Stop Skype numbers: Italians without a voice
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- Published on Monday, 03 October 2011 12:12
Eutelia dramatic measure, which manages the country code for VoIP giant: the operator, in administration, unable to adapt to the demands of ministry and off the lines ALESSANDRO LONGO TENS OF THOUSANDS of Italian users who are without a Skype phone: yesterday no longer work the numbers with the prefix Italian VoIP operator, and then users can no longer use them to make or receive calls. The reason is a dispute that involves the Ministry of Economic Development and the operator Eutelia.
The event came as a surprise and a fortiori the same Skype users of those numbers. Among their many companies, who used them to receive calls from all over the world. Now nothing is as if those numbers no longer existed: Eutelia, gave them to Skype, they have detached from the Italian network. “Help, I’m losing work, I still have problems with the number” is one of the calls which are read on the company’s VoIP community.
This is the worst outcome that you could imagine a story this game ‘summer: under Italian law (as in other European countries), you can use a single number within the same geographic district. The 06 only in Rome, for example. It’s just a formality: the other VoIP operators solve the blame on the user. Upon activation of the number, make him sign a statement (on the web) that the user undertakes not to use the number to the outside of his district. Skype, however, was not in possession soincurred in the dark and so was ministerial. The Ministry of Economic Development gave an ultimatum to Skype, or adjust your numbers to the Italian legislation, or we will have to disable them. The deadline was the end of August, then postponed to September 30. Skype is not able to agree with Eutelia, for adaptation, aided by the fact that that operator is in receivership.
The situation has plunged on Sept. 29 and today confirms Eutelia: In accordance with the decision of the Ministry of Economic Development “provided for the deactivation of the geographic numbers of which it owns and through which Skype has so far been able to deliver services to end users,” it said in a statement the same operator.
Skype was taken aback, because the deactivation came before the expiry of the extension, when the company still hoped to receive another call. Skype moreover, had already taken steps to arrange with another provider numbers in Italy, One Communications, whose network was ready to migrate to those previously provided by Eutelia. A solution that would allow users to retain their numbers without discomfort. Now it will be difficult to achieve: the numbers are back on the network and available resources can be assigned to others. And ‘now the strong likelihood, therefore, that Skype users for ever lose your number. Italy is really a source of trouble, these days, for the VoIP giant. A few days ago the Milan Messagenet provider has filed a complaint with the European Antitrust Authority objecting to the acquisition of Skype by Microsoft. Microsoft calls the program does not integrate VoIP into their software and that any user can call via the Internet as Skype. Now this is a closed system, however, that allows free calls and messages only among its users. If the Competition Authority should grant requests Messagenet will be a blow to the giant of VoIP: it would lose its position of advantage over competitors, among which is the same Messagenet.
(ONEWSPAPER)
