Skype Comes to Nokia Ovi Store

…and the movement to VOIP over 3G takes yet another step forward. Today, Nokia and Skype jointly announced that Skype would be available on Nokia’s Ovi Store.

Skype for Symbian enables Nokia smartphone users to:
- Make free Skype-to-Skype calls to other Skype users anywhere in the world*
- Save money on calls and texts (SMS) to phones abroad
- Send and receive instant messages to and from individuals or groups
- Share pictures, videos and other files
- Receive calls to their existing online number
- See when Skype contacts are online and available to call or IM
- Easily import names and numbers from the phone’s address book

This gives Nokia an added boost in the face of decreasing marketshare at the hands of Android and the iPhone. The inclusion of the Skype VOIP app will allow users to make voice calls over their 3G data connection, rather than use up their (relatively) expensive voice minutes.

Mobile VOIP seems to be the way of the future, as data speeds increase, and data plans become (slowly) cheaper. It will be interesting to see how the telcos adapt, as voice plans and all of their additions such as SMS, voicemail, caller ID etc, are their bread and butter right now, and these features are all included for free with a $3/month Skype unlimited calling plan, and/or Google Voice.