8x8 (News - Alert), Inc. has reduced Packet8 international calling rates to select countries and added Mexico to the list of overseas locations where subscribers may obtain a virtual phone number.

 

Introduced in 2002, Packet8 is a broadband telephone and videophone service, enabling users with broadband Internet access to make calls to anywhere in the U.S., Canada, and eight additional countries for a fee per month.

 

The company said that Packet8 subscribers can now save on calls to some countries with the new rates. The new call rates are $.01 per minute to China, $.059 per minute to India, $.10 per minute to Vietnam and $.13 per minute to the Philippines.

 

8x8 has made these rates available to all Packet8 business and residential customers, including MobileTalk subscribers. For frequent international callers, Packet8 offers unlimited global calling plans starting at $29.99 per month, according to the company.

 

8x8 also announced the availability of International Virtual Numbers in Mexico. Company officials pointed out that Packet8 subscribers who would like to establish a “virtual presence in Mexico” for business or personal reasons may secure a local phone number from one of 16 cities in that country for $9.99 per month.

 

Packet8 currently offers International Virtual Numbers in 19 different countries. 8x8 is a provider of Packet8 broadband Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), videophone and mobile VoIP communication services.

 

In addition to residential Packet8 service plans priced at $24.99 per month for unlimited anytime calling to the U.S., Canada and eight additional countries, 8x8 offers the Packet8 Tango Video Terminal Adapter along with accompanying monthly service plans also priced at $24.99 per month.

 

Last month, the company announced the availability of the Packet8 Virtual Office hosted iPBX business phone solution for salesforce.com’s AppExchange marketplace.

 

With the Packet8 Virtual Office Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) application, the company said, Salesforce users can increase productivity by employing an integrated phone solution that offers digital voice, hosted iPBX features and communication tools such as onscreen dialing and contact driven screen pops direct from their Salesforce database.