Skype says VoIP mobile phones are not ready for primetime

VoIP industry giant Skype has said that the mobile phone industry is not currently ready for the VoIP revolution.

This is mostly because of the higher carrier charges implemented by the mobile service providers around the world.

The company’s applications rely on broadband connectivity to place a voice call. It bypasses the telephony network for which telecoms operators charge by the minute.

The calls made to other Skype users are free and they charge a small fee for calling regular phones around the world.

Most mobile customers cannot find a cheap data connection plan from their service provider. And till that time, it would be illogical for mobile companies to adopt the VoIP connectivity.

Skype’s hardware and software business development Chief Eric Lagier said in a statement: “We don’t want to be in a situation where we say: ‘Skype is free’ and then at the end of the month the user gets this huge broadband bill.”

He added: “You can now make Skype calls at home, at work or on the move.”