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Skype Gripes About Closed Wireless Networks
Says last week's comments by execs just empty lip service

Last week saw wireless industry executives pay lip service to opening up their networks at the CTIA Fall 2008 trade show, but it became relatively clear that their idea of truly open might not match up with everybody else's. The carriers warned against wireless networks where any device could connect and any application could be used, arguing that this could lead to a "wild west" where the "customer experience" would be degraded. Also degraded of course would be wireless carrier content, SMS/MMS and voice revenues.

Skype was apparently annoyed with all the comments, and wrote a critical letter to the FCC highlighting how so far, talk of openness has been just talk:
quote:
Skype wanted to bring the comments to the commission’s attention, should they be under the impression that the market was speeding toward openness. What’s actually happening in some cases is carriers are introducing more restrictive terms to service, he said. For example, carriers occasionally cripple services such as Wi-Fi on devices, which affects the ability to conduct VoIP calls with services like Skype. And regardless of how carriers enforce restrictions, the message they send to the market and consumers by imposing restrictions is not a positive one for developers or consumers, he said.
Since last year, Skype executives have been trying to get the FCC's consumer broadband principles (pdf) -- which state you can use any software or hardware you like on broadband networks -- applied to the wireless industry. Last fall, Verizon's promise of an open network made many media outlets weak in the knees, but the promises have thus far yet to materialize. It's speculated that Verizon has been hung up on the testing front, or is waiting to dual-launch the initiative alongside their first Google Android offerings in order to maximize marketing punch.

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broccoli
join:2007-11-29
Portland, OR

2 recommendations

broccoli

Member

Look who's talking

And just how open is Skype's own network?