Fring’s mis-use of Skype software was damaging to our brand and reputation
An hour or so ago, Fring reported on their blog that we had blocked their access to Skype. I want to make one thing absolutely clear: this is untrue.
Fring was using Skype software in a way it wasn’t designed to be used – and in a way which is in breach of Skype’s API Terms of Use and End User License Agreement. We’ve been talking with Fring for some time to try to resolve this amicably.
However, over time, Fring’s mis-use of our software was increasingly damaging our brand and reputation with our customers. On Friday, for example, Fring withdrew support for video calls over Skype on iOS 4 without warning, again damaging our brand and disappointing our customers, who have high expectations of the Skype experience.
We actively encourage developers to build products that work with Skype, acting, of course in accordance with our various API licences. At the same time, Skype will rigorously protect our brand and reputation, and those developers that do not comply with our terms will be subject to legal enforcement.
In this case, however, there is no truth to Fring’s claims that Skype has blocked it. Fring made the decision to remove Skype functionality on its own.
I finally tried Nimbuzz with skype out and it worked well.
For all frustrated people like me use Nimbuzz and hope it never gets cut off!!!
The fact – I was using Fring perfectly well and you block it. I am very disappointed with Skype.
Get it together folks at Skype and Fring! Now there is no way i can use the services i got already used to, on my new Galaxy S Droid. VERY disappointed!
Why you block Fring when there is no alternative? I can only use fring to make skype video call on my cellphone. If you really want to block them, could you release a new skype that supports video call first? Thanks
I can live with losing fring with skype on it, but please hurry up and make Skype for Android. Just upgraded from Nokia N97 mini which had native skype on + fring. Now im on HTC Desire, upgraded to Frogo 2.2 and no Skype Gutted!!!!!!!!
Fring damaged your brand? Bullshit!
On my Nokia 5800 i can make VIDEO CALL with fring to skype
Why I can’t make a video call using skype for symbian? Because you’re too lazy to add this feature…..
that just sucks
i have skypeout account for few years now with unlimited country support
which worked out just fine with fring via my nokia E65
which skype never bothered to release a compatible skype version for
now i have no way useing skype other then from home via my pc….
I was using fring for skype voice and video calls, it was really good quality on wifi and 3g. now no skype on fring. I start to use skype mobile application but voice quality of this skype application is really very bad. So i stop to using skype. Now me, my friends and my family, we start to calling directly from fring user. So now we all have fring user account. Fring voice call and video call both are really very good. Sorry skype good bye.
Dear (oh dear) Skype,
you are SO wrong. When people use third party multifunctional apps they do so knowing that they are cobbled together for best fit, and have NO reflection on the originator AT ALL. Do you see Facebook spitting their dummy because the interface for FB notifications on fring is rubbish compared to their own….NO! If people believe your app is better they will use it, and guess what the hundreds of comments to the contrary should show you they don’t. Most of us are telling you we like skype and would like to use it with fring, if we can’t most people like me will simply continue to use fring with other providers. Your app is not updated often enough and doesn’t offer the multiple protocols that fring does, why use a 100 individual apps when 1 will (generally) do.
For a cutting edge technology company your living in the past.
Well, you’re probably are right about everything. But here’s the newsflash: we, your clients don’t care if you are right or wrong. We want to use skype with video on our mobile phones. And Fring just did it. Nice and smooth. Amongst other nice features. So, I don’t who is right and who is wrong. Fring did something that Skype did not and that was cool.
I used Fring over wifi while in the middle east to Skype back home to my family in the states with Skype credits I payed for. I can’t do that with Skype alone because the Skype only works in the US on Verizon on 3G for the Incredible!!! My Skype credits are USELESS now. I’ll be using another real VOIP provider. Anyway I can get a refund on my remaining credit?
Common SKYPE you can absolutely and clearly see from all the columns, people see through SKYPE!! SKYPE only dissapoint more of it own customers & more talking about its brand!? what’s the point a BRAND WITH DISSAPOINTED CUSTOMERS?
In your statement, you mentioned that they were violating user agreements. If that was true, why the hell did you allow it for so long? Such a lame excuse and then you put all the blame on Fring. You are too greedy and have this petty envy to Fring who actually managed to implement things on so many platforms where you failed to do so. Good job Skype at pissing off thousands of people.
Perhaps if Skype made their software available and supportable for more phones (such as my Nokia 6120C) then people wouldn’t have to result to using Fring. Skype is damaging their own brand, not Fring. Fring was and is a reliable service, not that I can say so in regards of Skype’s mobile application – as I’m unable to use it.
Perhaps its time to listen to your customers and make a supportable, reliable application yourself – and take example from Fring on that account.
Hi Peter,
Fring is a program that works with the iPhone quickly, Skype is the original slow. Fring has the advantage that it allows multiple clients simultaneously ICQ, Skype, Google, SIP, etc.. Skype made a mistake, it’s just vanity and envy. I hope you feel it’s revenues, it makes you probably the only criterion.
Hello Peter,
The issues you site are simply behind the scenes business complaints, and background noise to the average consumer. I personally would have zero knowledge of such a breach of your protocol or otherwise.
Point is; I’ve had Skype forever and NEVER used it unil Fring. You have essentially turned a mountain into a mole hill and lost thousands of new consumers to your product some of which hadn’t even heard of your service prior.
It’s a bummer, because instead of complaining and b****ing back and forth with one another, no matter who is causing the problem, it could’ve have been a great partnership with the potential of bringing new users to Skype.
Instead, you may have pissed off those consumers that think you are keeping your service away from them by removing it from Fring. No matter the reason…you hurt your own brand indirectly.
Robert Miller, do you really believe this BS yourself ? Or does your puppetmaster @ Skype HQ just instruct you to come up with this crap ?
Fring worked like a charm and delivered what it’s customers/users where asking for. So well that it made all those nitwits at Skype look bad.
Very bad.
They couldn’t stand the embarresment any longer at Skype. While they were developing all sort of useless functionality noone gives a shit about (One click advertisment, Skype Extra’s… come one cut the crap!) Fring was doing the exciting stuff.
And now they just pulled the plug.
I pulled the plug too, no more Skype credit. Ever.
Apparently Skype made a deal with the devil (in this case it’s Verizon Wireless) and anyone or any app that upsets this balance will be dealt with decisively, whether customers like it or not. I pay for Skype (International) and I still have to deal with sound fading in and out during video calls but instead of fixing their technical issues and allowing their service to be available on all carriers, they now hide behind their legal mumbo jumbo to mask, again, their deal with the devil. I now plan to switch from Verizon Wireless, and hope that another, yet better app, comes along real soon to make Skype a thing of the past.
At least Fring was providing a service that Skype itself was unprepared to do and now it seems that you’ve just pulled the rug from under their feet by hiding behind your API terms baloney. Skype as a company have disappointed me with your attitude towards Fring and I will be supporting any viable alternatives in the future.
I can see that this discussion have been going on for a long time now and well I must say that I have started to look for alternatives to Skype now as I only want to use this for VOIP all my friends are on other medias anyway, so if there is no way that Skype is going to develop an application for android other then Verizons phones, well then I can take my business else were
The users of both applications can’t really know who’s lying.
The only sure thing is that it’s a silly war that will leave both hurted with less subscribers..
Best regards.
Paolo J.
Well you talk of Fring damaging your reputation so stop people having to use Fring, please, please, please bring out Skype for Android, there are many people that are not interested in the the Hype that is iPood. Then you can repair and increase your reputation in one easy moment.
Skype is just trying to block its competitors and Fring, who is acting as a cooperator, has been great in incorporating Skype and it actually makes me like to use Skype. Skype’s move is actually damaging its own brand, and the introduce of GMail Phone may even take me further out of Skype. I am completely disappointed about Skype’s decision.
The fact that months have gone by without mobile video support of any kind for iPhones just goes to show that Skype doesn’t care about their users.
Very dissapointing … I enjoyed using fring on my phone … Maybe it is time to try another service …
Shameless marketing bullshit – one reason in the end skype will die.
the Skype app does not support video call.
and Skype do not have a app for android
i say to Skype to unblock fring
i know that Skype block fring
or Skype should make a app for android
Here is the problem, skype. I travel to Europe alot. This is why I invested in you and have used you for the past few years. I would love to use the skype mobile app on my android device except that it doesn’t allow me to use my wifi connection (seriously? come on), which basically the reason why i have skype in the first place. Now i cant even get fring to use my skype account to make calls over wifi. I am now forced into getting a SIPgate account. Please fix this. Stop corporate tooling around.
I’m still waiting on a skype on my webos phone. Skype can be doing WAAAAAAAYYYY better then they are doing if they just listen to this very group of people. Imagine how much more business skype would have if they bought video chat to Symbian webos ios bbos android and other popular platforms… even if they don’t have a front facing camera. Maybe even oovoo Aim and Yahoo i.m. video chat support cross platform skype on ps3 with video support. The possibility’s are really endless all you guys have to do is step it up
I am waiting for skype mobile mobile for worldwide users not only for verizon customers in the US, can you do this soon as your promise? However, if you can’t. why try to do something that really silly to block its own users by not allowing fring to do it for you? Know how silly Skype is… I will find alternative way to replace my skypeout solution. Maybe fring will come to replace it…
Hey Skype! You know, as you guys grow, you are starting to sound more and more like the companies that do stupid things then lie to their customers because shady business practices seem to be more profitable than, I dunno, making a product that actually works!
Skype for Windows Mobile, for instance…
I have the HD2. Not only does a scrounged up copy of the old Windows Mobile version of Skype run flawlessly, but if you reflash the phone to Android and get one of the skype-lite betas that leaked, it also works flawlessly. How about you guys stop trying to control the market, I mean, that never works. Apple tries a lot, mind you, Apple isn’t as succesful as a company who sells really shitty and bugged out software called Microsoft, are they?
Also, what the hell is with you and verizon being butt-buddies? I know some contracts got signed and partnerships made, but Verizon is a terrible company whose customers hate them. How come Skype doesnt work over WiFi on the Droid? Hell, now that I think about it why would Verizon want people to use their data network anyway when there is another solution to save them bandwidth?
Skype is quickly turning into one of those shit companies that fuck over consumers just because they can, just because you guys are the leader in VoIP doesn’t mean you have to act like monopolistic pigs, how about showing the people that made you the leader in VoIP some fucking respect and stop attacking our technology?
It’s been few months since you said you will release alternative skype client for non-verizon users.
How’s this progressed?
Android and BlackBerry Skype client please.
whatever, close doors may friends…
3rd party apps are the best way to target excellent customers for free!
lol, you are so big i guess
In the end It’s all about money, not keeping happy customers.
Oh, come on Skype
Can’t you recognise negative feedback when you see it? We expect you and Fring to sort this out! We don’t need all this corporate posturing. Fring is so much better on Symbian since it is a one stop app for voip, twitter and IM. If your guys can’t program this stuff let the people who can have a share of the cake.
Its a shame that another company innovated and implemented a feature that skype could have themselves offered to their customer base.
You guys can take over the market of video calling/ conferencing – and all you need is Software supporting Apple OS and iOS, Microsoft OS, Android, Symbian and Linux. Call me ignorant, but somehow for a company with over USD700 Million in revenue and and 500 Million users I don’t exactly see this as a big hurdle. Sounds to me more like bad corporate management, if anything.
Get with the program skype and give us our open Android app, because if you don’t, then watch Google come through and take out Skype with their own skype clone called “gaggle” that will be custom made for Android, yet also allow iphone, Nokia et al access with apps.
Your customer base will almost vanish overnight and within 18 months you will be a failed dotcom, do you not realise this?
Adapt, or die, this is the 21st century in communications. As for being too focused on the US and locking in mobile carriers…fine, do it, but the rest of the world still wants to use Skype when we can and without being locked into carriers, or non wifi access. Seriously though, what is the point of VOIP communication if you block skype access to wifi and force traffic through a carrier?
Did the muppet that thought up that bright idea get a promotion for the initial extra revenue that skype would gain, or did they get sent back tot the mail room for the significant damage to the Skype brand name?
I’m one of the millions of Galaxy S owners out there, who used to be an avid Skype supported and adopter. Hey my uncle was even on prime time TV talking about skype in the early days because of my influence.
but skype has made some pretty poor decisions in the past, like not allowing two accounts to be paid for with by the same credit card, so husband and wife were no both able to have skype out accounts, but what really killed skype for me is no Android support for my Galaxy S.
I’ve switched over to google now, and I don’t mind at all, it’s not as pretty as skype, but it’s not as much of a resource hog either.
It doesn’t do video on my samsung, but I don’t care, I does voice.
I used voice, secondarily, but mainly chat, who ever supplies me with an awesome reliable text chat experience gets my voice calls by default.
I have lots of skype credit, but it’s just sitting idle now, not more looking at a subscription for me, I’m slowly converting my family, friends and business contacts to use google chat, because they can reliably contact me, 24/7.
Sorry skype, I really did like your product, but it’s been way too little, too late.
I haven’t even said if you are looking at fixing your new app for the galaxy s anytime soon.
dissapointed.
I’m sure that the majority of people are using Fring] for Skype even if you are issued your app, there will be no problem … But the fact that kill competition and after the show but nothing worse than that.
Skype today sad, very sad day