World-Class Enterprise Call Accounting and Internet Management Solutions

The Hidden Cost of Skype™ and P2P

Skype software enables an end-user to utilize a computer with an Internet connection to place a voice call to another end-user who is also running a Skype application, free of charge. However, these calls typically run through the incumbent carrier's IP network and consume bandwidth. This traffic runs outside the carriers revenue generation models and are highly undesirable for carriers and present major security risks. Alarmingly, until today, carriers did not have a feasible way to monitor and regulate this type of undesired traffic on their network.

The key to the problem is contained in a single sentence within Skype's 4,300-word end-user license agreement:

"In order to receive the benefits provided by the Skype Software, You hereby grant permission for the Skype Software to utilize the processor and bandwidth of Your computer for the limited purpose of facilitating the communication between Skype Software users."

Within an enterprise network, that means that LAN and WAN bandwidth can be tied up by conversations – including conference calls – and data transmissions that originate and terminate outside the enterprise network and have nothing to do with the enterprise itself. Even when a user logs off Skype, the application continues to run in the background, carrying outside traffic and tying up bandwidth.

  • Did you know? A single VoIP call typically uses between 24 and 128kbit/s. When a computer is functioning as a Skype server, the bandwidth required for the same call is twice that much. The bandwidth consumption can really add up, and it will almost certainly continue to do so as the popularity of Skype continues to soar.

Skype can be more than a bandwidth burden to enterprise network managers. Its ability to take over network capacity as needed also raises issues of compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley, CALEA, HIPPA, CIPA, and other regulatory requirements. Skype does not support E911 standards, either.

For carriers, Skype also represents a major revenue leak. Carriers are unable to recover revenue from Skype voice calls and data transmissions, even though this traffic moves over carrier-owned infrastructure.

TeleMate.Net is the first to offer a solution for carriers.

Until now, service providers have had no way to protect their network capacity and quality of service from the growing impact of free P2P applications such as Skype. TeleMate.Net's new carrier grade application filter solves the problem by preventing undesirable, 3rd party traffic from entering a carrier's network.