Skype Network Problems

IanFogg | August 16, 2007, 02:53 PM

The Skype network is experiencing major problems today, apparently it's a software problem. Effect: Many people, including me, can't log-on to Skype and so can't access voicemail, make or receive calls, or send text messages.

Like the recent RIM network problem, the important piece here is less that Skype has tech issues, but how quickly Skype responds to the outage with a fix.

I expect Skype naysayers will jump up and point out that they never trusted Skype and that this one problem proves them right. But they will conveniently ignore how reliable and successful Skype has been for several years to date.

Regardless, in the digital communications era, it matters much less if one communication network is broken. 30 years ago when most people only had a landline voice phone, if that failed, then everything went with it.

Now, if Skype is down there are lots of alternatives: AIM, Y! Messenger, email (and which email account to use?), mobile phone call, sms, fax, Fring, facebook... oh and as a last resort there's this fixed pstn phone thing here too...