A Skype Journal briefing

Skype for SIP

Phil Wolff

December 2009

Today’s announcement

• Skype for SIP Beta program is going– From closed (starting March 2009)

• Fewer than 1000 concurrent channels

– To open (starting December 2009)

• Anyone with a Skype business account

• Buy at your Skype.com Business Control Panel

• 10k Beta requests in March 2009

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SFS is like SIP Trunking

SIP Trunking– Connects your PBX to a local or long distance

phone service provider

SFS– Connects your PBX to SkypeOut, SkypeIn, and

inbound Skype-to-Skype voice calls

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SFS is a limited add-on

• No emergency dialing– You still need a regular phone service to dial

police, fire, ambulance

• No phone number portability– You need a Skype Online Number

– You don’t get to use an existing number

• Service levels aren’t regulated or guaranteed

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SFS isn’t free

• US$ 6.95 per month for each channel– One call at a time per channel

• Online Skype phone number for the business• SkypeOut at published rates

– Skype Global Rate: 2.1¢/minute, 36+ countries, more for mobiles in most places

– No flat-rate calling plans

• Calls from the Skype ecosystem are free

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Which trunk for this outbound call?

• Write PBX rules to choose best trunk for each call. – Best rates

– Private networks

– Emergencies

• Skype may cost less– World calls

– No buying power

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Skype Builds Distribution

• PBX Makers signed up– ShoreTel

– Cisco

– SIPfoundry

• And thousands of their resellers – earn referral commissions

• More PBX makers to come (Pareto’s Law)

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Skype

SIP Partners

Phone VARS

IT/Telecom Department

CallersConsumer Marketing Channel Marketing

Skype Journal, 18 September 2009

SFS Relies on Push Channels

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So Skype gets to know your Phone Guy

• A beachhead in your company• A relationship to sell more Skype products• A champion for Skype technology

• For many institutions, it is much easier to buy more from an established vendor than a new one

• This makes it easier for the rest of the org to adopt Skype

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The other SFS champions?

• Remote workers– Skype to the company phones for free

– Add your company switchboard as a contact

• Sales and Marketing– Global marketing to Skype users

– Let prospects and customers Skype

– Keep call center gear and software

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When Skype users dial Call Centers

One Click to Skype your Call Center

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SFS Builds on Existing Suppliers

• PSTN Termination and Origination Services

– Connect Skype to public phone networks

– Provide Skype with phone numbers

– The same suppliers connect SkypeOut services for all of Skype

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Barriers to Skype for SIP Adoption

• Prices are not competitive in many markets• Small businesses don’t know how to configure

phone switches for new providers• Telecom VARs don’t know

– About Skype for SIP

– About Skype’s affiliate programs

– How to support Skype at their customers

• Small biz changes phone service when changing hardware

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What’s in it for Skype?

• Easy Billable Minutes• A small, growing share of the $billions

companies pay to local, long distance, and international phone carriers

• A share of the whole company’s spend without winning individual hearts and minds

• High return on small Skype team• More buying power over Skype’s suppliers

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What will Skype learn?

• How to support and lead a Channel• Massive business call data record database

– Mine for behavior patterns

– Design new business products

– New ways to find future Skype customers

• How company telecom departments shop and buy

• Politics between telecom and IT departments

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Future for Skype for SIP? Maybe…

• Free calls to other Skype for SIP customers– Skype doesn’t need to pay termination fees

• Subscription plans for business

• Management wizard to help admins manage SFS channel capacity – You’re at capacity 94% this month. Add a channel?

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Tell your Skype For SIP Story

• tips@SkypeJournal.com• twitter.com/skypejournal• +1-510-444-8234• Skype:evanwolf?chat

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