Skype for Asterisk now available

As Skype acquisition rumors swirl, Digium, makers of the Asterisk open source PBX, announced the formal launch of Skype for Asterisk, a software load that will allow seamless access to Skype services using Asterisk PBXs. Skype for Asterisk, which was announced at AstriCon [1] Sept. 25, 2008, has been in beta testing with more than 4,000 participants, according to Digium's Pete Engler. The product, which carries a one-time, per-channel license fee of $66, is now available for purchase at the Digium store.

Engler, product manager for strategic products for Digium, said the beta group included businesses and VARs that saw the integration of Skype for Asterisk as a way to lower costs while also improving functionality.

"We see this as being a product than can go into existing Asterisk deployments, but also allows VARs to build new Asterisk solutions," Engler said. "It will allow them to go into green field opportunities to companies that may not have considered an Asterisk box. Everyone you talk to is familiar with Skype, so it helps when a company may not be familiar with Digium or Asterisk."

Matthew Jordan, enterprise business development manager for Skype, said the integration with Asterisk IP PBXs brings a level of functionality to the Skype client that it doesn't have natively.

"I'll give an example: A website has a click-to-call button to enable a native Skype call, and a Japanese user initiates a session," Jordan said. "If the call is going to the Skype for Asterisk PBX, it routes the call via the Skype profile for that user, and serves up a Japanese menu immediately."

Work on the project was split evenly among developers at both companies, according to Engler. He said the level of interest in the beta offering made him think that the Skype for Asterisk offering will be well received.