Here’s an interesting data just released by TeleGeography showing Skype getting 50% increase in its share of international calling minutes in 2009 from data of 2008. Skype managed to post a 12% market share in international calling minutes in 2009 from 2008’s 8%.

This interesting because for awhile I thought Skype has already lost its luster. With so many mobile apps that enables you to do free international calling via VOIP such as Fring and other Skype rivals including iPhone applications.

So it is but laudable that according to the Telegeography report Skype was able to accelerate Skype-to-Skype international calling minutes at the rate of almost 100%.

Over at the Skype  Journal, Skype’s Sten Tamkivi gave a comprehensively interesting recount of how Skype has managed to achieve its current position right now after being a startup in 2003. Indeed, despite the trials and travails that Skype have passed through, it’s amazing that it is still alive and going strong.

Are you still using Skype to communicate with business contacts located worldwide? Or have you used other free mobile VOIP applications? I’ve got Skype in my Mac, Desktop PC, netbook and even iPhone and yet I don’t really get to use Skype  that much. I still prefer to communicate with business contacts through the old email system.