From the category archives:

Communications News

During my recent interview with Russ Shaw, Skype’s VP and GM for Mobile, he emphasized Skype’s focus on having a true Skype user experience when it comes to supporting Skype on mobile devices.
What is meant by a “true Skype user experience” on a mobile device? Some examples, based largely on my own experience with several [...]

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Categories Communications News, Mobile Applications, Mobile Devices, Skype News, Skype on Mobile, Using Skype

Yesterday’s announcement that Skype will become available as a supported service on Verizon Wireless has to have sent a tsunami through the wireless operator world. To review the offering:

A Skype client will be included on nine models of BlackBerry and Android smartphones in late March; current customers with these devices will be able to download [...]

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Categories Communications News, Embedded Skype, Mobile Devices, Skype News, Skype Partner Solutions, Skype Platform, Skype for Personal, Skype on Mobile, Using Skype, Wireless Carriers

Full disclosure: This post was prepared prior to today’s press conference using information that was publicly available prior to the conference. In the second post I’ll discuss the service as announced at CES today.
When you can advertise “Free phone calling internationally”, they will come! In the CES interview with Skype CEO Josh Silverman, Josh [...]

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Categories Communications News, Embedded Skype, Mobile Applications, Mobile Devices, Skype Channels, Skype News, Skype Partner News, Skype Platform, Skype Software, Skype on Mobile, Using Skype, Wireless Carriers

Launch of the iPad last week and the Apple’s recent change in their developer terms of service involving the removal of restrictions for using VoIP technology over a carrier’s 3G network have had the Skype mobile team busy reviewing the opportunities.
In a Share Skype post, An update on Skype for iPhone and calling over [...]

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Categories Communications News, Mobile Applications, Mobile Devices, Skype on Mobile, Using Skype, Wireless Carriers

While the FREETALK Connect all encompassing PBX announced at IT Expo last Wednesday changes the economics of small business communications, it also provides a platform around which third party applications can readily be built and integrated.
Thursday saw the announcement of the FREETALK Connect Alliance, comprising thirteen charter members plus FREETALK that covers applications from [...]

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Categories Communications News, Developers, Skype Hardware, Skype Partner News, Skype Partner Solutions, To Be Categorized, Web 2.0 Tools and Applications

Since its launch about two years ago, I have blogged several times about iotum’s CalliFlower Conference Calling service. More significantly I have used it for several conference calls of up to 25 people, including a couple that ran for over two hours. While permitting up to several hundred participants into a conference call, Calliflower’s [...]

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Categories Communications News, Conversation Providers, Mobile Applications, Service Providers, Skype For Business, Skype Partner News, Skype Partner Solutions, Using Skype

Pardon my exuberance but I am about to write about a product that I have been beta testing for the past few months. Seven months ago I knew very little about small business PBX’s other than to know they had big $$$ signs associated with their operation.
Back in 1992 my employer of the day [...]

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Categories Communications News, Communications Technology, Mobile Applications, Service Providers, Skype For Business, Skype Hardware, Skype Partner News, Skype Partner Solutions, Skype Platform, Skype on Mobile, Using Skype

At CES 2010 last week In Store Solutions announced they will be adding three webcams to its FREETALK® product line that set new standards for video calling hardware.
The primary service goal for these webcams is to support 30 frames per second transmission over Internet services available via widely deployed broadband (cable and DSL) connections. [...]

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Categories Communications News, Skype Hardware, Skype News, Skype Partner News, Skype Platform, Using Skype

Skype’s announcement today of agreements to have television sets become end points for Skype video calls really raises a series of both user interface issues as well as social issues:

Do I want to be interrupted while watching programming such as a sporting event or Oprah?
Where is it more convenient to talk: via a TV [...]

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Categories Communications News, Embedded Skype, Skype Hardware, Skype News, Skype Partner News, Skype Platform, Using Skype

It’s almost two years since the launch of PamFax as a fax sending service that allows anyone with a PC and an Internet connection to send faxes to any fax terminal worldwide at low per page rates. With a simple fax setup and no subscription requirements, PamFax has become a very popular and robust [...]

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Categories Communications News, Service Providers, Skype Partner News, Skype Partner Solutions

At about 5:30 (GMT+1) this afternoon members of the Skype Public Chat discussion learned that not only was there a new beta version of Skype for Windows 4.2 available for download but also Skype had released its first beta version of Skype for Symbian (for Nokia smartphones).
Shortly afterwards, while listening to the final Gillmor [...]

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Categories Communications News, Mobile Applications, Mobile Devices, Skype News, Skype Software

Skype launches an Open Beta phase for its Skype for SIP service. Over 10,000 businesses worldwide have lined up to join the program.
Over the past eight months, Skype has been running a closed Skype for SIP beta program. A couple of PBX vendor agreements have been signed while Skype personnel have been having discussions [...]

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Categories Communications News, Skype Channels, Skype For Business, Skype News, Skype Platform, Using Skype

At eComm Spring 2009, Skype executive Jonathan Christensen announced that their recently released SILK codec would be available to third parties royalty-free. Two weeks ago at eComm Europe phonefromhere.com’s Tim Panton gave a presentation “Deploying the SILK codec, How and Why” where he discussed two projects where he was involved in embedding Skype’s SILK [...]

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Categories Communications News, Communications Technology, Developers, Service Providers, Skype Partner News, Skype Platform

The Skype Spinout Version 2.0

by Jim Courtney on Mon, Nov 9, 2009 11:11 am

So it’s finally resolved. The Skype spinout from eBay will involve Skype’s founders as investors and board members while contributing a cash investment. Skype finally owns the core intellectual property required for Skype to operate at its current cost levels. eBay gets the cash they were looking for but 5% less of the new [...]

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Categories Communications News, Skype News, Skype Operations