Skype, which offers free phone calls to anyone with an Internet connection, is preparing to mark its second anniversary next week by opening up its platform to anyone who wants to integrate Skype's presence and instant messaging services into their website or application.

With this move, anyone will be able to integrate both presence and instant messaging features into websites and applications such as online gaming, e-commerce, communications and productivity tools, instantly building community and connections between people who can chat and alert others to their online availability. As a result, Skype is expected to create the largest open instant messaging platform in the world.

"In two short years, Skype has pioneered a revolution in global Internet communications by making it simple for anyone with an Internet connection to make and receive superior quality phone calls for free," said Niklas Zennstrom, Skype CEO and co-founder.

"Skype's mission is to make communicating through the Internet natural and easy to do, so in addition to voice communications we offer the power of both instant messaging and presence, which have become as ubiquitous as email over the last five years," he said, "As we enter our third year in business and as the only company totally focused on global Internet communications, we think now is a perfect time to make these popular features available to anyone who wants to build community and communications into their website or applications."

According to the company, in just two years, Skype recorded over 150 million downloads in 225 countries and territories; over 51 million people registered to use Skype's free services; over 3 million people using the service concurrently; over 12 billion minutes served; and over 2 million people created accounts for Skype's paid services.