Skype resists inter-operability

The vexed issue of VoIP interoperability has been reopened by Dan York at the Disruptive Technology blog who's latched onto an interview [1] with Skype's Stefan Oberg, where Oberg says there is no consumer demand for opening up Skype to other networks.

Skype has long had a protective view of its 240 million users and little willingness to let other networks siphon them away. It all seems a remarkably similar replay to AOL's refusal to let others interact with its mega audience IM client known as AIM. This spurred companies to chase greener pastures--with MSN in particular--successfully driving much of its IM success from overseas markets where AOL had little presence. These days, there are a number of multi-user clients; Google and AOL recently agreed to let their users chat to each other.

In Skype's case, the risks are larger. With all the big Internet players launching or developing voice-based applications for their various email and social networking audiences, and a myriad of start ups offering automated call services from both fixed and wireless phones.

 The Internet's short history is littered with business wreckage from operators who thought they could live in a walled garden, denying their customers easy access to the outside world. The soon-to-be-vacated AOL campus at Dulles in Northern Virginia is going to be reminder of just how quickly that sort of thinking can undo a business.

For more:
Disruptive Technology: I want Skype to inter-operate Blog [2]

Related articles:
Skype lags in Mobile race Report [3]
8X8 gets serious about Mobile VoIP Report [4]