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FTC Approves Microsoft's Takeover of Skype
BigCorona writes "The US Federal Trade Commission said that it has approved Microsoft's $8.5 billion cash takeover of voice and video-over-IP provider Skype. Microsoft officially announced its intent to acquire Skype back on May 10 and since then users have been taking to Twitter to blame Microsoft for Skype's intermittent service. Now, with Reuters reporting that there has been antitrust approval of the deal, users will be able to turn to Microsoft when asking questions of Skype's sometimes-spotty service."
instead of not getting an answer from Skype we're now going to get no answer from MS?
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
No.
*facepalm*
Premature. English isn't that hard, kids.
I wouldn't be surprised if people aren't forced to use Windows Live to access Skype and go through the msn messenger. I fully expect Skype to be dead very, very shortly.
There goes the Linux version of Skype (not that it was good, but you can expect it to lag further behind than the other platform versions or cease to exist altogether).
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Skype -- seems destined, now, to head the way that everything else MSFT has headed. I don't actually know where that is, because so many pieces of tech have fallen into a void.
What are the alternatives? Yes, I'll pay, and no, it doesn't need to be open-source, but it does need to provide voice and video, and compatibility across multiple platforms, as well as chat (all of the things that Skype is so great for).
And, MSFT, in case you're reading this, no, I won't sign up if it requires me to have a Me account (or whatever you're calling it these days).
Ok, what alternatives does Skype have that work on Mac, Linux, FreeBSD and Windows? Preferably Open Source.
Does it seem like they never oppose any acquisition? It seems like we could save some tax dollars then by just dissolving the FTC.
Yep, it turns out that users are still stupid.
Why use the word "takeover" when purchase more accurately describes what happened?
I think we can all say thank god Facebook didn't buy them.
"users shall soon be able to turn to Microsoft when asking questions of Skype's sometimes-spotty service.""
Because if there is one company that knows all about crappy service, it's Microsoft.
So long, Skype. You were good while you lasted.
I would say Skype is going to get some TLC on Linux side. Skype is free but the main revenue is using Skype as commercial service. This commercial service is a perfect vehicle for M$ to gain a revenue stream from Linux (box or droid users) that they normal would never see a dime from. Add Skype in new 7/8 installs, and that is a powerful method of dominating the VOIP market. I can easily see massive growth spike coming to Skype in the next two years.
Fat lot of use that will be...particularly if you're not using Windows.
The problem is that the only alternative (SIP) sucks little black toads: abysmal audio quality, ludicrous registration procedures, non-existent global directory services, and far too many competing clients.
Don't get me wrong: I'm all in favour of open standards and open source and open competition, but with no-one at the helm, and a standard that is trying to be all things to everyone, SIP is going nowhere very fast.
If and when Google adds webcam (phonecam) to Google Voice as more and more smart phones have front facing cameras, Skype could be rendered irrelevant.
When is the last time the FTC has denied a merger (to someone other than Google)?
The CEO of Microsoft apparently has little technical knowledge and no interest in learning. Do you see any evidence that someone like that can run a technology company successfully?
Will Skype become the Zune of VOIP? Will Skype begin having serious problems like Hotmail?
Will Windows 8, due next year, be another grab for money, like Windows Vista and Windows ME?
No more calling Cuba as it's not American, I take?
so what's a good skype alternative then?
Keep 'em coming, guys.
Some of the commenters seem to be forgetting that Skype has not been an independent free service company since 2005, when it was purchased and left to flounder by ebay.com It's a European company, based in Luxemburg and Estonia, and the EU will probably keep Microsoft from messing it up, though I don't think it's clear that MS would be prone to do that.
Gently reply
Does this fall under the DOJ's antitrust oversight? If so, will Microsoft have to publish the Skype protocols as they have for their other products?
You mean like Google Talk? I use that, as it's the only solution that I've found that works on Android, Windows, Mac, and Linux.
and I see a squadron of Gloucester Old Spot Pigs flying in formation over London Heathrow Airport as I type this.
I'd rather be riding my '63 Triumph T120.
I would guess the odds are pretty short on MS running this one into the ground in five years.
Central servers are a good reason NOT to use IAX. It has this design problem - signaling and data are associated over a single pair of UDP sockets. SIP, Jingle, even H.323 all use RTP for media so the data is decoupled from signaling. This allows P2P transfer of high volume audio and video data. Various techniques exist to pass through a firewall and alternative transports can be used if needed, especially in Jingle which is more flexible. Now, if everybody would agree on a reasonable minimum set of transports and codecs there would be no need of Skype at all...
Somehow I think the first move that Microsoft will make upon assuming control is to kill off Linux Skype. As usual, mergers end up screwing everyone, employees, users, and vendors alike, except upper management.
It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
- E. Debs
Time to drop Skype every! Google Voice can be a good replacement.
Screw Microsoft - FAIL COMPANY.
Microsoft remains on the bleeding edge of innovation with its completely new-from-the-ground-up Windows Bing Voice Internet phone platform, formerly known as Skype.
Windows Bing Voice was developed entirely in-house at an acquisition cost of only $8.5 billion. "Our developer teams know the meaning of confidentiality," said Steve Ballmer. "Heck, even they didn't know it was Skype until today. That's how, uh, stealth we are."
The new Windows Bing Voice client will be included with Windows Phone 7, Office 365, Kin and Zune. "Microsoft will continue to invest in and support Skype clients on non-Microsoft platforms! On a case by case time and availability basis, of course. We'll give our Mac Business Unit developer details for Windows Bing Voice 2011 Ultimate Edition by 2013, for sure."
Service is expected to remain "at 100%" as the server infrastructure is moved from Linux to Windows, though Microsoft has not specified what that will be 100% of. The peer-to-peer functionality of Skype will also be harnessed to distribute Windows updates and Windows Genuine Advantage serial number blacklists.
Google said that the Google Voice servers were "holding up well" under the influx of new users.
http://rocknerd.co.uk
I'm a little confused on whether Skype services are subject to use tax in Washington state, namely because of this 2007 pdf stating, "Many VoIP providers may lack taxable nexus with the state. And unlike most items subject to retail sales tax, there is no comparable use tax due on telecommunications services."
So, those of us in Washington state, were we suppose to pay use tax before? (I'm guessing no.)
And given the acquisition by Microsoft, now there's going to be retail sales tax, correct? (I'm guessing yes, meaning maybe it's time to buy some years before taxes go up.)
i never could get any of the desktop apps for google voice to work. so your forced to leave gmail open to knoe if someone calls you, unless of course your roughting to another phone.
This headline reminds me of the Skype outages a couple of months ago and how people were blaming them on Microsoft...
"I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)
FoxPro was popular before Microsoft bought it. Now its dead.
... since carriers love Skype so very much due to its ability to shift their revenue from the extremely profitable voice calls to the much less profitable data transmission channels, and since nobody will believe Microsoft should they claim not to have any plans to integrate Skype's technology in WP7. This is irrespective of whether WP7 has technical merit or not. Carriers make or break a mobile OS - they can simply refuse to subsidize phones running an unwanted OS thus forcing it out of the market.
one day i will get a we have discontinued skype for linux but you can install the windows version with wine message
I guess I will have to look for an alternative. It's sad, but MS taking over skype is unacceptable. I never accepted LiveID and all that crap as it isn't how I want to use computers. They are supposed to be a tool for specific tasks you want to do, not your entire life and the person you are. Why does everyone seem to want to tie everything together and identify you uniquely for even the simplest search-task, and why should there be links between a PM account and a friggin blog? I mean, 1 password is easier to remember, but also easier to hack! There are a lot of users out there who will be devastated if their accounts were hacked. Politically, personally and financially as well as work-wise. Their life can simply be stolen. Soon some moron will find it wise to tie this in with your bank account too, then you will be really screwed. I need an alternative. Something unrelated to any government, social website and buisiness morons.
SIP is up and working for me. I have a Softphone running on Ubuntu on a netbook for travel anyplace and a hardware ATA with 2 lines at home. One is SIP only with no provider for PTSN. This is used for free SIP to SIP calls worldwide much like Skype to Skype. The other line is provisioned for inbound and outbound calls. Unlimited calls to more than 30 countries is part of the package for under $25/month. This includes call to England, UK, USA, Guam, Canada, China, Australia, Switzerland, Thailand, and elsewhere to landlines. This beats any minutes plan if you do high volume of calls overseas. Countries not on the list are still free SIP to SIP.
Google voice works while you are at your computer and logged into Google. SIP with an ATA (analog telephone adaptor) can use your answering machine and desk phone.
The truth shall set you free!
What provider are you using for the under $25/mo?
The interesting trend reversal for Microsoft becomes more and more obvious with every activity. It used to be that share prices shot up when Microsoft indicated an interest in a company, now it is exactly the reverse.
Nokia shares seemed to have suffered after the decision to load their new phones with Microsoft software, a deal generally seen as one between two losers. There was really no upshot for Nokia there, and investors didn't seem to think so either (remarkable).
The moment Microsoft announced its intention to buy Skype I noticed a VERY sharp increase in people seeking an alternative (of which there is presently none, leaving a hole in the market that will remain until software patents make more sense). Again, product confidence nose dives once Microsoft gets involved.
Microsoft: turning gold into lead?
Insert
Now that the deal has been approved, M$ will be charging for using skype, just watch as the free part of skype gets taken out.
For SIP to SIP, that is always free.
I'm using Ekiga for that.
Use a soft phone to dial sip users as a user name is used instead of a phone number that can be dialed on a plain telephone. An ATA can be used to receive calls from SIP to SIP or from a provisioner. You can get a free SIP account from Ekiga https://www.ekiga.net/
For free inbound with a local Washington State USA number, IPKall is completely free. You can use this number worldwide. For example if you live in Australia, you can have a US number for people to call you.
http://www.ipkall.com/
For outbound calls there are a variety of low rate and unlimited plans. I'm using Lingo.
https://www.lingo.com/
All of the above can be used with an ATA adaptor that is not locked to a carrier such as Vontage.
The truth shall set you free!
Perhaps a year before Microsoft killed FoxPro, a Microsoft tech support person told me FoxPro had 1.5 million users.