Brooke's Computing Science Blog: Day 18- Skype

1. Who are you? Show corporate logo(s), explain what you do, what you are famous for, or briefly explain how your business makes money.

Skype is a software which allows for individuals around the globe to communicate with one another via telephone or video communication. These video to video and voice to voice calls are free if done computer to computer or may cost a small fee for computer to telephones.
It is an eBay company
One must use an internet connection to use it
It does not replace a traditional telephone and is not suggested to use for emergency calls
Skype makes money by charging individuals money to make calls from a computer to an international telephone (or local)
voice calls which are made over the internet
some are free of charge numbers but calls to landlines and mobile phones may be done for a minimal feed
there is also instant messaging which makes it an all-inclusive program
it was written by Estonia-based developers who had originally developed Kazaa
Originally called Sky Peer-to-peer
there has been a boom in its groth since the service began
it was acquired by eBay in 2005 for $2.6 billion
you can also receive calls on skype from a landline which makes you accessible at any point in time and there are also answering machines hwere people may leave voicemails if you are not at your computer
skype works with any type of computer whether it be a PC or a Mac
Skype has 171 million (as of April 22 2009) usear
rs and has contributed $153.2 million in revenue for first quarater in 2009
SKype is at a growth rate of 189% a ye

2. If you are representing multiple people, you may wish to explain how your ideas are the same or different. (e.g. if you are both Microsoft and Amazon, do you feel the same or different about net neutrality? How do you know this?)

Skype is similar to eBay and Facebook by bringing about varying methods of communication
With Facebook you cannot do a video chatbut you can do actual chats as well as write on people's 'walls' and post pictures publicly
With eBay you cannot directly chat but a business is made out of buying other person's goods and communicating via email or telephone number if given to purchase a good
Skype allows communication which is very popular for businesses and it is a social network just like eBay and Facebook
Businesses (and other individuals) use skype because it is a free service and all that is required is an internet connection and you can keep in contact with virtually anyone in the world with merely a computer, internet connection and a head set

3. What is your history of positions on the network neutrality debate? Why are you right? why should the FCC listen to you and choose your side?

Skype has been accused (as well as Google) of freeloading or freeriding by using a netowrk of lines and cables which other comapnies such as Verizon have spent a large sum of money building
Skype was blocked in Germany in 2009 (April 3) - by T-Mobile due to this freeriding; however, skype actually uses very little bandwidth so it was clear that the reason for blocking it was not a traffic-related issue
the reason for this blockade could have largely been due to a market issue and downfall in demand for t-mobile
Skype now has an iPhone application as a free application which resulted in an open letter being sent to the FCC to examine wireless carriers' practices
Skype has been accused of violating the FCC internet policy statement and restricts competition and innovation for wireless broadband internet service
Skype is in support of network neutrality

4. What is your current (November 2009) position on net neutrality? How do you feel about the FCC's recent decisions? What do you hope the FCC will decide on this issue in the future?

Skype continues to support neutrality.
Even with the AT&T opening if its 3g wireless network, the momentum has not been derailed at the FCC
They still continue to support net neutrality and hope that Julius Genachowski will be in support as well
he has been stated to say "opening wireless services to greater consumer choice will drive investment and innovation in the mobile marketplace''
With this partnering with AT&T skype is in a good position to continue its push for network neutrality
Skype has a 2 year old petition pending at the FCC to apply the open-access provisions that govern the wireline telecom sector to wireless
the petition has still yet to be acted on, but the net neutrality rules would effectively settle the matter
the last meeting was on october 22

5. You will then take questions from the audience.