Recently I read about the BNP's free phone line which pays for the cost of the calls in (not necessarily to call the BNP, more to leave the phone hanging in the phone box).  Today, entirely unrelated to the BNP, the same thing hits Skype. with click to call ads hitting Windows.  The latest version for Windows - Skype 4.1 - comes with a browser plug-in which highlights phone numbers on websites.  Not only this, but there's a "Free Call" option displayed by companies.  One free call for you, whilst the company pays for the SkypeOut minutes.  Usefully it's not the company that pays for it, it's the directory listing service who will do.  Would you be more inclined to use a search directory with free calls?

Today this launched with European Directories, "one of the largest business directory services in Europe."  This isn't the first venture down click-to-call-ads as newer company Yext started this a while ago.  Skype's being outdone by its younger, more less-nicely named rival which also has $25 million of new funding.

Interestingly, Yext is monitoring the use of the call; using smart speech-to-text software  (something which Spinvox could have used) to see whether the call leads to action.  Skype meanwhile has no plans to focus on pay-per-action ads, which is fine: if it can get a small percentage of its 480 million users clicking, then it's sorted.  Interestingly, if the technology by Yext to transcribe calls works, Spinvox might do a little roll in its grave.