloud actively partners with Vonage, O2, BT, Vodafone, Skype, iPass, Nintendo and Intel, among others, to facilitate the growth of open platform wireless broadband services across Europe. The Cloud’s investors, include 3i, Accel and the Scandinavian VC, Provider Venture Partners.
For more information please contact:
SMC PR Anne Harding or Nicky Ellis
The Message Machine
Tel: 01895 631448/634573
email: nicky@themessagemachine.com
THE CLOUD PR
Matt Campbell
Mantra
Tel: +44 207 907 7828
mcampbell@mantra-pr.com