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FOX News - SciTech - SciTech - Court Battle May Disconnect Internet Phone System Skype - Page 1 of 4

Just cam across this article about Skype's potential downfall. The link is a mobile friendly link.

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[savioAMG]

That would kind of suck if they get shut down. That's what my relatives in Italy and I use to keep in touch.

[JDukeOSBB]

Yeah. Its become so popular as of late. It would definitely suck.

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[cide2life]

I hope that is not true because I also use this to get in touch with my fam overseas. Noooo skype pls don't go!!!

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[tdevers1229]

Wow this would be very disappointing. I have fallen in love with skype and this is how I keep in touch with so many of my friends over seas

[Aetius]

That would be brutal!

[ArmaK]

Yeah I heard about this on saturday night and wrote an article on it for another site. Here is the article that I posted in the skype app thread earlier in the day.

After reading the article at the end of this post, it seems that our chances of getting a skype app for the BB beyond the current build doesn't look too good. According to the article, Ebay bought Skype from Joltid back in 2005 for 2.6 billion dollars but that didn't include the Global Index P2P software which Skype works off of. Joltid is currently trying to cancel the license for this technology. If that should happen, Skype will have no choice but to shutdown.

In a quarterly report filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the following was stated:

"Skype licenses peer-to-peer communication technology from Joltid Limited pursuant to a license agreement between the parties. The parties had been discussing a dispute over the license. In March 2009, Skype Technologies S.A. filed a claim in the English High Court of Justice (No. HC09C00756) against Joltid Limited. Following the filing of the claim, Joltid purported to terminate the license agreement between the parties.

In particular, Joltid has alleged that Skype should not possess, use or modify certain software source code and that, by doing so, and by disclosing such code in certain U.S. patent cases pursuant to orders from U.S. courts, Skype has breached the license agreement. Joltid has brought a counterclaim alleging that Skype has repudiated the license agreement, infringed Joltid's copyright and misused confidential information. On the basis of, among other things, the parties' mutual dealings since the execution of the license agreement, Skype asked the English High Court for declaratory relief, including findings that Skype is not in breach of the license agreement, that Joltid's notice of breach and subsequent notice of termination are invalid, and that Joltid has certain indemnity obligations in relation to the U.S. patent proceedings.

Trial is currently scheduled for June 2010. Although Skype is confident of its legal position, as with any litigation, there is the possibility of an adverse result if the matter is not resolved through negotiation. Skype has begun to develop alternative software to that licensed through Joltid. However, such software development may not be successful, may result in loss of functionality or customers even if successful, and will in any event be expensive. If Skype was to lose the right to use the Joltid software as the result of the litigation, and if alternative software was not available, Skype would be severely and adversely affected and the continued operation of Skype's business as currently conducted would likely not be possible. "

So it seems that Skype is currently working on an alternative technology to that of of Joltid but it is proving unsuccessful and the June 2010 trial is approaching fast. If Skype were to shutdown, it would be a big blow to more than 480 million user accounts, which is almost twice as many as Facebook.

Shock threat to shut Skype

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[MNotar91]

I really hope this does not happen.

[Agent Y]

Oprah uses skype, it will never fall! at least i hope not...

[GMCloud27]

However, there's also going to be strong competition when Google Voice goes into public use (versus the closed private beta) so if Skype were to fall, I could only imagine how fast people will turn to Google

[TheOtherGuy]

This would suck. I can't get Google Voice in the countries I hang around in

[Brnkvc]

i need skype!

[RedneckGenius]

for the people that use it to talk overseas, my home phone is through vonage, which includes unlimited calling to most of europe. this saves me a ton of money and is definitely worth looking into.

[papped]

Still have other services like truphone, which uses local minutes to do international calls over data.

[j.goncalves]

I have never found a good use for skype!

[j.goncalves]

Everytime that i use it, it lags, and i have really fast internet! Maybe its my Macbook Pro...hahah

[redwanhuq]

However, there's also going to be strong competition when Google Voice goes into public use (versus the closed private beta) so if Skype were to fall, I could only imagine how fast people will turn to Google

Skype = Google Talk + Google Voice

[geocab]

I don't know much about Google Talk or Voice, do these have video calling? That's the only reason I use Skype in the first place. Keeping in touch, but also being able to see the party I'm talking to.

[kost]

Yeah I heard about this on saturday night and wrote an article on it for another site. Here is the article that I posted in the skype app thread earlier in the day.

That's terrible news.. Let's cross fingers and toes and hope for the best.. After that battle they should definitely consider designing an app for our BBs as weel

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Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[kmcallister11]

It would make things so hard for our soldiers all over the world. Being an Army Wife, skype is basically the only thing that works for us. Well e-mail, but if we want to actually talk, skype is the cheapest and best way for him to call me (through computer or bb depending on when he has time). Skype going away would really really suck..

[Coruptyed]

A little older now I heard talks that they possibly could have it settled but nothing new at the moment

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[CatAlex]

Booooooooooooo!

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[BlackBerryUnlockCode.INFO]

its also a primary way of contact between my friend and family, would be sad.
recently they started supporting for desktop sharing on mac version, I was expecting same for Windows PC's.

[WhoolioPreludee]

Who gives a F is stupid @$S oprah uses it. Its sad for the rest of us. Screw oprah

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[jlb21]

I would be kind of bummed too. When I went to the UK on business 2 summers ago, I puchased $10 of Skype out credit. My wife didn't want to be tied to the computer when I called home. So that $10 of credit lasted for 2 weeks worth of nightly calls home.