Skype, Language Line Services, Voxeo to Debut Global Translation Service

Skype, the voice-over IP (VoIP) provider, Language Line Services, a language services company, and Voxeo, a firm that offers interactive voice response and VoIP platforms, on Thursday announced a joint service that will simplify communications between people who speak different languages wherever they’re situated, according to a May 11 press release on VoIP-magazine.com.

The new service will allow English-speaking people or entities across the globe to “talk instantly to anyone, anywhere in the world, at any time, regardless of the language.” Live representatives of Language Line Services will be able to translate 150 different languages, including English, Japanese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Italian and Russian, among others.

The service, called Language Line Personal Interpreter, will allow for five-way conferencing for Skype users along with a professional Language Line Services interpreter on the line.

“Skype is committed to providing its millions of global customers with excellent service regardless of the languages they speak,” said Saul Klein, Skype’s vice president of marketing. “Our consumers can now use the Skype technology to easily communicate in the languages their customers and friends prefer to speak.”

The translation service costs $2.99 per minute, and it’s available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Users are charged for usage via their SkypeOut accounts.

Voxeo will automate the call transfer process from Skype to Language Line Services with its Prophecy voice platform.

For related news coverage, read Skype Reaches 100M User Mark and Skype Debuts 100-Person Conference Feature.

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