Commenting on Google’s August 25 unveiling of a Gmail phone-calling application, a number of analysts said that, in order to offer substantial competition to Skype Technologies SA and rival Web-phone providers, Google would have to add more mobile capabilities and support for business customers to its Internet-calling service.

According to a Google blog post, the new Web-calling feature has been rolled out for Gmail users in the US and Canada.

The new feature essentially allows users to make voice calls to a wireless or landline number from a computer. Initially, calls to numbers within the US and Canada will be free, at least till the end of the year; while the costs of other calls will range from between 2 cents and $4.99 per minute, depending on the country.

Noting that the Gmail phone-calling service lacks features that would help Google offer notable competition to Internet telephony leader Skype, analyst Jayanth Angl, at Info-Tech Research Group in London, Ontario, pointed that the service does not yet boast accessibility via Google’s package of business software; thereby implying that users cannot use the feature from their mobile handsets.

In comparison, Skype already has a noteworthy deal in place with Verizon Wireless, US’ leading mobile-phone carrier, for the installation of its Web-calling software on phones. In addition, Cisco Systems and ShoreTel Inc. have also agreed to help sell Skype’s software to corporations.