But by using your own coding, don't you have trouble as a result interconnecting with the huge percentage of other Net phone operators that use SIP? Isn't Skype essentially walling in its users?
Our position is that over time, we expect to interconnect to VoIP networks directly, rather than using SIP and the PSTN.
The [US] Federal Communications Commission recently said that Net phone operators must add 911 (The US telephone number for the emergency services) accompanied by a caller's location and call-back number. Will Skype comply?
We believe the FCC decision is not directly applicable to Skype. But we feel that enhanced 911 services are a serious matter, and we're working through various industry organizations to edge the industry into offering not just 911, but all kinds of IP-based emergency services.
So at some point in the future, you feel Skype needs to add 911?
Yes, but to what degree we don't know yet.
What are these new IP-based emergency services you're talking about?
If there's a burglar in my home, maybe I send an email or a text message to the police instead of making a call.
But you're focusing on the future. What about now? Could Skype meet the FCC mandate?
With regards to location information? It's impossible for anyone like ourselves to supply that information. It's not technically feasible.
What's the problem?
We have no knowledge of the geographic location of anyone's IP address.
If asked to comply, how could Skype do it then?
There needs to be a database which maps IP addresses to geographical locations. There are some out there now doing geo-mapping, but the databases are not exhaustive enough.
Skype has indicated its next hardware effort involves essentially making mobile Skype phones. How's that effort going?
We're working with several manufacturers, like Motorola, on things like a Wi-Fi handset. You'll also see handsets that can get Skype calls over Wi-Fi or cellular networks.
What's the rationale for a wireless operator to sell such a handset? Doesn't it eat into their profits every time somebody uses Skype to make a call instead of their network?
The operators make money off a Skype call because Skype calls will run over their networks. They get the traffic.
