You can't completely pigeonhole Skype when it serves both as a partial substitute for traditional phone service and an instant messagingservice with voice and video on top.
CallWave is now focused on a new service, called Fuze, which brings all forms of communication (instant messaging, alerts, voice and video) together on any portable device.
London-based Skype Technologies distributes an application that works like an instant messagingservice, but instead of trading text, users plug in a microphone and speakers and have a voice conversation.