The service allows users to communicate with peers by voice using a microphone, video by using a webcam, and instant messaging over the Internet. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free of charge, while calls to landline telephones and mobile phones are charged via a debit-based user account system. Skype has also become popular for its additional features, including file transfer, and videoconferencing.instant messaginglandline telephonesmobile phonesdebitfile transfervideoconferencing Skype's original proposed name (Sky Peer-to- Peer) reflects this fact.

History Skype was founded in 2003 by Janus Friis from Denmark and Niklas Zennström from Sweden. The Skype software was developed by Estonians Ahti Heinla, Priit Kasesalu, and Jaan Tallinn, who together with Friis and Zennström were also behind the peer-to- peer file sharing software Kazaa.In August 2003, the first public beta version was released.Janus FriisNiklas ZennströmEstoniansAhti HeinlaJaan TallinnKazaa

Features Skype allows registered users to communicate through both instant messaging and voice chat. Voice chat allows telephone calls between pairs of users and conference calling, and uses a proprietary audio codec. Skype's text chat client allows group chats,emoticons, storing chat history and editing of previous messages.telephone callscodecemoticons

Video conferencingVideo conferencing between two users was introduced in January 2006 for the Windows and Mac OS X platform clients. Skype 2.0 for Linux, released on 13 March 2008, also features support for video conferencing.WindowsMac OS XLinux Skype for Windows, starting with version , supports "High Quality Video" with quality and features, e.g. full-screen and screen-in-screen modes, similar to those of mid-range videoconferencing systems. Skype audio conferences currently support up to 25 people at a time, including the host. Skype does not provide the ability to call emergency numbers.emergency numbers

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