VoIP and messaging provider Skype has announced the signing of its 100 millionth user.

"As far as we know, no internet program has hit that mark in two and a half years since its birth," Skype boasted on a company blog. 

Skype was founded in 2004 by Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis. Zennström also co-founded Kazaa, a peer-to-peer file sharing client that has been downloaded nearly 390 million times.

Skype develops an internet telephony and messaging application that allows users to place phone calls over the internet free of charge, and call regular telephone numbers at a discounted rate.

The firm also offers premium services such as voice mail and inbound phone calls. The company was acquired by eBay last September for $2.6bn.