Dan York says he wants interoperability between Skype and other VoIP networks. Who wouldn't, right? Apparently not too many of us. According to Skype, the reason they haven't done this is because "customers aren't asking for it".
I'm calling them out on this one. I'm betting that they haven't actually asked customers. You see, here's the dirty secret that all corporate spokespeople use. When asked these kinds of questions, they all answer "customers haven't asked us for it", because it's a safe answer. It's unassailable, in fact. "Hey, we'd build it if people were asking for it, but they're not, so why should we spend the money!"
Customers won't necessarily ask for it, but if you build it, Skype, they will use it. Moreover, by opening the network a teensy bit, Skype would advance the cause for VoIP globally and that would benefit you and everyone else. I'm sure you've heard the old saying that a rising tide floats all boats…
Alec Saunders is the Vice President of Developer Relations for BlackBerry make Research in Motion. This is his personal blog, with his personal viewpoints. Prior to this Alec was the CEO and co-founder of Calliflower — the easiest way to hold a meeting, online, on a conference call, or on the go. A double-decade veteran of product management and marketing, he spent nine years at Microsoft where he helped launch Windows 95, the first two versions of Internet Explorer, the Universal Plug and Play initiative, the push into home markets, opt-in email marketing and what might well go down in history as the very first direct email list ever.
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This 'no one asked for it argument' is probably the most hypocritical argument that could be made by Skype. I would suggest that no one asked for "free p2p calling on the internet" but clearly there was a need that wasn't being met.
In general, customers don't ask for disruptive, game changing features – that is the job of the innovators and pioneers in any industry (Apple, Slingbox) perhaps Skype just 'can't' do it.
Oh no, they can do it. They already interoperate with the PSTN. That's known to use G.729a. If they can do that there's not technical reason why they can't interoperate with SIP based networks. It could change their topology quite a lot, but its possible.