Skype opens up its Skype for SIP product to all business accounts today. Skype Journal explains the features and what it means.

1. A Skype Journal briefing
Skype for SIP
Phil Wolff
December 2009

2. 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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4. 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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5. 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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6. 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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7. 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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8. 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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9. SFS Relies on Push Channels
Skype
SIP Partners
Phone VARS
IT/Telecom Department
Callers
Consumer Marketing Channel Marketing
Skype Journal, 18 September 2009
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10. 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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11. 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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12. When Skype users dial Call Centers
One Click to
Skype your
Call Center
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13. 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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14. 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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15. 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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16. 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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17. 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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18. Tell your Skype For SIP Story
• tips@SkypeJournal.com
• twitter.com/skypejournal
• +1-510-444-8234
• Skype:evanwolf?chat
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