Skype (News - Alert) has always been free to install and use, but if you want the full edition with all the features, you’ll have to pay. Fortunately, Skype has made that easier, with MACH direct operator billing. Skype users can use their mobile devices to securely and easily purchase Skype Credit, which they can pay for using a pre-paid account balance or as part of their monthly cell phone bill.

Direct operator billing provides an efficient and easy way for users to pay for Skype, opening up new options for using its many services and features. The prices are unchanged from regular Skype Credit, so users won’t have to worry about paying extra for the convenience.

At the moment, the mobile payment option is available in Russia, and will be made available in the U.S. and Canada soon. More countries will start seeing the option throughout 2013, bringing in new Skype customers in the days to come.

Image via The Telegraph

“We are proud of our heritage in delivering a strong user experience and are pleased that our direct operator billing payment option is now live!” proclaims Jason Macklin, Skype’s director of billing and payments. “As well as our existing users benefitting from this new payment option, we expect direct operator billing to attract new customers who are looking for more convenient ways to manage their spend. Since the announcement of our partnership with MACH (News - Alert) in September last year, we have seen direct operator billing gather momentum in North America and Russia, and we are looking forward to rolling the solution out in additional markets in the near future.”

MACH’s Direct Billing Gateway (News - Alert) is connected to mobile operators in the U.S., Canada, and Russia through its partnership with payvia. Through that, it allows mobile Internet service providers to charge for services through a mobile phone bill, providing one less monthly bill to keep track of and improving transaction completion rates. Your credits will be fine through this, and the services will remain at their best.

For those who use the paid version of Skype, it’s a great way to pay for its services. Skype is one of the most common chat programs on the market, thanks to its many features and affordable pricing, so providing an easier way to pay for it should appeal to many customers.