Lycos Phone, now in public beta, offers VoIP services as well as features such as free streaming video and a built-in MP3 player.

Monday, March 27th 2006 @ 6:50 AM PST, By Nino Marchetti Staff Writer, Digital Trends News

Lycos today rolled out their VoIP offering which they say is the Internet?s first ever of its type to ?combine robust entertainment features?. The new Lycos Phone software application is powered by Globe7.

Lycos Phone, said the online portal, is downloadable for free and currently available for Windows based machines. Users using this application will be able to make free PC to PC and video PC to PC calls as well as receiving free incoming calls from landline or mobile phones.

Other features of Lycos Phone include free streaming video on demand, a built-in MP3 player, free U.S. phone number, free fax and free voicemail to email.

"This partnership with Globe7 allows Lycos to team with a best-of-breed global platform, leveraging Globe7's real-time communications infrastructure to provide other innovative services like Internet Protocol television," said Alfred Tolle, CEO of Lycos, Inc, in a statement. "We are in a very unique position to now provide this audio and video distribution platform to our millions of independent content creators throughout the Lycos Network."