GGoogle chat vs Skype

[Claude Jones]

On 09/25/2011 09:20 AM, Aaron Konstam wrote:
> That is one of the things I don't understand. Google has not asked me for money
> to telephone.  I live in San Antonio and I called my son in Chicago. I
> have no account with Google and as far as I can see the call was free.
> Can someone explain this?

The service is free for now - that's the short explanation. They intend 
to start charging, and were supposed to start this year, but they 
quietly announced an extension to the free service last year. They are 
building up a user base and presumably, they'll offer enhancements to 
the service at some point which they will start charging for...something 
like that. With MS in charge now, I wouldn't expect it to stay free much 
longer.

-- 
Claude Jones
Brunswick, MD, USA