Skype is expanding its video- and audio-conferencing options through a new deal that will let it tap into Citrix's popular GoToMeeting software.

Skype said yesterday that partnering with Citrix to integrate GoToMeeting technology will help it expand its business service by offering more robust and user-friendly collaboration and online meeting tools.

Specifically, the company plans to enhance its Skype for Business option with Web- and audio-conferencing features to add to the service's existing IM, video calling, and file-sharing tools. Business users will be able to more easily and quickly set up online audio conferences using either Skype or the regular phone network. Screen sharing will also be improved, according to Skype, allowing meeting hosts to demo and highlight anything on their screen. Finally, a new audio codec should boost the quality of the calls themselves.

"We are thrilled to partner with Citrix, which offers one of the most popular and easy to use Web-conferencing solutions on the market today," David Gurle, vice president and general manager of Skype Enterprise, said in a statement. "Web and audio conferencing has been among the top requested features by our business users. This represents a significant step toward broadening our enterprise offerings, while adding features that will enable business people to collaborate even more efficiently and effectively."

Skype expects to roll out the new GoToMeeting-enabled conferencing features toward the end of the year.