Come Monday and we would see Lycos Phone, touted as the first ever virtually free VoIP integrated communications platform and it combines IM, video, chat, real time video on demand streaming content and MP3 player.

Using it one would be able to call any U.S. based PSTN number for free. Does this make Lycos the first Phone the first VoIP client to offer free PSTN calls to U.S. numbers? As far as I can remember Dialpad had offered it briefly earlier with advertisements. Brian Kalinowski, COO, Lycos has announced that calls made anywhere in the world using their software to any U.S. number would be free.

It is being launched in partnership with Globe7.com and as per the terms of the agreement this application cannot appear on any portal

Most of the services being offered are free. Let's check them out:

Users would be able to make free calls from PC to PC
Free PC to PC video calls
Free incoming calls from any landline or cell phone worldwide
Hundred minutes of free PC to landline and PC to cell phone calls
Additional free minutes offered through various promotional schemes
As compared to Skype and Yahoo, a free U.S. phone number
Free FAX and free voicemail to email

The client can pull dynamic content from Lycos such as multimedia content, sports scores etc. The company plans to make the client a portal in order to keep the users engrossed within the application so that they can view offers and advertisements. It also leverages XML, so users can add their own XML feeds.

I believe that it is perfect for people who relish the taste of free stuff. It will appeal to several market segments. Lycos seems to have set a new yardstick in the VoIP market. Will it spell doomsday for Skype and the newly launched Yahoo Messenger VoIP?

Check out www.lycos.globe7.com for more details