19 April 2009

MOSCOW, April 16, 2009 - Skype today announced that Skype Credit voucher codes are now available to buy from 72.000 QIWI cash-in kiosks across Russia. In response to demand for a convenient payment option in Russia, this makes Skype's paid-for features more accessible to Russian Skype users by providing a familiar and convenient way to buy Skype Credit.

While Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls and instant messaging are free on Skype, users need a little Skype Credit on their account if they want to save money and use Skype to call their friends, family and colleagues on their phones or mobiles. Skype Credit can also be used to purchase other paid features such as Skype's subscriptions or to send SMS's to mobiles.

QIWI Private Cabinet payment system is the first to offer the Skype voucher codes for sale in Russia. They can now be purchased from Russia's biggest cash-in QIWI kiosk chain, in a way that for millions of Russians has become customary to pay for mobile, ISP, cable TV and home utility bills. Users then redeem their voucher code at www.skype.com/voucher to instantly top-up their Skype account. This offers an alternative and easy way to purchase Skype Credit for users who do not have a bank card, and a great way to buy credit for their friends and family too.

"Skype constantly seeks new opportunities to become more accessible and trouble-free for our users," said Enrico Noseda, Skype's Director for European Market Development. "whether it's ease-of-use, being able to use Skype on your mobile phone when on the move, or making payment options simple. To meet the demand for Skype's paid features it is a natural step for Skype to take advantage of the ubiquity of cash-in kiosks and their popularity in Russia".

"Launch of sales of Skype voucher codes through QIWI cash-in kiosks makes the paid features of this very popular software available to its users across Russia", said Andrey Popkov, Executive Director of QIWI Private Cabinet project. "I am sure that QIWI customers will see the value of this new opportunity and will actively use it".

The ability for users to use the QIWI Private Cabinet system is a result of the payment system developed by Skype and Yandex.Money, Skype's long-standing partner in Russia, who has been providing online payment services to Skype users in Russia since December 2006.

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