Skype is now available on a range of Android phones. The app is free  for downloading from the Android Market. With the new app, you can Make free Skype-to-Skype calls, Send and receive IMs for free, one-to-one or with a group an Call phones at Skype’s rates – over Wi-fi or 3G (barring US).

To make calls to phones abroad, you need to dial the number in Skype and pay with Skype Credit – or subscribe to an ‘unlimited data plan’ to make innumerable calls with a subscription. If you already use Skype on a PC, the full contact list will be displayed when you sign in to Skype on your Android phone. If not, you need to set up an account. You can download Skype from the Android Market, or from skype.com/m on your phone. The app runs on Android OS 2.1 or later.

The downside is in the US, users can make calls only over Wi-Fi. Bad. Is there no way around the ‘Wi-Fi-only’ lock? Well, if you really must know, there is. For Android developer Xeudoxus has hacked into the app and tweaked it to allow users to make called over 3G as well. And we hear, users do not need to root their devices for this. All they need to do is download the modded Skype APK, tap ‘Install’ and run it to unlock Skype. So using this modded Skype apk you can make 3G calls in US also.

Skype is not available in the Android Market in China or Japan. The app has been tested on HTC and Motorola devices with Android OS 2.1 and above. It may work on other Android phones, but Skype does not guarantee full functionality or compatibility.