Soon, you can make landline calls from WhatsApp, Skype, Viber

Users of popular internet applications may soon be able to make voice calls to landlines from Skype, WhatsApp and Viber.

Following a clearance from the inter-ministerial panel of the government, subscribers will be able to terminate calls on the landline or mobile networks of any service provider - ranging from MTNL or BSNL's fixed lines to the mobile numbers on Airtel, Vodafone or Idea Cellular, reported a leading daily. 

The decision to allow inter-connect agreements between ISPs and telecom operators will be a shot in the arm for Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio Infocomm, which will soon begin services across the country, the report said. 

This move may reduce the voice call charges, however, the quality of the voice call will depend upon the service provider's service.

"The move has been cleared by the inter-ministerial telecom commission and groundwork to get it going will start soon," the daily reported. 

However, for transferring calls on mobile operators networks, Trai will have to address the issue of termination charges that internet companies will need to pay.