3 to Offer Skype Calls

UK mobile network 3 has signed a deal with VoIP leader Skype. The deal will see Skype pre installed onto 3’s handsets. This is the first deal of its kind and will give 3 customers the choice of using a standard call or using the Skype system.

This leaves the other major networks such as Vodafone, 02, Orange and T-Mobile a long way behind as they seek to migrate customers onto 3G networks without losing revenues, as they would if users no longer had to pay for calls using Skype. The big mobile networks still need to adjust their business models to allow for the impact of VoIP technology which will make calls free.

Arun Sarin, CEO of Vodafone argued that: "[VoIP is] clearly the world we’re going into. Is that world around the corner? No. Is it two or three years away? Yes."

Guardian Article

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