Call via Skype with 9 Verizon phones

Starting from Thursday Verizon Wireless will sell its nine phone models utilizing Skype's popular telephony application.

Verizon Wireless expects Skype to attract a big enough number of new data to the company that it will offset any revenue declines.

The Skype Mobile application, which Skype worked closely with Verizon to develop, will let Verizon's data subscribers exchange phone calls with other Skype members at no extra cost. That’s why Verizon Wireless may lose revenue from long distance calls, but it said this would not be material.

The venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone Group Plc said it would eventually offer Skype on other smartphones, but would first concentrate on Research In Motion's BlackBerry devices and phones running Google Inc's Android software system.

Verizon Wireless plans to connect Skype users on its traditional voice network instead of over the Internet, which is where Skype has traditionally routed calls in order to cut fees to consumers.

Verizon Wireless intends to eventually deliver Skype calls over the Internet when it launches a higher speed network.

The companies said that while other operators can offer a version of Skype, no other operator would be able to offer the Skype mobile app that Verizon will.