Many people around the blogsphere are commenting the new service by Skype: SkypePrime.
Skype Prime is a new way to share answers and advice anytime and anywhere. Skype users can register as call providers and charge other users to call them and get information. The callers pay for the call service with Skype Credit.
What is it ? In US they call them “900” services, in Italy we call them “199” and “899” services. Basically, instead of an 800 service where you don’t pay for calling it, with those numbers you are charged more than a traditional call. They are usually used for premium call centers and other premium services, ranging from sex telephony (as Dan York points out) to astrology and so on. Speaking about Italy, these numbers are not so appreciated by users since many times they have been involved in frauds and so on.
As Phoneboy points out, Skype looks like a traditional telco more and more. Instead of trying to address market segments that are more responsive and willing to pay for value added services, they are replicating what traditional telcos are used to do since many years ago.
In this model, Skype keeps 30% of the what people are paying to call you. Who is going to use it ? Consultants ? Lawyers ? Doctors ? I’m not sure it will work. Others like Bitwine or Ether are trying to do the same but I’m not aware if it is working or not. I’ve tried to place an Ether button a few months ago on this blog, but I don’t think someone clicked on it.
My opinion ? It won’t be successful. Over the internet, people are used to communicate for free, they can barely tolerate a few cents for a PSTN call. Or, they are used to use emails. Unfortunately It’s not always possible to take something which works for traditional telephony and make it work over the internet.
Anyway, as usual, I’ll stay tuned.
Technorati Tags: luca filigheddu, premium services, skype, skypeprime
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