Skype is offering group video calling for free now. The group video calling system was introduced back in 2010 as a premium service for up to 10 people. This free group calling feature is presently available on Windows, Mac and Xbox one.
Skype has had a lot of competition lately, not the least of which from Google, which offers free group video chat through its Hangouts platform and has since launch. Keeping it behind a paywall made less and less sense, and with Microsoft fuelling the company and making a big push into getting its services onto more platforms, turning this into something everyone can enjoy free of charge is basically the only way to go.
Microsoft previously offered the feature as part of its Skype Premium service, a $8.99 monthly subscription that includes some free calls as part of a larger package. An individual day pass to access Skype Premium and group video calling cost $4.99 alone. Skype group video calling allows users to participate in video chats with up to 10 people using PCs or Macs. Microsoft’s change of policy is part of a broader push by the company to position Skype more competitively against rivals.
The low-key offer is part of a promotion called the Skype Collaboration Project. To qualify, Skype users merely need to enter their email address, upon which they’ll be sent a voucher code.
Aside from group video calls – which allow up to ten people to join the same conversation, although Skype recommends a maximum of five – the offer also includes free group screen sharing, so you can talk participants through a presentation, for example.
Users also qualify for free live chat customer support.
