Comments on: EXCLUSIVE: Skype, 3 and T-Mobile merger is in the pipeline

By: Evans

Evans — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 04:31:32 +0000

Love the fact that Hutchison 3g is giving it's customers free skype calls unlike it's opponents who are like leeches trying to find new ways to suck our money

By: Vodafone and 3 cited in T-Mobile UK takeover dance – alexkinch.com | alexkinch.com

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:54:13 +0000

[...] possibility of a ‘mega-operator’ plan involving 3, Skype and T-Mobile – which I exclusively wrote about back in [...]

By: Vodafone and 3 cited in T-Mobile UK takeover dance | Mobile Industry Review

Vodafone and 3 cited in T-Mobile UK takeover dance | Mobile Industry Review — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:57:01 +0000

[...] possibility of a ‘mega-operator’ plan involving 3, Skype and T-Mobile – which I exclusively wrote about back in [...]

By: Alex Kinch

Alex Kinch — Wed, 27 May 2009 00:54:06 +0000

Here's a quote for you:

"Communication through the internet is exploding. Internet calling or VoIP, social networking, instant messaging and email are used by millions in the UK every single day. They are open to all on their PCs and laptops. We want people to be free to communicate from their mobiles in the same way as they do from their PCs.

"In future you will be able to buy a 3 SIM for unlimited Skype-to-Skype calls for less than the price of a cup of coffee and talk for as much as you want without ever paying us another penny. We won’t ask you for a top-up or a monthly commitment. If you want to talk on a mobile for free, just join us and give it a go. This is for everyone."

Who said that? Kevin Russell, Chief Executive Officer of 3 UK - only last month. Also from the same press release, 3 currently carry 1.5m minutes a day of Skype to Skype traffic - and have been branding themselves as the 'UK’s biggest mobile broadband network.'

By: Alex Kinch

Alex Kinch — Tue, 26 May 2009 23:54:06 +0000

By: Alex Kinch

Alex Kinch — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:54:06 +0000

By: Alex Kinch

Alex Kinch — Tue, 26 May 2009 15:22:19 +0000

My understanding was the deal with the government was 50% upfront and the remainder 50% over 20 years – although I (and the BBC article I found referencing the original sale) may be wrong..

By: Alex Kinch

Alex Kinch — Tue, 26 May 2009 15:21:09 +0000

Thanks for the INQ clarification James, I'll update the article in a second.

Are you in the UK? If you are, and you've been anywhere near a High Street recently with a 3 Store, read the national press or talked to anyone with a 3 handset, you'll have heard of the massive marketing blitz 3 are doing for Skype – which incidently has been funded by Skype. Whilst the 100,000 skypephone users out of 5.5 million customers isn't a great chunk of their subscriber base, what's more interesting is that they're trying to persuade their customers to use Skype for *all* their voice calling requirements.

By: james murphy

james murphy — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:09:14 +0000

actually 3 uk paid 100% of the licence fee in cash and then received approx 50% of the total cost by selling 30% of the company to NTT DoCoMo and KPN

By: james murphy

james murphy — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:07:47 +0000

Actuallt INQ do not make the skype/3 phone. The designed the phone but it is actually manufactured by Amoi. INQ is not a handset manufacturer. Given that 3 has sold a little more than 100,000 skypephones out of a total of 5.5million customers, i am not sure how you can say that 3 is trying to get rid of their traditional voice traffic.

and how would you value 3 uk's 5.5million customers vs the 12m of t-mobile?