With the recent launch of Skype Prime, a service that allows a caller to enable paid skype voice and video calls you can charge a one-off fee or by the minute, paid calling services received a little boost. The only thing here is that both parties need to have the latest version of Skype, which is beta, and be registered with Skype Prime. You can then make paid calls or vice versa, the receiver gets the money into his paypal account. Skype keeps a 30% fee from your total call revenue for providing the service.

WeSquare aims to help a skype prime user from paying that fee by providing a web based system whereby both parties can easily keep a tab on the amount of time they have spent talking and charge their rate. The site claims they do not take any commissions, are free to use and there is no software to download. So instead of going through skype prime I would just say let’s use WeSquare, it’s a great time management web app and it’s free. You say sure, and I save the 30% fee. Nice.

Also, you can use any IM service with this web based time software, not just skype. As long as both parties have an account on WeSquare you can sell your paid to talk service to anybody interested. Correction: Buyers don’t need to register or have an account before using the service.

To me both the services have drawbacks, as a skype prime provider would need to advertise that they sell such a service with skype prime otherwise there is no way of knowing you do, the same with WeSquare you still have to advertise yourself. Plus you need to register with WeSquare whereas you have a more higher chance of getting a person to call you who already uses skype. Perhaps if any of them had marketplaces or listings it would make this whole business easier.

With WeSquare both parties see the time they have spent talking and you can pause and stop as you please. For a full video demo, go here. They handle payments through paypal as well. { can somebody please build another web based payment processor, it’s about time! }

The paid to call business is still in its infancy and surely with Skype entering it will get some leverage, but it all boils down to how many people are actually comfortable doing it?

Technorati Tags: wesquare, skype, web 2.0

About the author

Hyder has been blogging for the past two years on this blog. He started Weborithm, his web company, in 2007 and along with designing blogs and websites also releases various web related products.