[Asterisk-Users] Is SKYPE a threat or should we do something (together)

[Steve Underwood]

Steve Kennedy wrote:

>On Tue, May 17, 2005 at 10:45:52PM +0800, Ronald Wiplinger wrote:
>
>  
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>>Skype is very succesfsfull and get more and more users, ... we can 
>>ignore them, accept them or do something,...
>>My suggestion is that we try to do something, ...
>>If we would peer to each other, than we get soon also a great amount of 
>>users together, and than our service becomes more valuable, ...
>>Let's discuss advantages and disadvantages!
>>    
>>
>
>Skype is a p2p (i.e. really person to person) protocol. It's proprietry
>and quite clever. They are trying to make money with PSTN breakout,
>break-in, voicemail and other value-add services.
>
>They use SIP/G.729 for interconnection with PSTN networks to carriers.
>
>Skype will continue growing and will gain a large user base, however if
>they have a long term model is as yet unknown as traditional carriers
>  
>
I assume their many recent deals with traditional carriers is probably 
their business plan.

>move to voice over packet. Look at BT in the UK with their 21CN plans,
>the PSTN will be switched-off by 2009. It's likely that voice calls (at
>least in the UK) will be bundled with line-rental as it will cost more
>to bill than transporting packets around.
>  
>
Charging for local calls hasn't made any sense for years. It never 
stopped them charging before. I think the jury is still out on what they 
will attempt to achieve.

Regards,
Steve