Yahoo unleashes Phone Out in the States

Last August, we told you about Yahoo Messenger with Voice 7, which allowed users to make free PC-to-PC voice calls, à la Skype. Yesterday, Yahoo announced the availability of Messenger with Voice 7.5 to U.S. users. (It's been available in several other countries since December.) This latest version of Yahoo's IM and voice service includes the Phone Out functionality, which allows users to make PC-to-phone voice calls. Calls to the United States and more than 30 other countries average less than 2 cents per minute, which is 20 to 30 percent less than the average SkypeOut rates.

Yahoo's Phone In service lets users purchase a phone number for less than $2.50 per month. People on cell phones and landlines can call you on your PC, and you can even choose a number in a different area code or country. Skype's SkypeIn option lets you do the same thing but charges 10 euros, or approximately $12, for 3 months, making Yahoo's Phone In the cheaper option.