The WebMessenger client allows BlackBerry users to leverage the free or very low calling rates offered through their Skype accounts while they are way from their computers.
Very simply, if you have a wireless phone with a data plan, as with your BlackBerry, and you are in service coverage, you can see presence, IM, and call your contacts on one of the cheapest rate plans around, Skype’s. It does trigger a call back to your phone (if you configure your account that way) which may impact your cellular minutes plan, but you’re assured of getting virtually the lowest rates possible regardless of who you are actually trying to reach, whether they are on their cell phone, running Skype on their desktop, or calling someone’s landline in Greece.
Presence allows you to see if that contact is on-line and available. By just calling someone from your phone, you do not know if they are available and often you incur the time and cost of calling them only to get dumped into voice mail. It’s much quicker and easier to send a quick chat to see if they can talk. They respond when they can, you then click and call.
These benefits are also significantly magnified for those who need to do a quick conference call with a couple of colleagues, friends, or perhaps with a customer and a support representative back at the office. You can see them on-line, ask if they can do a quick call, then click on them and go.
Also, WebMessenger has been developing presence and mobile IM applications since 2000 and we are one of the original BlackBerry ISV Business Alliance partners. Our client applications and interconnectivity are robust across all carrier networks, whether you are using T-Mobile, Cingular, Verizon, etc.
To clarify on one earlier post, you do not need a SkypeOut account to chat, only to make phone calls.
We also understand that some customers will not be able to use this due to the requirement of having Skype running on your PC. We are planning to address this in upcoming versions of the product. For those of you who are able to keep Skype running, we encourage you to send all of your thoughts, comments, and questions on the use of the product directly to us at
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Thank you all for your interest in our product and for taking the time to post about us on the forum.
Joe Naylor
Chief Marketing Officer and VP Product Development
WebMessenger, Inc.