Skype will begin testing an upgrade of its free communications software that can automatically detect phone numbers in webpages and initiate calls.Skype 3.0, which will be launched in a beta version Wednesday, also features community conference calls and text chats, as well as IT management features.Skype, which debuted in August 2003 and was acquired by eBay last year, has popularized Internet telephony, along with providing instant messaging, file transfers and video communications. Skype has about 136 million registered users in 200 countries, and adds about 250,000 registered users every day, according to the company. Its revenue is expected to more than triple this year to US$195 million.The new feature that recognizes telephone numbers in a webpage is called Click-to-call. It allows users to place calls to those numbers using the fee-based SkypeOut service. Meanwhile, the IT capabilities will let network administrators remotely manage Skype deployments among their end users. Two other new features are Skypecasts and public chats, which are conference calls and text chats in which people with a common interest can gather to communicate with each other. Finally, the user interface has been modified to make it easier and simpler to find commands and perform actions.This software upgrade reflects Skype’s strategy of diversifying beyond Internet telephony toward other modes of online communications and of finding new revenue streams beyond phone charges, said Niklas Zennstrom, Skype’s chief executive officer and cofounder, at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco Tuesday.Eventually, the price of telephone calls will continue falling until they are free, so Skype needs to generate revenue from other sources like e-commerce and advertising, he said.-Juan Carlos Perez, IDG News Service (Miami Bureau)Related Links: Skype Preps Enterprise-Friendly VoIP Software Philips, Netgear Unveil 1st PC-Free Skype Phones Web Leaders: Mobile is Tough Nut to CrackCheck out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content how-to How to create an effective business continuity plan A business continuity plan outlines procedures and instructions an organization must follow in the face of disaster, whether fire, flood, or cyberattack. Here’s how to create a plan that gives your business the best chance of surviving such an By Mary K. Pratt, Ed Tittel, Kim Lindros Dec 07, 2023 11 mins Small and Medium Business Small and Medium Business Small and Medium Business interview WestRock CIDO Amir Kazmi on building resiliency Multidimensional resiliency is vital to setting yourself, your teams, and your organization up for success. Kazmi sets the tone at WestRock by recognizing the pace of change, instilling a learning and growth mindset, and being transparent with his te By Dan Roberts Dec 07, 2023 8 mins IT Strategy Staff Management IT Leadership brandpost Sponsored by FPT Software Time for New Partnership Paradigms to Be Future-fit By Veronica Lew Dec 06, 2023 5 mins Vendors and Providers brandpost Sponsored by BMC Why CIOs should prioritize AIOps in 2024 AIOps empowers IT to manage services by incorporating AI/ML into operations. By Jeff Miller Dec 06, 2023 3 mins IT Leadership Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe