The future for Skype.......?

Question

AOL costs money..... AIM and Internet Explorer are free
Land line calls cost money...... Skype is free.
Cell phones airtime costs money......... Skype for mobile in the future?

That's just what I'm thinking what will happen.

My real question is that if you have a really good phone (or PDA) with Windows and internet on it, could you download skype and talk on it with someone else who has the same setup? It would be like not paying for airtime on a mobile phone. Could this work? And is this the future?

Answer 1

I'll just focus on Skype for Mobile. That "really good phone or PDA" has to be Wi-Fi capable, and you need to be in an area where you can get Wi-Fi service.

At the moment, there are not many Wi-Fi capable phones out there and not many openly accessible Wi-Fi networks to hook up to. The municipal WiMAX systems are being muscled by the large phone companies who run large internet presences (no surprise) to ensure that their revenue stream is not impeded by some socialistic startup, so the internet airwaves themselves will be dominated by pay-for-use structures.

And someone is going to want to make money off of this. This idea that "talk is cheap" is predicated on the idea that this cheap talk is being subsidized by something else.

So while the idea that Wi-Fi calling may either complement or replace cellphone is plausible, the idea of free airtime is a wideband pipedream.

Answer 2

yes, I know what you mean...for years is was such a well kept secet, but now most goverment want a piece of the pie....we had Sype for years, and now (Dec31/06) its gonna end! Skype had to go underground in China..but everyweek someone else comes out with some new technology to beat them!!!!

Answer 3

Well, the internet used to have lots of free stuff, now most is pay. So I don't see things going free again.

Answer 4

money money money.... i know what u r talking about.. the living in the country where i live is so expensive...i cant even think about wireless intrenet..that sucks...