Skype: We chose Verizon over Nokia in USA

March 5, 2010 | Paul Boutin
Comments

I’ve been nagging Skype and Nokia representatives for days to find out why the worldwide launch of Skype in Nokia’s Ovi app store on Wednesday excluded the American version of the store.

Nokia spokespeople protested that they were caught by surprise, and that Skype had chosen, without explanation and at the last minute, not to place their Skype Mobile app in Nokia’s store. (Unlike Apple’s App Store, Nokia lets individual app makers decide what to publish and when.)

Finally, at noon on Friday, I got an answer from Skype employee Sravanthi Agrawal, who handles corporate communications. Agrawal’s lack of baloney is refreshing:

“Skype has made a decision in the United States to not promote the Skype for Symbian app through the Ovi Store. We did this so that we could drive more attention to the recently announced Skype and Verizon Wireless agreement. This was a marketing decision — plain and simple.

“Skype users in the U.S can still download Symbian by going directly to Skype.com.”

Skype’s deal with Verizon, announced three weeks ago, is still at the “coming soon” stage, but Verizon has said it’s due later in March. Verizon and Skype collaborated on the video below, which explains Skype Mobile’s advantages for globetrotting young adults.

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About the Author, Paul Boutin

Paul (paul@venturebeat.com) covers Apple & the iPhone, social networks & social media, digital music & video, and any crazy Internet story. Paul wrote and edited for Valleywag from 2006-2008, after several years with Wired magazine and Slate. He writes regularly for The New York Times' Personal Tech section and sometimes for Wired and The Wall Street Journal. He studied computer science at MIT in the early 1980s, and worked as a software developer and network administrator for 15 years before becoming a professional writer. Follow him on Twitter at @paulboutin, and follow VentureBeat on Twitter at @venturebeat.

  • rogerrayenz
    I think it would be great for Nokia to VZ that I'm a big fan, but I have to use or buy that I would want to be able to receive applications has been a fan of will not. For good or bad it depends on their being a market no one wants to buy for everyone or your own (or can develop application extensions apps) or simply use the built Apps for a person to fix the problem. If there are companies who see this as their market can only help all of us were.

    usb flash drive
  • Nokia is weak in the US and undoubtedly Skype is bowing to Blackberry's pressure. Too bad for Nokia US customers though. Those of us with European, Asian, and African handsets have had access to Skype for quite some time now. On the N900 it's been integrated into the phone book. A hint for those of you who are really interested in using VoIP on your Nokia US handset. Download Nimbuzz. It allows not only Skype, but several other VoIP operators to directly link into your phonebook. A great way to save money on international calls. Or in my case, I use Skype at home over my wLAN to substitute for my wire line connection.
  • mobile
    skype made an exclusive deal w verizon for the US. no other good reason to pull skype from ovi store in the US.
  • Nokia is surprising me lately. I considered them doomed until recently, but they are being quite competitive recently.
  • I hope Skype continues to treat the Verizon partnership this way when they launch Skype for Blackberry. I'm using a Blackberry 9700 on AT&T and am anxious to try Skype, which I use a lot on my laptops. If Skype promotes their Blackberry app for Verizon but still makes the app available for install for all carriers from Skype.com, that will be great. If they don't allow Skype to be installed on non-Verizon phones it will be a real disservice to their Blackberry users.
  • desi4eva
    Can I install skype on the blackberry curve 8900 in the UK and will it come under my data plan I am with Orange

    Porter Cable Parts
  • worldwidejase
    They are VERY careful in this video NOT to make it clear if the Skype Mobile user can be anywhere in the world, too. Jack is shown in Pisa, Sydney, Giza, Istanbul, Rio and Paris, but he and the Skype Mobile user's other friends are always shown on their laptops. The Skype Mobile user is shown on her cell phone with the English words "food" and "coffee" in the background (implying an English speaking United States), but the narrator says only, "in your world" and draws her over the Atlantic ocean. Totally vague; what if "my world" is on an island off the coast of Brazil or an English speaking Australia? With one of Verizon's Global Phones, you can pay about $65/month on top of your voice plan for unlimited (so they say) data over 3G in 175 countries around the world. No roaming charges using data, unlike that of AT&T's and T-Mobile's astronomical $15/megabyte of data when roaming internationally. So in theory, you could use Skype Mobile on 3G while overseas without extra charges. We'll see.
  • Since you can just go direct to Skype and install the app, It makes you wonder why we even have to have "App Stores". ISTM App Stores should be directories with recommendations and reviews in the style of the Mozilla extensions site. And without all this corporate bullshit about "Nokia Approved" or "Apple certified"
  • Jim
    Yeah, but not having app stores means applications for one's phone is harder to find. If somebody who isn't well versed in S60 apps, buys an unlocked Nokia phone in the U.S., where do you direct them for a thorough listing of applications? What if they want Skype, but they can't get it via the Ovi Store on their brand new cell phone?

    Though I understand the idea of 'openness', it's definitely an issue for Nokia in bringing in new consumers from the U.S.
  • Nokiafan
    This just illustrates the benefits and differentiation of having a truly open platform that allows consumers to put whatever they want on their phone. Go directly to Skype and just install it on your Nokia phone.
  • Yeah I did that long time ago and is the best solution
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