PC always on - Skype is making inroads into the off PC and mobile arena from what i can see

using a mobile phone on 3 with Skype enabled you can call skype to skype to your office for free when on the road. In the office you can have embedded phones that do not require the PC as well as Skype on laptops

another advantage with 3 phone is that you could use it for broadband so when on the train you can be connected to the internet and call or chat over Skype (don;t work for 3 honest - could have wifi phones)

as you say, skype can provide excellent features if used correctly in and in conjunction with hardware and software partners that provide additional functionality.

john, your argument may read better if it offered objective opinions rather than simply a disgruntled rant - i can understand your frustration as i also lost my number but time to move on - how many times did BT change their numbers over the years costing businesses everywhere losses (yes, i was aroudn when that happened too)

Om Malik let Jesse Kopelman onto his blog with a guest post on “Skype as the Next Generation PBX. Jesse’s written and commented before there. Many of you may have read the post on Om’s blog. My two cents. Great…

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the missing link may be the mobile phone (that great “social networking device”) and the wireless carriers that won’t let me use VoIP second line on my cellphone because no limit, broadband data wont happen just quite yet in the US.

1. Do people turn their computers off? ;^) Actually, I think this is a bit of a chicken or egg thing where the answer is if you like the application enough you leave your computer turned on. Things like Bluetooth headsets may be more important to the long-term success than “phones.”

2. I think you can go after both types of user at the same time, especially if you hide behind separate brands. Nextel has done this very well with Boost vs. Nextel branded service.

As for the proprietary thing, this may actually be a strong point of Skype from a business point of view. They need to be able to do things differently/better than the competition that is comming — see the article Rick linked.

1. Skype requires your computer to be turned-on all the time to use it. I haven’t seen stand-alone Skype-client-in-a-box, otherwise known as a phone that we all are so accustomed to using. (Yes, I am aware of using Skype on a PDA, but that is not a phone)

2. Does Skype want to be a “social network” or a “business PBX - Centrex style” ? As you describe, these two seemingly disparate groups are *too disparate* to focus on by one company, in my opinion.

I also might add that Skype is proprietary unlike SIP.

I believe “at the end of the day” a Skype-like P2P network(s) will rule the landscape. For one, I believe Microsoft should take this approach since they stand to benefit the most as a software company with no PBX hardware. Also, just think if Skype were in the hands of a Cisco who had the legions of resellers to take Skype to the enterprise market and implement optimal systems and WLAN upgrades to enhance performance.

BTW, check out AOL’s ambitious Voip plans. They are emphasizing maximum quality in their upcoming P2P voip, including Gips and QOS in the network. Very impressive.

(link)