LUXEMBOURG, December 5, 2006 – Skype, the global Internet communication company, will open a development branch in Prague in early 2007 and plans to hire up to 30 senior software developers by the end of that year.

Prague-based positions will represent about 20 percent of the company’s product-engineering workforce. The announcement cements Skype’s commitment to the Czech Republic, where the company recently launched a co-branding partnership with Centrum.cz.

„It’s amazing how quickly Skype has been embraced by Czech consumers,“ said Ott Kaukver, Skype’s Director of Engineering. „Now we’re looking to engage Czech software engineers as well. They are among the best in the world and have a lot to contribute to future generations of our product.“

In just over three years, the worldwide Skype community has grown to over 136 million people who enjoy Skype conversations at home, at work and, increasingly, on the move. The award-winning software is now available on a wide variety of platforms, from computers and handhelds to cordless dual phones and sleek WiFi phones that run Skype without requiring a computer. The nature of Skype has also evolved: thanks to innovations such as Skypecasts and public chats, it helps people connect on a community level, too, in addition to individual conversations.

„Amid such explosive growth, we need to delight more users and we must do it faster and better than ever. Our hand-picked Czech team will contribute to it at the very core of the Skype technology,“ Kaukver said. „And with people from 33 nationalities already working at Skype, we’re excited to add some Czech flavor to the cultural mix.“

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