Carrier resistance to Skype hurting Lumia

[ejb222]

Can someone fill this out for me? I can't find much info on this.

Nokia CEO: Carrier resistance to Skype hurting Lumia, BI says - Yahoo! Finance

..Nokia's (NOK) CEO Stephen Elop said phone carriers are hesitant to sell its Windows Phone powered Lumia phones because Microsoft (MSFT) owns Skype, according to Business Insider, citing a tech blog posting that referenced a translation of Nokia's shareholder's meeting...

 

[anon(5335877)]

Nokia's CEO Says Carriers Hate Skype, And Its Affecting Windows Phone Sales - Business Insider

 

[ninjaap]

This is probably the main reason why they haven't enabled Skype to run in background. They're still trying to find a middle ground with carriers.

 

[ejb222]

SO whats the big deal with Skype? Is it bandwidth? The Skype app is available on every other phone. So is Tango. I must be missing something huge here.

 

[ninjaap]

SO whats the big deal with Skype? Is it bandwidth? The Skype app is available on every other phone. So is Tango. I must be missing something huge here.

Carriers have long been trying to resist video calling. Carriers make tons of money from voice call minutes and sms. Vidoe calling threatens their profits. People would end up opting for plans with less minutes and less text messaging. Plus, more video calling, less voice calling, will result in heavier usage with data, which we all know is already very saturated.

 

[mase123987]

This doesn't sound right. Every platform has video calling and a lot of the same apps. It makes zero sense Nokia would be treated worse than anyone else.

 

[theefman]

Probably going to end up with MS not integrating Skype and releasing a gimped app on WP.

 

[ninjaap]

I don't know if you guys remember, but OEM's who now have Skype up and running on their phones (Android, iPhone) also went through similar hoops we are going through now. It's actually an improvement now, because back then carriers wouldn't even allow Skype to work on 3G, just WiFi. So carriers aren't so much resistant to Nokia, but Skype. Skype has the ability to make video calling main stream compared to Tango, Facetime, etc, because of the sheer number of it's user base. And with the fact that it's pretty much expected that Skype will be baked into WP devices, makes it all that much easier for users to use all the time.

 

[KingCrimson]

The thing is AT&T charges me $40 for the smallest voice plan(450 mins) even though I only use maybe 30 mins/month. So given that you can't get out of the voice plan, what is the carrier complaint? No carrier offers data-only.

 

[ninjaap]

The thing is AT&T charges me $40 for the smallest voice plan(450 mins) even though I only use maybe 30 mins/month. So given that you can't get out of the voice plan, what is the carrier complaint? No carrier offers data-only.

Well not now. But if video callin becomes mainstream, how long do you think it will be before users start complaining about voice plans they are paying and not using?

 

[KingCrimson]

Well not now. But if video callin becomes mainstream, how long do you think it will be before users start complaining about voice plans they are paying and not using?

Then the carriers are gonna have a riot on their hands. Imagine all the iPhone people start using FaceTime with each other instead of the carrier voice channel.

 

[ninjaap]

Then the carriers are gonna have a riot on their hands. Imagine all the iPhone people start using FaceTime with each other instead of the carrier voice channel.

Imagine how it easy it would be to use if integrated into out WPs, like WLM and FB. Its as easy as sending a text message. Now imagine MS approaching every OEM (be theyre using Android, iOS, etc) and try to integrate Skype, like they try to do with all there services (Office, XBL, Skydrive, etc).

 

[cgk]

This story makes no sense when you consider there are more functional skype clients available on other platforms - just sounds like an excuse from Nokia. Moreover, if you look at where revenue is coming from - calls are on the decline and data usage is up, so the carriers models are already moving towards around the idea of trying to get customers to try and pay for as much data as possible.

 

[anon(5335877)]

Well look at it this way: The carriers have leverage over Microsoft and Nokia. Windows Phone won't be successful if the carriers don't support it. So if Microsoft wants their help, they'll have to listen.

On the other hand, what about Android and iPhone? What are they going to do? Just stop selling those devices because they have Skype in their respective app stores? Well there goes all their profit.

 

[ninjaap]

This story makes no sense when you consider there are more functional skype clients available on other platforms - just sounds like an excuse from Nokia. Moreover, if you look at where revenue is coming from - calls are on the decline and data usage is up, so the carriers models are already moving towards around the idea of trying to get customers to try and pay for as much data as possible.

Not entirely true. Quite the opposite. If you think about it, revenue coming from calls are increasing. As KingCrimson pointed out, he pays $45 for 450 mins but only uses 30 mins. That's almost pure profit for carriers!!! Every single SMS has been pure profit for them since they offered the service. It doesn't cost nearly as much per send/receive as what we are paying for. Data is very expensive for carriers to maintain and constantly upgrade. Especially with spectrum being so hard to come by, since its pretty much controlled by the government.

 

[sting7k]

This is probably the main reason why they haven't enabled Skype to run in background. They're still trying to find a middle ground with carriers.

Skype runs in the background on iOS and Android I believe as well. So this story is FUD and I don't know why Nokia's CEO even would comment. Especially being the Skype app for WP7 was just recently released. On the same note I don't see carriers complaining about iMessage or FaceTime on iOS either.

 

[ninjaap]

Skype runs in the background on iOS and Android I believe as well. So this story is FUD and I don't know why Nokia's CEO even would comment. Especially being the Skype app for WP7 was just recently released. On the same note I don't see carriers complaining about iMessage or FaceTime on iOS either.

I think you guys are not seeing the bigger picture of how Skype could become standard and a viable replacement to voice and text, especially now that MS owns them. As a separate app, like Tango and Facetime, its not a threat, because it's clunky, a data & battery hog and not everyone has it installed. If it's integrated into the OS, use minimum resources like battery and data, everyone will be more inclined to use it. How many people right now who have Skype in their android or iOS keep it running in the background? I bet very few. If it was baked in, you don't have to think or worry about it.

 

[bear_lx]

Skype runs in the background on iOS and Android I believe as well. So this story is FUD and I don't know why Nokia's CEO even would comment. Especially being the Skype app for WP7 was just recently released. On the same note I don't see carriers complaining about iMessage or FaceTime on iOS either.

you should read the entire thread before posting, your comments have already been addressed...

i hear you ninjaap

 

[selfcreation]

MS should open up a their own WORLD WIDE carrier that runs 100% on data/Skype.

first of its kind!

that would rock.

get 100% patents from Skype , they would remove it from all other OS and sooo many people would switch!!! lol

 

[Thuoudo]

I think you guys are not seeing the bigger picture of how Skype could become standard and a viable replacement to voice and text, especially now that MS owns them. As a separate app, like Tango and Facetime, its not a threat, because it's clunky, a data & battery hog and not everyone has it installed. If it's integrated into the OS, use minimum resources like battery and data, everyone will be more inclined to use it. How many people right now who have Skype in their android or iOS keep it running in the background? I bet very few. If it was baked in, you don't have to think or worry about it.

Definitely.

It's partially related to why Tango (calling app) is unable to use cellular data out of the box on the 900, but you can download the full version from the Marketplace. ATT allowed it to come installed, so long as it doesn't use data.

I want to see a carrier sell just a bucket of data--say, 15GBs for $50/mo--once we get to the point of using voice and text over a data connection instead of buying minutes, texts, and then a data plan. Use it all for streaming, use it all for Skype voice calls, use 500 video call minutes and send 1000 texts and stream 5 gigs of data, etc...