KDDI to bring Skype to au
Technology ( 13 )
TOKYO —
KDDI Corp has announced a partnership with Skype Technologies S.A in bringing its software to mobile phone users subscribed to KDDI’s au services. The collaboration will make possible free Skype-to-Skype phone calls for those using KDDI’s smartphones.
Net profit for KDDI’s July-September period showed just modest growth, as the strength at its optical broadband and cable television service units made up for its failure to cash in on the smartphone craze.
Japan Corporate News Network
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13 Comments
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goddog
Finally catching up to iPhone.
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bogva
BAD!
Is this why from Nov.1st I can not authorize my moblie phone (Softbank) with my desktop Skype application? Before I could use Skype to send SMS to abroad and the recieving side could see my mobile number as sender. Now KDDI is putting hands on this (Japan is no more listed in some of the services on Skype home page).
Hate this !!!
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goddog
Bogva, I was using SKYPE down at the beach yesterday here in J-Land, and talking to my brother on SKYPE with my iPhone. He was in Texas on his computer. Update your phone. SKYPE should be fine.
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Bluebris
Still no news on when it will be available on Android for Softbank users. Iphone users can access it yet Android users can't. All Skype will say is they're negotiating with Softbank. Bunch of cretins.
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cnc
Softbank is able to offer free calls between softbank users because they have their own satellite system. AU lagged behind in offering this feature because they rent bandwidth on satellites and cell towers owned by NTT. Piggybacking voip calls through skype is a brilliant idea to say the least. I heard that they are putting skype onto regular Japanese handsets (apart from smartphones), which will make the users sign up for a data plan to use the feature. My guess is that a skype only data plan will cost the user about 2500yen (compared to a 500yen smartphone plan) above the regular cellular plan they already have. Its just wishful thinking though.
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cnc
5000yen
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sharpie
dont move too fast, you might trip over yourself
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bogva
goddog, sorry about my English but I should repeat - I was using PC trying to aouthorise my cell number (just to appear on other phones when sending SMS from computer).
Otherwise no problem with using Skype or Skype Out from PC or even my Windows smartphone (yeah, Softbank).
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Hikozaemon
It is incredible to me that Skype is allowing KDDI to have a monopoly on Android based Skype in Japan. I am a PC based Skype user for 10 years now, and I use it from my iPhone. I want to switch to Android on Softbank. If that happens, Skype is saying that it wants me and my family to stop using Skype and to look for alternatives like Google Voice or something, right?
Well Skype, if you are going to withhold Skype from more than 50% of Android users in Japan, expect to see a hit not just in Android based use, but in PC based use of Skype as well - this is a huge opportunity for other VoiP companies to step in and take substantial market share from Skype, and it will be their own fault for alienating Japanese consumers like this.
Peace
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randomenigma
Goes to show how locked down the Japanese market is, if it requires a phone vendor to provide Skype to people. Here, if we want Skype, we just install it.
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TheBigRiceBowl
I have had au for a very long time. I used to LOVE au because their phones were cutting edge and so cool. Now they are about the slowest in the entire market to produce hot, new items. It amazes me that they took this long to FINALLY have ONE real smart phone.
Why they are focusing on "skype" as the "hot, new app" baffles me.
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goddog
Try Tango. You can turn your 3GS into a video conferencing cam.
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saru_au
cnc
most cell towers are not linked by satellites... I think they're mostly linked by microwave and fiber optics... KDDI owns a fiber optic backbone... so this doesn't seem like a reasonable excuse to me...
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