Skype Offers Live Language Translation for a Fee

Skype has teamed up with two firms to provide an on-the-fly, $2.99 a minute, interpreters service in more than 150 languages for callers using the VoIP service. It relies on the oldest medium for intercultural communication: human interpreters.

Conversations using the service can include up to five callers at a time. Average connection time to reach an interpreter is claimed to be 45 seconds or less. Interpreter costs are automatically charged to the caller's SkypeOut account.

The service uses Voxeo's Prophecy voice platform to automate the process of transferring the call from Skype to Language Line Services, which provides the translators.