Skype complains to FCC about locked phones

Jun 7 2007 - VoIP industry giant Skype has filed a complaint with the US FCC complaining about the locked mobile phones which are supplied by the mobile service providers in the country.

They said in their complaint: “Carriers are using their considerable influence over handset design and usage to maintain control over and limit subscribers’ right to run software communications applications of their choosing.”

The complaint adds: “In an effort to prefer their own affiliated services and exclude rivals, carriers have disabled or crippled consumer-friendly features of mobile devices.”

Skype is further claiming that these actions are in violation of the FCC rules which allow the customers to use any device to connect to the phone networks in the country.

Skype wants the mobile users in the country to be free to choose the services they want to access using their mobile devices.

Gene Kimmelman, director of Consumers Union is in support of the demands made by Skype: “You’re never going to get a competitive market if the device you use is controlled by one company and you have to spend an arm and a leg to shift to alternatives.”


Jun 7 2007.Press Release