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Mar-23-2009eBay's Skype Takes a Toll on Telcos(topic overview)
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Leveraging a protocol that industry insiders say is emerging as a communications standard among incumbent Internet and cable service providers, a U.S. -owned company whose name is synonymous with video-based communications today launched a beta version of its Web-based solution for businesses. Officials at Luxembourg-based Skype, which is owned by eBay ( News - Alert ), say their so-called "Skype For SIP" product will allow SIP-based PBX owners to place low-cost calls to fixed and mobile phones around the world, and to receive Skype calls directly into their PBX ( News - Alert ) system. According to Stefan Oberg, vice president and general manager of Skype ( News - Alert ) for Business, this is a significant move for Skype and for any communication intensive business around the world. "It effectively combines the obvious cost savings and reach of Skype with its large user base, with the call handling functionality, statistics and integration capabilities of traditional office PBX systems, providing great economical savings and increased productivity for the modern business," Oberg said. Generally speaking, SIP trunking is a service offered by Internet telephony service providers so that businesses can adopt VoIP using their Internet connection. That way, they can communicate with others who rely on the PSTN, since the enterprise IP-PBX is connected to the service provider's PSTN gateways over the Internet. Officials at Skype say that businesses can now be reached by a community of more than 405 million Skype registered users through click-to-call from their business Web sites. [1] Now, Skype is attempting to move into the enterprise market, announcing a beta version of Skype for SIP telephony networks. SIP stands for Session Initiation Protocol, and is used by million of business, corporate, and enterprise phones around the world: using Skype for SIP, employees will be able to place local and international calls via their SIP phones using VoIP technology with their standard office telephones. Users will also be able to receive calls from Skype users directly to their PBX systems.[2]
According to IDC, 438,000 IP PBXes were shipped worldwide in 2008. Skype For SIP allows SIP PBX owners to benefit from Skype's low cost calls to fixed phones and mobiles around the world, and to receive calls from Skype users directly into their PBX system. Businesses can now be reached by the community of over 405 million Skype registered users through click-to-call from their business Web sites. The calls will be received through their existing office system at no cost to the customer. Businesses can benefit from Skype's low-cost global calling rates when placing calls to landlines and mobiles worldwide from devices connected to their PBX systems. They can choose to purchase online Skype numbers available in over 20 countries to receive calls from business contacts and customers who are using traditional fixed lines or mobile phones.[3] Stefan Oberg, vice president and general manager of Skype for Business, said: "The introduction of Skype for SIP is a significant move for Skype and for any communication intensive business around the world.''' "It effectively combines the obvious cost savings and reach of Skype with its large user base, with the call handling functionality, statistics and integration capabilities of traditional office PBX systems, providing great economical savings and increased productivity for the modern business." By using SIP, businesses will have access to over 405 million Skype registered users who can then use the click-to-call function to contact them directly from their business websites. The calls will then be received through their existing office system without costing the customer a penny. Companies signed up to the system will also be able to use Skype's low-cost global calling rates when placing calls to landlines and mobiles across the globe from devices connected to their PBX systems.[4]
How widely employed? Well IDC reckons that, globally speaking, there were no less than 438,000 IP PBXs shipped last year alone. Skype For SIP will enable those SIP PBX business owners to participate in the no cost/low cost telephony revolution with calls to fixed phones and mobiles pretty much anywhere on the planet as well as receiving Skype calls directly into the PBX. This opens up the Skype community, some 405 million strong, to the business user and vice-versa. Using the web-based click-to-call functionality those businesses will be able to get customer calls through existing office systems at no cost to the caller. Businesses will also be able to manage Skype calls using existing hardware and system applications such as call routing, conferencing, phone menus and voicemail.[5]
Skype makes play on corporate sector with SIP software extension to enable VoIP calls to and from enterprise PBXs. Skype announced Monday plans to trial its Skype for SIP enterprise voice software, which enables Skype calls to and from a SIP-enabled IP PBX. Currently Skype estimates that approximately 35% of its customers use it in a business capacity; however, the company wants to build a firmer foundation in the enterprise sector and to do so it says it needs to work with companies' existing infrastructure. "This SIP product is acknowledging that a lot of businesses are using hard phones and PBXs and it allows them to call via Skype. and PBXs provide call queuing and IDRs and stats that we can't provide," said Stefan Oberg, VP and General Manager of Skype for Business. "Businesses have invested in legacy phone system PBXs and hard phones and that will not go away," he commented.[6] Adopting SIP will allows Skype's telephony client software to connect to PBX systems and other telephony equipment. The beta software, Skype for SIP, will allow companies to make calls using Skype on their normal deskphone, and also add business-grade features to incoming Skype calls. It is available as a download, and operates at the company's normal SkypeIn and SkypeOut commercial rates for calls to non-Skype users. This may change when the final product launches later this year, according to reports. Companies can use the new system to upgrade their Skype IDs to business-grade contact points, the company says. The PBX will add features like queuing so users can handle calls to a Skype address displayed on a website just as well as they can manage calls over the phone network.[7] The attraction would be the low international phone rates that Skype charges users of its VoIP client as well as the integration of phone calls as elements of Web pages, the company says. The new service, called Skype for SIP, goes into beta testing today, with a full rollout due later this year. It requires that customers already own SIP-based PBXs configured to interoperate with SIP gear in Skype's own network. Skype says it plans to announce more business services throughout the rest of this year, including Skype certification training for business telecom staffers. It would teach them to configure SIP gateways to be compatible with Skype's network and recommend corporate infrastructure that could enhance Skype's performance.[8]
Deepening its reach into business telecom systems, Skype said today it is releasing the beta version of a new software linking existing SIP-based PBXs to the Skype IP calling network. Called "Skype for SIP," the new application will allow companies to receive inbound calls from Skype users through their existing PBXs, at no charge to the callers; make outbound calls anywhere in the world, from any device connected to the SIP PBXs, at low global calling rates from Skype; and purchase Skype online numbers to receive free calls traditional fixed or mobile phones.[9] Skype has announced the beta version of "Skype For SIP for Business" users. "Skype For SIP" allow SIP PBX ( News - Alert ) owners to benefit from Skype's low cost calls to fixed phones and mobiles around the world, and to receive calls from Skype users directly into their PBX system.[10]
Skype announced Skype For SIP, which it says will let business customers make low-cost calls to fixed lines and mobile phones around the world, and receive calls from Skype users. Skype For SIP is targeted mainly at businesses that already have IP-based phone systems, and that want to connect those systems up to Skype's low-cost service. The service is initially being launched as a closed beta program, during which companies and potential partners can register their interest. To enlist partners, Skype is setting up a program for third-parties to become certified to service businesses in their use of Skype For SIP, in exchange for commission.[11] According to the Wall Street Journal, the new software is expected to allow employees to make domestic and international calls using regular office telephones, instead of a headset plugged into a personal computer. Initially, the company will charge about 2.1 cents a minute for calls to cellphones and fixed lines, but calls from computers to phone systems using the Skype software will be free, similar to what it now charges for its consumer service. Skype is known for allowing users to make free voice and video calls between computers, using voice over Internet protocol, or VOIP. Though the majority of users are consumers, Skype says about 35% of its customers already use the service for business purposes, the Journal says.[12] According to the Wall Steet Journal, the new beta software - uncreatively named Skype For SIP for Business users - is expected to allow employees to make domestic and international calls using regular office telephones (PBX systems) instead of using a computer and a headset for VoIP calls, which 35% of Skype's customers are already using for business purposes apparently. The software will also give corporate customers the ability to receive and manage inbound calls from Skype users to SIP-enabled PBX systems, enabling them to offer click-to-call functionality on websites.[13]
"The introduction of Skype for SIP is a significant move for Skype and for any communication intensive business around the world," said Stefan Oberg, VP and General Manager of Skype for Business. "It effectively combines the obvious cost savings and reach of Skype with its large user base, with the call handling functionality, statistics and integration capabilities of traditional office PBX systems, providing great economical savings and increased productivity for the modern business." Applicants for Skype for SIP will need to be businesses and have an installed SIP based IP-PBX system along with being able to configure their own SIP-enabled PBX. The initial beta is available to a limited number of participants. The product will fully launch later this year.[14] Here's how it would work: Calls will be received through an existing office system (at no cost to the customer). Or, businesses can use Skype's low-cost calling rates when placing calls to landlines and mobiles from devices connected to their PBX systems. They also can buy online Skype numbers (available in more than 20 nations) to receive calls from business contacts and customers who are using traditional fixed lines or mobile phones.[1] Businesses can purchase local Skype ( News - Alert ) numbers available in over 20 countries to receive calls from business contacts and customers who are using traditional fixed lines or mobile phones. Businesses can manage Skype calls using their existing hardware and system applications such as call routing, conferencing, phone menus and voicemail; no additional downloads or training are required.[10]
Skype on Monday launched a new service to ease the transition of small business into internet telephony, a bid to capture some needed revenue by tapping into a new market it expects will find cheap phone service in a global recession compelling. The beta requires that one create a new Skype ID ''' a shame for those who already have an established Skype identity ''' but apart from that it promises that setup can be accomplished "without any expensive forklift upgrade of your existing infrastructure!" (breathless emphasis theirs). Beta participants would be immediately able to call other Skype member for nothing ''' and, perhaps as important, receive calls from them at no cost the caller ''' and make calls to anyone else for about two cents, according to the Wall Street Journal. Skype has long had a business unit, but that version of its service required computers and software, which is how most users make their Skype calls.[15] "Not only the ITSPs but also the big incumbents and cable companies." With the beta version of Skype For SIP, business users will be able to manage Skype calls using their existing hardware and system applications such as call routing, conferencing, phone menus and voicemail.[1]
The latest PBXes support SIP, a signaling protocol designed to span IP-based phones, software clients and other components of unified communications systems. Business users will be able to make and take Skype VOIP (voice over Internet Protocol) calls using all the features of their internal switches, according to the company, a division of eBay. Enterprises are widely adopting IP-based phone switches as they replace aging circuit-switched units.[16] SIP stands for Session Initiation Protocol, a leading voice over Internet protocol used by business telephony networks. Skype's SIP private branch exchange owners can benefit from Skype's low-cost calls to fixed phones and mobiles around the world, and can receive calls from Skype users directly into their PBX systems, the company said Monday.[12]
There are two main use cases for Skype For SIP: one involves making cheap calls out from the business PBX to normal telephones, while the other involves receiving calls into the PBX from Skype users. Oberg said the service would not offer calls from PBXs to Skype users, saying that when using a normal desk phone, "it's difficult to call a Skype name".[11] Spencer announced that Skype was now going to work with Asterisk. It supports, of course, the usernames, encryption, end points, and it supports both talking to regular Skype names, any arbitrary Skype name, as well as talking to the SkypeIn, SkypeOut services. It's really, the first practical Skype gateway from a PBX platform. It allows you to connect this really broad user base of people that are already using Skype, with Asterisk. If you think about Asterisk as a very pragmatic and practical platform for telephony, for business phone systems, Skype has been incredibly successful in the Voice over IP space because it's been a very pragmatic solution for customers to be able to use. As Spencer points out, this is really a marriage made in heaven. This product is called Skype for Asterisk. Spencer in his speech said that Skype is going to release "something called the Business Control Panel." Although it's not implemented in the current Beta, Skype is requiring that the usernames you use to register your device with Skype, in other words, the ones you use with the Skype for Asterisk, will all have to be business control panel accounts, which I believe means you are not going to be able to use existing accounts unless you are somehow able to make them part of the business control panel.[17] The beta is limited to a certain number of participants with SIP PBXs, who can apply via the Skype for SIP Web site. The final product will be released later this year, according to Ian Robin, head of sales and marketing for Skype's business unit. "We're making sure that network administrators can introduce Skype to their companies, but still use their existing phone system," said Robin. "So this will see you through the life-cycle of your current system, and when you renew it you won't actually need a phone system." That of course is discordant music to the ears of carriers and traditional telecom gear vendors, but Skype, which began life in 2003 as a pure-play consumer VoIP provider, has made no secret of its ambitious plans for enterprise business.[9] The charge for calls made to cell phones and landlines will be 2.1 cents per minute, but there will be no charge for calls made from computers to other Skype networks. The beta version is available today and the product will be fully launched later this year. About 35 percent of its customers already use the service for business purposes, Skype said.[18]
The company also plans to launch a help desk for business customers via a third party, the company says. Last fall the company launched its Skype for Business division that rolled out its first offering, Skype for Asterisk, an integration of Skype's client with the open source Asterisk PBX to enable use of the client as a softphone in Asterisk deployments. In combination with new Skype clients for mobile handsets, the services may make business inroads as a way to save money on calling among workers that travel and work outside the office, says Rebecca Swensen, an analyst with IDC. "This is the next logical step if they want to be aggressive in the business market," she says about Skype for SIP. Initially Skype business services will be most attractive to small businesses that are driven by possible costs savings, she says, and they may actually turn all their calling over to Skype.[8] Skype has announced Skype for SIP ' a beta program for a limited number of users that will bring the low costs and benefits of the popular VOIP service to the office PBX. As many PBX systems reach retirement age, Skype is positioned to enable enterprises to make better use of existing SIP PBXes and to shake up enterprise thinking toward Skype.[19] The company today announced that it will play nice with corporate PBX systems that use Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). According to The Wall Street Journal, the Skype-for-SIP product will be introduced as a beta product and will be tested by a limited number of companies. Details on how this service will work are still fuzzy Skype, continuing its habit of playing favorites in the press, hasn't really bothered to get in touch with those likely to ask tough questions.[17] Skype has announced a beta that links its software to corporate telephone systems, using the accepted VoIP standard, known as SIP. Despite being the best-known Internet telephony provider, Skype has resisted using the international standard, SIP (session initiation protocol, preferring to use its own proprietary peer-to-peer protocols.[7] Internet telephony and chat service provider Skype, owned by eBay, today announced a potentially game-changing move, opening up to the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) standard for its VoIP services.[13]
Skype is opening its VoIP system so businesses can hook up their internet-based phone systems to the popular service. Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is an open standard that allows calls to be initiated on an IP network and makes it possible to integrate features such as presence, or seeing who is available to take a call, into a VoIP network.[11] Here come the acronyms: Skype for SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) will bring Skype's low VOIP (voice-over IP) rates to enterprise PBX (private branch exchange) phone systems. As businesses update their old PBXes, many have turned to ones that support SIP, and IDC reports that 438,000 IP PBXes were shipped worldwide in 2008. Data from In-Stat also shows that companies with SIP PBXes aren't always using their full capabilities.[19]
This time, it's via a new service called " Skype for SIP " that plugs into many existing corporate phone systems, using Skype as the plumbing. Companies could potentially save money by pushing their calls over Skype's Internet phone network instead of using their existing phone service.[20] At some point the new tool is developed to the extent that it can compete head-to-head with the best of the established providers. Some of you who have been in the telecom business a long time will remember that this was precisely the tack taken by upstart Microwave Communications Inc., which had to battle long and hard for the right to move long distance telephone calls using its own microwave network instead of AT&T;'s ( News - Alert ) "long lines." AT&T; derided MCI for its sometimes flaky quality, despite its lower prices. Over time MCI expanded from just one route--Chicago to New York--and built a nationwide network, improved quality and reliability to the point where it emerged as a head to head competitor to AT&T.; It took time, but the "start low; then grow" strategy is time tested. That isn't to say Skype now is poised to become a core business phone system provider. This is an important step up the value chain, to become a standard long distance provider for mission-critical business calling.[10]
EBay component Skype announced today their strategy to create an adaptation of their Internet calling software that plugs into commercial phone programs, the Wall Street Journal stated. This new software, labeled Skype for SIP, is anticipated to let workers make both domestic and international phone calls with normal office telephones, rather than a headset connected to a computer, the paper wrote. Originally, Skype charged 2.1 cents per minute for calls to both cells and landlines, but when using the new Skype software, these calls will now be free.[21] Skype, eBay's ( EBAY Quote - Cramer on EBAY - Stock Picks ) Internet phone subsidiary, announced Monday Skype for SIP, a new version of its Internet calling software for corporate phone systems.[12]
Pricing hasn't been announced yet in beta stage, but in the meantime standard rates will apply. That translates to about 2.1 cents per minute for calls to cellphones and fixed lines, and free for calls from computers to phone systems. In other news, Skype is thinking of making its image and logo more business-friendly, meaning more boring, and for some reason it's pitching the horrible domain name Skype.biz for its corporate solution website. Many commentators are signaling this as a move to generate more revenue from corporate customers, with eBay looking over its shoulder, reportedly looking to offload the property if its financials start looking a bit more impressive than they do now.[13]
Apparently, eBay sees quite a bit of promise in Skype's new voice-over-IP service for businesses. Launching in beta today, Skype for SIP for Business allows companies to make domestic and international Skype calls from their corporate telephone systems rather than their PCs.[22] Skype is targeting the corporate market, announcing a beta version of its VoIP application for SIP business telephony networks. It's no secret that eBay subsidiary Skype has been looking to open up new revenue streams--especially since Skype's corporate bosses are finally sick of apologizing for paying some $2.6 billion to acquire the operation back in 2005.[2] Skype has announced the release of beta edition of Skype for SIP. This new application would enable users to connect Skype with the corporate IP PBXs. Skype is aiming to release the stable edition of this application sometime later this year. It requires the users to have an existing SIP-based PBXs configured to interoperate with SIP gear in Skype's own network.[23]
As part of that strategy the company plans to more broadly engage with resellers, integrators and channel partners in the coming months. Skype CEO Josh Silverman will speak on this topic when he delivers a joint keynote at the VON Conference and Expo and at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, Sept. 23 in Miami Beach. To gain access to Skype For SIP, an enterprise IT manager simply lets Skype know the IP address for their SIP PBX along with the verified phone number associated with it. Then a Skype user name is associated with the company, its IP address and the phone number. The IT manager can then set up rules within their PBX for routing and managing calls.[9] The Skype For SIP service allows SIP-based IP PBXes to route calls through Skype for lower cost landline and mobile rates around the world. It also enables inbound calls from Skype users directly into an IP PBX system.[24] "The introduction of Skype for SIP is a significant move for Skype and for any communication intensive business around the world," said Stefan Oberg, VP and General Manager of Skype for Business. "It effectively combines the obvious cost savings and reach of Skype with its large user base, with the call handling functionality, statistics and integration capabilities of traditional office PBX systems, providing great economical savings and increased productivity for the modern business."[3]
With Skype for SIP businesses will be able to receive and manage inbound calls from Skype's 405 million Skype users, using any SIP-enabled PBX system, connecting the company website to the PBX system using Skype click-to-call buttons.[25] I'm not sure this is going to be a big revenue generator for Skype, at least not by using SkypeIn/SkypeOut. Their SkypeOut rates are already more than double my current per-minute costs from my Asterisk box to U.S. numbers via SIP. The only thing Skype can offer me is access to free calling to and from existing Skype users, and there's no revenue in that. This could increase their base of installed users as businesses begin publishing their Skype names for global toll-free calling, but you won't see businesses flocking to pay Skype anything for that.[17] Skype will get incremental revenue because businesses will throw business at it to save on global calling.'' For the enterprise, Skype for SIP means businesses can manage Skype calls, use their existing equipment and software to route calls and buy online numbers.''[26]
The service quickly developed a following among techies, because it allows users to make free voice and video calls using VoIP, or voice-over Internet protocol. Skype says most of its customers are individuals, but about 35% use the service for business calls.[27] The Ebay-owned company has released new software called Skype for SIP ( session intiation protocol ) allowing companies to make calls using normal telephone handsets to land lines and mobiles for 2.1 cents per minute, and computer-to-computer VoiP calls for free.[28]
According to Reuters, Skype will charge approxmiately 2.1 cents a minute for calls to mobile phones and fixed lines, but calls made from computers to other phone systems using Skype will be free. Skype for SIP is currently in beta and is expected to be fully launched later this year, TheStreet.com reports.[29] Initially, the company will charge about 2.1 cents per minute for calls to cell phones and fixed lines, but calls from computers to phone systems using the Skype software will be free.[10]
Skype was once a pioneer in the field, but the company's new service will face competition from Microsoft ( MSFT ) and Google ( GOOG ). Microsoft provides software that connects phone calls (albeit creakily) through its Office Suite, and Google recently released an updated software package that enables users to link multiple phones to a single phone number and tap into voicemails online. There have also been rumors that Google might just buy Skype itself, since eBay has yet to optimize its investment in the service.[27] Today, we highlight two company announcements: Verizon Business is now offering a new managed service based on the recently released Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 platform and Skype is expected to generate a billion dollars in revenue for eBay by 2011. Verizon Business last week announced that it is now offering its global business customers management of Office Communications Server 2007 R2, which was, according to the company "specifically designed to meet the real-time communication needs of today's distributed workforce."[30]
Skype, the voice-over-IP product owned by Ebay (EBAY), has several hundred million registered customers. At any one time 15 million or 20 million of those people are online using the service. Since Skype does not bring in much money for a business with such a large roster of customers, it is going to try to enter the corporate phone market where paying for phone service is the norm.[31] The new 4.0 version enhances voice-over-IP video calling and has a built-in Internet bandwidth manager which provides faster data transfers using a microphone or webcam. It offers users state-of-the-art wideband audio quality during phone calls. "Whether it's saying hello to your daughter at college or reading a book to your child while you're away on business--video calling lets you have the conversations that make a difference, and it really feels almost as good as being there," Mike Bartlett, director of product strategy for Skype, said in a statement.[32] Skype, a leading internet telephone firm, is preparing to announce a corporate-targeted plan on Monday, according to the Wall Street Journal. The new product, called Skype for SIP, will allow employees to make domestic and international calls from their office phones rather than through the computer.[33] The new software, called Skype for SIP, will allow employees to make domestic and international calls with regular office telephones, instead of a headset plugged into a personal computer, reports the Wall Street Journal.[34]
Skype for SIP allows users to make domestic and international calls using a regular office phone rather than from a headset plugged into a computer.[29] With Skype for SIP you simply place and receive calls with Skype using the standards based SIP protocol that many phone systems support natively.[15] There is also the option to purchase an online Skype number. These are available in over 20 countries and can receive calls from business contacts and customers who are using traditional fixed lines or mobile phones.[4] Skype will also offer online numbers to receive calls to the corporate PBX from landlines or mobile phones. Skype says calls can be fully integrated using existing hardware and system applications such as call routing, conferencing, phone menus, voicemail and call recording and logging with no additional downloads or training required.[25]
Business users will be able to place calls via Skype to landlines and mobile phones worldwide from any connected SIP-enabled PBX, utilizing Skype's discounted rates.[25]
The Skype for SIP beta program is open today to a limited number of participants; SIP users, phone system administrators, service partners, and developers can get in on the beta. Beta users will need to be businesses, have a SIP-based IP-PBX phone system, and in-house expertise to configure their SIP-enabled PBX.[2] Applications to join the beta service are being accepted from today at www.skypeforsip.com. Applicants will need to be businesses, have an installed SIP based IP-PBX system, and have the ability to configure their own SIP-enabled PBX. The initial beta is available to a limited number of participants only and during the beta period all calls will be charged at standard Skype rates.[4]
Skype is letting businesses that have SIP-based IP PBXes to register to test a beta version of the service, but warned that the number of beta testers will be limited. The full version of Skype for SIP will launch later this year.[16] Initially, the cost of using Skype For SIP will not extend beyond the standard rates for SkypeIn and SkypeOut calls. This may change after the service's "gold launch" later this year, Oberg said.[11] Session Initiation Protocol, or SIP, has been a focus of Skype???s since last year. It will allow private branch exchange (PBX) owners to receive Skype calls directly into their system and take advantage of the low cost calls to landlines and mobiles.[4] Perhaps by coming out with something this lame (this limited), they can use it as justification for their case that "nobody is asking for SIP interop." This service is not the SIP interoperability people are asking for. It maps ONE skype name to ONE PBX SIP endpoint - it lets users on Skype call into the PBX. That's got some value, but it isn't general SIP to Skype interop.[17]
Skype, which was acquired by Ebay in 2005, is one of the best-known internet telephony firms that allow free calls among internet users. The SIP service could provide a much-needed revenue stream for Skype, which has lost almost half its value since its 2005 buyout.[34] The basic service ''' calls over the internet to other Skype users ''' is free. Revenue, which the Wall Street Journal says was $550 million last year (that's $1.35 per registered user), comes from such upcharges as the lease of a telephone number so non-Skype members can call you, and voicemail-to-text conversion.[15]
The reason: Skype needs new sources of revenue. Skype plans to announce a new version of its Internet software called Session Initiation Protocol, the Wall Street Journal reports. Limited testing is expected to begin today, and the service will be widely available later this year.[27]
The added (or perceived) hassle of using Skype may not be worth it to large numbers of potential customers. There's also a basic question that most non-techies can't answer: Is Skype's new service secure? The company says all is ducky; it notes that its new software is secure and that it has written tools to be sure all computers at a company use the same version of its new package.[27]
Larger corporations that require service-level agreements with guaranteed uptime and concerns about security almost certainly will not. Those larger corporations may be willing to turn over some of their calling to Skype as a way to drive down the cost of certain classes of calls and perhaps reduce the size of contracts with their traditional service providers, Swensen says. If Skype can reduce the cost of mobile calls between, say, the sales force and headquarters by avoiding cellular roaming charges, it may win corporate customers, she says. The best-effort nature of Skype's peer-to-peer networking model may make these same businesses shy away from Skype for handling calls with customers.[8] Skype's more than 405 million users will be able to use a click-to-call feature on a business's Website, and the calls will be routed through the existing office system at no cost to the customer.[19] Skype has more than 405 million registered users globally who use Skype software to communicate for free through voice and video calls as well as instant messages. Skype generates revenue through its premium offerings, such as calls made to and from landlines and mobiles, voicemail, call forwarding, and SMS. Skype is used in almost every country on Earth, and people have made more than 100 billion minutes worth of free Skype-to-Skype calls.[3] Skype provides free calling and video calls to other Skype users and charges a few cents for Skypeout calls to conventional or mobile phones.[35] The Skype for SIP software will be available for free, but Skype plans to charge about 2.1 cents per minute for calls to landlines and cell phones.[2] The eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY) owned company will charge 2.1 cents per minute to cell phones and landlines, but Skype to Skype calls will be free.[33]
In a prepared statement, eBay said, "With more than 400 million registered users currently, Skype's metrics continue to accelerate as the company further establishes leadership in free and paid Internet-based voice and video communications, with growth opportunities in core consumer, mobile businesses and platforms." Our observation: To the skeptics (including ourselves), who asked how in the world eBay expected to get its money back after buying Skype in 2005, we reply: make sure to check the eBay balance sheet again in two years for a progress update.[30] Small businesses with little to no infrastructure have found Skype to be a solid alternative to landlines or cell service, which are far more expensive ''' about 1/3 of Skype members use the service for business purposes, the company says. The biq question is whether eBay is hoping to finally get a decent return on its investment with Skype or to generate enough cash flow to enhance the resell value or a going concern.[15] The other part of the service is not very compelling: Letting a company use Skypeout for calls to the PSTN. Any company that is already doing SIP (which is required to use "Skype for SIP") has dozens of choices for cheaper (and often better quality) PSTN termination than Skypeout.[17] The new service, called Skype for SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) allows workers to make calls with traditional telephones, instead of a headset hooked up to a computer.[14] The new offering, called Skype for SIP, uses Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to exchange signaling between PBXes (private branch exchanges) and the free or inexpensive voice service.[16]
Skype has, at long last, announced the availability of a Beta version of Skype for SIP for Business. This supports the Session Initiation Protocol open standard widely employed within business telephony networks around the world.[5] Continuing its forward march into the business world, Skype today announced the beta version of Skype for SIP for business users.[24] Skype has announced a beta version of its calling service for business users.[14]
Skype says the beta version of Skype for SIP is available to only a limited number of applicants, which can apply at www.skypeforsip.com. Qualified applicants will have a business, an SIP-based IP-PBX and the technical competency to configure the latter.[19] Skype is rolling out a beta version of Skype for SIP, which will enable Skype's propriety VOIP system to work with some enterprise phone systems.[19]
Skype is diving deeper into the business phone market with a system that lets companies integrate their existing, open VOIP phone systems with Skype's proprietary VOIP service.[16] Skype was acquired by San Jose-based eBay in 2005 and has been one of the best known voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) systems on the market. Speculation about its future as an eBay (NASDAQ:EBAY) picked up last week, however, when Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) announced an expanded version of a phone service previously known as GrandCentral.[18] "Skype has always been targeting the mass consumer markets in product development and its communication and marketing, but we now think the time is right for us to move to businesses," Oberg said. According to Oberg, the best option for small businesses that want Skype functionality, but do not yet have an IP-based PBX, is to get an Asterisk PBX ' Skype announced an add-on module for such PBX systems back in September. Monday's announcement is targeted more at companies that already have non-Asterisk, IP-based PBXs, he claimed. Skype's peer-to-peer-based VoIP protocols are closed-off, in that they do not interoperate with those of other VoIP providers.[11] Until now Skype has been available online and provides minimal customer support. The company acknowledges that typically enterprises will require better levels of support - especially if they are paying for the product. "We are looking at setting up a channel programme. so that those who want to can be certified for selling Skype. Then later commission structure at the time of launch," said Oberg, who commented that Skype already has a beta of its training programme. During the trial enterprises will pay "standard Skype rates," said Oberg, but this will be reviewed. "It's a beta proposition. We hope to iron out technical issues and by working with partners we will understand where we need to be on pricing. in time for the launch (this year)," he said.[6] During the beta period all calls will be charged at standard Skype rates. Further pricing details will be announced when the product is fully launched later this year. That pricing, which is likely to be tweaked for corporations, is likely to translate into more revenue for Skype and its parent eBay, which may be looking to unload it.[26]
Current users of the Skype for Business website and the business control panel will also notice a facelift, with a more formal look and color scheme moving away from the lighter consumer-oriented vibe of the original Skype site. Moore said Skype for SIP would be the first of a number of business products rolled out this year and users could expect to see some UC desktop offerings down the road.[24] Chris Moore, Skype for Business senior product manager, said the software-as-a-service style offering would work for any standard SIP-enabled IP PBX, "even for Microsoft products."[24] Formal certification of IP PBX interoperability would be handled by a third-party lab, but a number of IP PBXes have been tested informally. Skype is also rolling out a service partner program to certify consultants and VARs on the functionality of Skype for Business in all its forms.[24] "Businesses have been waiting for Skype to make a concerted push into the business space for a while," said Rebecca Swensen, IDC's Research Analyst, Enterprise Mobility and IP Communications Services.[3]
Support for beta testers will only be in English, Skype said. Businesses can register their SIP address with Skype and pick what calls they wanted routed over Skype, said Ian Robin, heads of sales and marketing of Skype for Business. Those testers will only have to pay for the calls they make during the beta test period, Robin said.[16] We leverage the improved identity management (vs PSTN or SIP) and low costs of Skype to do some very cool integration with business processes and web applications by routing Skype calls through the extensible and scriptable platform of Asterisk.[17] Oberg explained that until now, companies wanting to get inbound Skype calls would have had to have multiple Skype clients. If a caller could not get a response from one profile, they would have to call another. Skype For SIP, however, makes it possible to offer standard PBX functionality, such as call queuing.[11] About 438,000 IP-enabled PBXes were shipped in 2008, wrote Peter Parkes on Skype's blog, citing figures from analyst IDC. Companies will be able to manage Skype calls with existing hardware and applications that perform functions such as call routing, conferencing, voice mail and call recording, Parkes wrote. Skype's business package will also allow companies to put a "click-to-call" button on their Web site.[16]
Skype was novel when it came on the scene in 2003 but now the competitive landscape is much more complicated: Cisco is the powerhouse in enterprise VoIP, Vonage is struggling in the consumer market against bundled offerings from cable and satellite providers, and startups like Truphone have brought internet telephony calls to the iPhone ''' and even the iPhone touch, which isn't even a telephone. Skype has done a deal with Nokia on its high-end N97 handset, and it's easy to imagine a world where a considerable business is done not through corporate swithboards but on wireless handsets under a blanket of minutes-liberating WiFi ''' as it is already.[15] Google Voice provides a single number for fixed and mobile phones, voicemail transcripts, call blocking and screening, call conferencing and international calls. Skype also has its eye on offering enterprises a wider range of services.[6] From the inside out, businesses can place calls to mobile and landline numbers, enjoying Skype's low calling rates.[19]
Skype, which was acquired by eBay in 2005, is one of the best-known Internet calling firms that allow free calls among Internet users.[36] Skype, purchased by eBay in 2005, is one of the most popular Internet phone operations that lets Internet users make reduced in price phone calls.[21]
The percentage of Skype's users that are entire companies using it for primary phone service -- which eBay's trying to sell now -- must be much smaller. It's possible that some small companies may make the switch.[20] Skype has a tremendous following but makes relatively little money (sound familiar?) and has been something of a thorn in the side of parent company eBay from nearly day one. Parent company eBay's decision to pay $2.6 billion for the company in 2005 has been roundly criticized and it has yet to monetize the acquisition in any meaningful way with its core auction business.[15]
Skype's new business plan seeks to boost eBay's ( EBAY Quote - Cramer on EBAY - Stock Picks ) slumping sales growth by aiming at corporate calling.[35] Ever wanted to bring Skype into the corporate realm but have been hamstrung by the lack of SIP-based PBX compatibility? Good news as Skype finally gets down to business.[5]
Simply put, Skype will now connect to corporate phone systems so you can Skype fixed line phones and mobiles from a traditional PBX systemyour standard phone set-up.'' For now, Skype's pricing once the beta runs its course is to be determined.[26] SIP users, phone system administrators, developers and service partners are invited to apply at www.skypeforsip.com. Applicants will need to be businesses, have an installed SIP based IP-PBX system, as well as a level of technical competency to configure their own SIP-enabled PBX. The initial beta is available to a limited number of participants.[3]
Skype announced Monday a beta project dubbed Skype for SIP that promises to integrate Skype with millions of installed PBX systems worldwide.[25] Technically, Skype's beta is dubbed Skype For SIP for Business users ( statement, Skype blog, Techmeme ).[26] Skype accounts into a "business" and then assign Skype Credits across all of those accounts. Skype indicates that they'll be redesigning that site soon and incorporating this "Skype For SIP" into that. No, this is NOT a partnership with Vosky. It's more like the "Skype For Asterisk" service in that premise-based SIP servers/IP-PBXs will be able to connect directly to Skype's SIP network. If anything I think this announcement would threaten Vosky's business, since you don't need Vosky's premise box to connect into Skype.[17]
Setup is simply a matter of having a business control panel login at Skype, configuring the IP PBX, and getting a SIP account linked to a Skype identifier.[24] Connecting to existing standards-based SIP PBX'''s is a good way for Skype to start doing so. It will be interesting to see how large companies change their thinking about the deployment of Skype within the network."[4]
Skype for SIP means employees can make domestic and international calls using regular office telephones, instead of a headset plugged into a personal computer.[10] Last year, Skype generated about $550 million in revenue from calls to regular phone lines and from voicemail.[27] WSJ reports that Skype had $550 million in revenues last year. It needs to grow that number fast, otherwise eBay won't be able to get rid of the service.[17] Sales rose 44% to $550.8 million last year with 20% gross margins -- eBay doesn't report profits or losses for Skype.[35]
While Skype's 405 million customer base has traditionally been around 35 percent business users, Robin said, the explicit marketing of enterprise systems is new for the Luxembourg-based provider. [9] Talking of bone heads, it is a bit bone headed to criticise based on no research - Om, please do not follow the RT journalists please - the business control panel of Skype, which has been around for some time, allows any user to be joined to a user group. No new users for Skype this way, and no illusions of growth.[17] While the VoIP quality has improved, the new software has a polished Conversations Tab which can keep track of multiple voice-over-IP conversations. Switching between conversations is seamlessly and the new tab allows a user to resize their connection screens. This has been the best upgrade for Skype in a long time.[32] Skype Limited has rolled out a new release of its VoIP communications software on Tuesday.[32]
Skype today plans to announce a version of its internet calling software that connects to corporate phone systems.[34] Skype -- long a favorite among computer geeks for making free phone calls via the Internet -- plans to go after corporate accounts next.[27]
Skype also plans to certify third parties to offer the services to businesses, but didn't offer details, the Journal reports. This could be a crucial step, because few small businesses have the time or expertise to fret about Internet phone service.[27] Some vendors already offer equipment or services to link Skype's network to other types of telephone system. Skype's latest move, however, could enable its customers to do without such third-party products.[16] Regular phone service is probably not much more expensive than the Skype product. Leaving those few things aside, Skype has a great idea.[31] Slowly, Skype take the same route as many of the most well known companies, starting at the consumer with a good and cheap product then moving up the quality and service ladder.[17]
The business unit, officially formed in the summer of 2008, last fall launched a Skype product for Asterisk, the open-source business PBX from Digium.[9]
"The financial benefits are clear, allowing businesses to connect to over 400 million registered Skype users while offering the features and integration capabilities of traditional office PBX systems," Galitzine writes.[1] We are on the Beta for Skype-for-asterisk and I discussed the 'new account' thing with both Digium and Skype. Bassically the issue is that the EULA for existing skype users states that they may not tell 3rd parties their passwords.[17] To'simplify' the situation Skype have said that existing personal accounts will not be able migrate to the new user class. That aside, I'm a huge fan of S4A and our experience to date has been positive.[17]
Skype users can already call me toll-free from anywhere in the world on my U.S. 1-800 number.[17] Skype's customer base is mostly consumer, but it has been reaching out to be more business friendly. Call quality and security have been ongoing concerns, but it's not like Skype has been locked out of the business marketSkype calls for business happen all the time on the sly.[26] At last Skype seem to have discovered its leverage point, its their minutes, they are at present one of the worlds largest purchaser of minutes and want to use that relationship to pass on their pricing to corporate clients. This may work in undeveloped countries but the first time a USA based CEO gets a poor quality call of which we have all had lots on Skype that box will be relegated to the dustbin.[17] In the meantime, standard ratesa little more than 2 cents for most global callsapply. It's likely that the margins might be a little better than its current a few pennies here and there to call a land line setup. If not, Skype may at least get more volume if it's an official member of the corporate network club. Skype already works with corporate hardware and integrates with Outlook and Salesforce.com, but its latest move solidifies its corporate standing and at least allows for better enterprise support.[26] Use of standard telephone equipment may make Skype attractive to some corporate users and could put added pressure on Verizon ( VZ ) and AT&T; ( T ) to cut costs.[27] Like Apple, Skype has to build a business story and its story is shaping up to be 1) Having more than 400 million (and counting) registered users and 2) Use us, save money.[37] Any measure other than the corporate usage yardstick that is. Business users have been waiting for Skype to take them seriously for some time now - and now that time has come.[5]
The company is also working on launching more services aimed at the corporate sector. Apparently this is where the money is. They are already offering Skype for Asterisk and Skype for SIP would further expand the usability of their services.[23] With Skype for SIP the company seeks to lower the pain barrier by requiring no hardware installation whatsoever, and the re-configuration of a SIP-emabled PBX to an established codec that presumably is within the skillset of whoever maintains it already.[15] When clicked, a call will be routed via Skype through to the company's PBX system.[16]
We use Skype (beta mac version) for our conference and screen sharing calls with clients in Italy and India with no problems at all; so I would have to guess it's you.[13] The program is launching as a limited beta with plans to launch the full version of Skype For SIP later in 2009.[25] Skype have today launched a beta of Skype for SIP, aimed at the business market.[4] If Skype for SIP is a huge success, maybe it could help eBay unload the business.[20] Introduction of Skype for SIP is likely to rattle a lot of pure-SIP providers, but it is Skype's march to ubiquity across the consumer and business fields that bears watching.[37]
The numbers are available for 20 countries. They allow a business, for example, to have a number with a New York area code but answer the number wherever the receiver is logged into Skype.[16] According to Rebecca Swensen, a research analyst at IDC ( News - Alert ), businesses have been waiting for Skype to make a concerted push into the business space for a while.[1]
Skype has to get businesses into the idea that being able to allow customers to call in via Skype is a good thing. It also has to qualify a bunch of third-parties as "Skype Certified" and that won't be something that happens overnight.[37] Two use cases are highlighted. Businesses can create click-to-call buttons on their Web sites. The calls will be received through their existing office system at no cost to the customer.[10]
Initially, the company will charge about 2.1 cents per minute for calls to cellphones and fixed lines, but Skype-to-Skype calls will be free. That's a potentially compelling proposition for business customers looking to make low-cost calls to fixed lines and mobile phones around the world.[22] Voice calling enables users to make free video calls and instant messages to SMS mobile phone devices.[32] Users pay to call landlines and mobile phones, but the fee is often lower than standard long-distance services.[36]
' Manage Skype calls'including conferencing, call routing, phone menus and voice mail'with their existing hardware.[19] We're happy that Skype is finally focusing on being a phone company instead of silly integrations into eBay auctions, which never made sense.[20] Skype now accounts for 6.4% of eBay's total revenue. In January, eBay CEO John Donahoe sparked speculation that Skype wasn't necessarily a key to his company's future.[35] Kudos to Verizon for being one of the first global providers to step in with a solution. In other news, eBay last week disclosed to its investors that it expects Skype to more than double its revenue to over $1 billion in 2011. eBay bought Skype in 2005 for $2.6 billion.[30] The Journal reports Skype's announcement comes as eBay -- which bought Skype for $2.6 billion in cash and stock in 2005 -- faces pressure from investors to make more money from Skype or sell it.[12]
Describing its long-term financial outlook to analysts last week, eBay (EBAY) said it expects Skype to more than double its revenue to over $1 billion by 2011.[22]
Recent reports suggested that Ebay was looking to offload the Skype business.[34] If you're an international business, you have to set up 800 numbers in many countries. Now a company can have a button on their webpage or refer to Skype in an ad, and it's like a virtual, global 800 number."[22] "If you're selling something or running a campaignif you want to do that in the traditional world, then you would set up an 800 number, for example," Stefan Oberg, the head of Skype’s business division, told ZDnet.[22]
Stefan Oberg, the head of Skype's business division, told ZDNet UK last week that the beta program would be used to "iron out technical issues and the commercial model".[11] Skype on Monday announced a beta that will allow it to connect to corporate telephone networks across the globe.''[26] Skype hasn't determined how much it will charge after the beta test ends. Skype will stick to the same international calling rates that it offers for its consumer service.[16] Skype is not a replacement for your traditional telephone service and cannot be used for emergency calling.[3]
Skype says it has 405 million users worldwide, with about 276 million regular users of the service.[16] Live Webcast: The Top 10 Benefits of Email Management Services Consider a new breed of managed SaaS-enabled email services that are modular, reliable, and secure for virtually any type of business. Sign-up for this free LIVE Event In today's challenging economy, it's time to expect more from Web conferencing solutions "Improving Operational Efficiency and Security with Web Conferencing", is an interactive overview of the often overlooked value of Web conferencing to build your organization and improve your bottom line. Join us for this free LIVE Event Pool and share your middleware resources with an application grid This free white paper will illustrate how you can flexibly provision and dynamically adjust both your hardware and software resources to make your IT infrastructure more predictable, responsive and efficient. (User registration required) Discover how to get greater efficiency, exceptional agility, and superior service A no-nonsense, holistic approach to information management In this paper from Bloor Research, you'll learn what an Information Strategy is, why it is important, and what it takes to build one.[26] The company hopes the new software will make the service more attractive to small- and medium-sized businesses.[27] Small companies that don't have an IP PBX, could combine the new software with an open source PBX - the leading one is Asterisk, the company has advised.[7] On the other side of the coin, Skype has a good brand and near-instant name recognition, two attributes which a lot of business VoIP providers would love to have.[37] To borrow a cliché, Skype is the Apple of the VoIP world. It talks a good game about playing well with others when it suits its business goals, has a lot of proprietary/closed box technology that it doesn't want people looking at too closely, and makes a lot of PR noise relative to the rest of the unwashed masses.[37]
"We've never strategically pursued business users," Robin added. "That's a major change for Skype for this year."[9] Skype has already hinted it has a bigger/better UC card to play down the road and I wouldn't be surprised for it to put down a bigger business video card down by the end of the year; certified interoperability with Polycom and TANDBERG might be an interesting card to be played.[37] Users in more than 20 countries can purchase Skype-In numbers to enable inbound "virtual" local number calling through Skype.[24] Companies will also be able to buy phone numbers from Skype, called SkypeIn numbers.[16] Skype was bought by eBay in 2005, but the service has not been integrated very thoroughly with the auction site yet, leading to comments that the two companies were not as good a fit as eBay had hoped.[7] To do that requires hooking the service up on a PC, by 99% of businessmen have a PC, so using Skype on a computer is not a major hurdle.[31] Skype for Asterisk was the warm-up round, Skype for SIP is the first hand using real money, and there are a lot of hands still to play over the months ahead.[37] During the beta programme, Skype will provide support in English only, but intends to announce plans for other languages when Skype For SIP launches fully.[25] Will Skype end up replacing the need for a standard SIP trunk? Not today, not tomorrow.[37] SIP, short for Session Initiation Protocol, is an open standard and the leading voice over Internet protocol used in businesses telephony networks at millions of locations globally.[3] As TMCnet reported from the Internet Telephony Conference & Expo - whose upcoming dates recently were announced - the head Stockholm-based Ingate Systems, a company that develops firewall technology and products that enable SIP communications for the enterprise while maintaining control and security at the network edge, says that SIP trunking is coming off as a "market phenomenon."[1]
Management is offered for features like on-premise Web conferencing, enterprise voice, full integration and support with any Microsoft certified PBX or SIP Trunk, and enhanced presence. Verizon Business has also an upgraded its professional services suite with improved proactive monitoring and management.[30] How does this work? Using existing PBX in an enterprise? How do you bridge SIP if the PBX does not support SIP protocol.[13]
Will voice quality improve significantly for enterprise customers? We have tried to have skype conference calls at the publishing firm where I work with our partners in UK and Italy, but we gave it up after a few tries. [13] Skype, eBay, and Paypal don't have an enterprise sales team. They depend on VARs to bring them into enterprises. Long cycle to success with this venture.[13] Last year, in contrast to eBay's fading glory, Skype posted impressive numbers.[35]
Skype's service may come with indirect charges through required software updates.[27] To use it at all your computer has to be turned on, in a hot spot, and with Skype software running.[15] The trouble with the offering is that corporations already use Skype for free.[31] I don't know about the corporate side of Skype but I use it at home and it's nothing short of wonderful.[20] Skype also faces a market where large telephone companies offer sharp discounts to keep corporate customers from moving to other providers.[31]
As TMC's Greg Galitzine ( News - Alert ) writes here, Skype's move was only a matter of time.[1] There will be a formal certification program and an "e-academy" for credentialing of third-parties to provide support to businesses for a full range of Skype products.[24] Skype 4.0 is available for Microsoft Windows and Vista and was derived based on user feedback.[32] Skype is looking "very closely" at the possibility of joining the Enum registry, which effectively acts as an interconnect between various islands of internet telephony connectivity, Oberg said. Enum went live in the UK last week, but cannot currently support Skype profiles, due to Skype's closed protocols.[11] The move could prop up Skype's flagging financial performance. The company has lost over 50 per cent of its market value since being acquired by the Internet auction giant in 2005.[28]
Skype President Josh Silverman said at an analyst event last week that the unit had posted $550 million in sales in 2008 and would more than double that to more than $1 billion in 2011.[18] "When Skype was first developed, it was clear that standard protocols did not support the features that we wanted to provide, like good presence, video, file transfer," Oberg said.[11]
The new software will allow workers to make domestic and international calls using regular office telephones rather than a headset plugged into a personal computer. [27] As some businesses have been doing for some time, outbound calls to landlines and mobiles worldwide from office phones also are supported.[10]
Applicants for the beta test need to be businesses, have an installed SIP-based IP PBX system and a level of technical expertise available to configure said IP PBX. The initial beta will be available for a limited number of participants.[24] Many enterprises that have bought IP PBXes aren't actually taking advantage of VoIP, according to In-Stat analyst David Lemelin. They run hybrid internal voice systems and continue to use expensive leased lines for calls into and out of the enterprise, he said.[16] We take a look at one of the latest enterprise calls SIP handsets from Polycom.[4]
The evolution illustrates a rather common theme: new companies introducing "low end" applications and services that have some limitations compared to the high-end services available in the market. Despite being derided as "not enterprise grade," such applications and services then get traction, and gradually start to improve robustness and add features.[10] Customers pay to use the phone services, but the amount charged is usually less than regular long-distance services offered by other companies.[21] "There will also be other announcements in the area of opening up, but I can't comment now," Oberg added. Oberg said that had received very few requests from its users to introduce interoperability with other VoIP services, and that connecting with SIP-enabled phone systems was a "much more compelling case".[11] The service may be a good choice for tech-savvy users who can fiddle with needed changes, but here's betting most users will be willing to pay a little extra to a traditional phone company in return for convenience.[27]
Smartphones Win with 'Coolness Factor' iPhone, BlackBerry Storm, HTC G1 and other cool gadgets with deals rake in the cash for carriers. New Service Helps Texters Find Each Other Foursquare users can get alerts when other users come into physical -- not just virtual -- view.[16] Anyway your comment about moving about the quality and service ladder, it is obvious. They need to grow revenues and they are facing some serious challenge in getting new customers on a consumer level so they are going after business community. How good this service will be and how many people will adopt it, remains to be seen.[17] As evidenced by the discussion going on at Techmeme, the beta program being rolled out by the company marks a clear initiative to target enterprise customers and open up to new revenue streams.[13]
The new VoIP software version includes a new built-in bandwidth manager to improve video calling. [32] VoIP phones could bring significant cost savings and flexibility to your business.[4] Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms.[36]
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26. Skype goes enterprise: It's about time | Between the Lines | ZDNet.com
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29. Infrastructure: Skype Announces VoIP Service for Business Beta
30. Skype to generate billions for eBay - Network World
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33. News Briefs - Comtex SmarTrend Alert
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35. eBay's Skype Takes a Toll on Telcos | The Mobile Executive | Financial Articles & Investing News | TheStreet.com
36. Skype targets corporate market: report | Technology | Reuters
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