No Wonder Skype Dragged Their Feet…
Posted: April 25th, 2007 | Author: Garrett Smith | Filed under: VoIP Commentary | 1 Comment »Stunting Skype Mobile Progress Looks Like a Smart Move Now
I remember just a few months ago when everyone in the blogosphere was up in arms about the lack of forward progress from Skype on a mobile client. Well given the recent news surrounding the blocking of VoIP capabilities on cellular phones, and given that many cellular phones are shipping without their native VoIP capabilities make’s Skype decision to not dive head first into mobile VoIP a smart one.
The Future of Mobile VoIP Lies With The Cellular Carrier
We as consumers can talk about mobile VoIP, how cool it is, how much we want it. Hardware manufacturers can make all of the devices they want. Last mile service providers can come up with the killer app. But until the people who own the network, the cellular carriers, the WiFi network carriers embrace mobile VoIP and the business economics behind it, we are going to continue to hear, see, and feel the mobile VoIP “ban”.
It is there network, and they can with it what the please – if i was a mobile VoIP provider using the bandwith of cellualr or WiFi providers, I would be worried for the fate of my company rests on the willingness for others to allow me to essentially, steal (minutes that is) from them, using their network.
[...] Like it or not, mobile Internet access is still treated and viewed differently than regular Internet access. As I have stated before, the future of mobile VoIP lies in the hands of the cellular carriers. The cellular network is still considered “their network”. If they would like to ban the use of certain applications (remember VoIP is just another IP application?) on their network, then they are going to do it…and get away with it.One can not expect any business to let a competitor leverage their infrastructure in order to “steal” their customers. [...]