Skype gives prepaid cards a try in Mexico
Adapting to local habits, the Internet-calling company introduces a new payment option focused on those who may not have credit cards.
Skype has now introduced a new payment option for users in Mexico.
The company has launched two prepaid cards for the country -- a $100 pesos card and a $150 pesos card -- it announced on its Skype HQ blog yesterday.
Dubbed "Skype Cards," the prepayment products do not require a credit card or continual subscription to use.
The $100 pesos card offers a monthly calling plan with unlimited calls to landlines and mobile phones in the U.S, while the $150 pesos card is a "pay as you go" system for calls to numbers in over 170 countries through a pay-per-minute system. The latter option also includes access to other paid products, including group video calling.
Citing data from the Central Bank of Mexico, Skype said "the large majority of the Mexican community does not have credit cards, one of the main payment options required to purchase Skype products online." By adding prepaid cards, the company will be opening up its potential market in a country where credit cards are scarce.
The cards will be available at local retailers including El Palacio de Hierro, 7 Eleven, Radio Shack, and Best Buy.