National Wi-Fi hotspot provider Skyrove has inked a deal with US Internet telephony company Skype that will allow consumers to use their Skype credit to buy wireless Internet access.

Skyrove MD Henk Kleynhans says the agreement is aimed mainly at foreign visitors to SA who want to reduce their exposure to high cellphone roaming charges. However, South Africans will also be able to use the service, which will go live in November.

The cost of the service must still be determined, though billing will be time-based, not usage-based.

Kleynhans says if users fire up Skype when in a Skyrove hotspot, the software will ask them if they want to use their Skype credits to connect to the Internet. Skype will then reimburse Skyrove for minutes used.

Consumers can then use Skyrove’s network to make free Skype-to-Skype calls, or dial out to network operators’ numbers at Skype’s published rates.

The agreement between Skype and Skyrove is not exclusive and Skype is free to reach similar agreements with other local Wi-Fi providers.

In a separate development, Skyrove has reached an agreement with another Wi-Fi hotspot provider, WirelessG, that will allow users to connect to the Internet using either company’s hotspots. This means Skyrove and WirelessG users will be able to connect to the Internet at about 1 800 wireless access points countrywide.

It’s not yet clear if Skyrove’s Skype deal will be extended to include WirelessG hotspots. — Duncan McLeod, TechCentral