Skype Hype Machine Keeps on Rollin'

[Pat Logsdon]

<img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/logsdon_20050324_skype.jpg" /><br /><br />In this particular case, there's actually a bit more than hype, as Skype truly seems to be making big inroads into established telecommunication and hardware channels. To recap, Skype has signed deals with Carrier Devices, Motorola, HTC and Siemens AG. And a boatload of others that I can't remember at the moment. ;) IDG News Service interviewed Niklas Zennström, CEO of Skype and he revealed a few interesting tidbits that are worth sharing:<br /><br />"<b>IDGNS</b>: Your service appears to be growing strongly. What are your numbers?<br /><b>Zennström</b>: Skype is growing extremely rapidly: We have 29 million users and are adding 155,000 users each day. Most of them run the software on their computers, but we also have around 1.3 million Pocket PC users. <br /><b>IDGNS</b>: Skype has attracted numerous users because it's free. But last year, you launched a new service, called SkypeOut, that allows users to pay for VOIP calls terminating in the public telephone network. How's that service doing?<br /><b>Zennström</b>: We now have around 1 million customers for this service. They pay €0.017 (US$0.023 ) to call to any landline in 20 countries. We're also working on a logical counterpart: SkypeIn, which accepts calls from the public telephone network. <br /><b>IDGNS</b>: You're working to let Skype users send and receive SMS (Short Message Service) text messages. What else can we expect?<br /><b>Zennström</b>: Let's wait and see. In October, we released an API (application programming interface). Software developers can develop a lot of other applications with this API. One company, for instance, has developed an SMS gateway for Skype users to both send and receive text messages. Another company has developed an answering service. So we're starting to see more and more companies develop applications around this API."<br /><br />It's a fairly interesting exchange, and definitely worth checking out if you're interested in Skype or VoIP.

[MS Mobiles]

We're also working on a logical counterpart: SkypeIn, which accepts calls from the public telephone network.


working? me thinks it's done. I have SkypeIn service and it works fine. Skype rocks so much.

[OSUKid7]

We're also working on a logical counterpart: SkypeIn, which accepts calls from the public telephone network.


working? me thinks it's done. I have SkypeIn service and it works fine. Skype rocks so much.
I thought it was still technically in beta, which is probably what they meant.

[MS Mobiles]

I thought it was still technically in beta, which is probably what they meant.

I thought that if something is "in beta" then it is free and temporary, but Skype is selling SkypeIn for money and I bought it. So it may be called "in beta" but it is being offered commercially (I paid real money), so it is not beta.

I never saw something that would be in BETA but that would be offered commercially for money...

[OSUKid7]

I thought that if something is "in beta" then it is free and temporary, but Skype is selling SkypeIn for money and I bought it. So it may be called "in beta" but it is being offered commercially (I paid real money), so it is not beta.

I never saw something that would be in BETA but that would be offered commercially for money...
True, most betas are free, but that's not the definition of the word. All beta means is it's still in testing. There are different levels of testing, and apparently SkypeIn works quite well, but it's still the first public release.

[Tulkas]

Skype should get all the Hype it gets. I have a SkypeIn and a SkypeOut enabled account and a USB phone for my wife on our home computer and a SkypeOut account with a headset for myself on my notebook and my X50v. Great stuff!

We should have Skype Buttons down here too!

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[beq]

Didn't they just released an update (to the Windows client) to import contacts from more PIM apps.

The big question is how come I can't get the VoIP to work over GPRS, whereas a previous PPCT thread had someone mentioning he's able to do it...

[gpspassion]

Well I purchased some SkypeOut units last year and have barely used them as the interconnection to the phone networks appears to be a problem, tried called to the US (below average quality), to France (very bad) and Taiwan (very bad), pc to pc was fine in the case of Taiwan. I guess it can be useful in case of an emergency or for brief phone calls, but using for along conversation quickly gets annoying.

[summitcircle]

I very much agree with the CEO of Skype.. the release of the Skype API certainly accelerated things.

I've been observing the evolution of a "Skype ecosystem of companies" forming.

Several months ago I started collected "Skype links"... things got out of hand so I started up one of those "Directory scripts" and put all my Skype links into this "directory". I put that online and other people started entering their Skype links into the "directory".

Then I started noticing this evolution occur, with Skype phone vendors, manufacturers and resellers start to appear, Skype software developers etc...

I believe that if Skype can successfully leverage this eco-system then they will become very profitable.

LouisPhilip,

Directory of Skype phones, Skype add-ons
and Skype communities
http://www.summitcircle.com/