One of Skype’s biggest fears is the regulators. They spend lots time and money educating (or at least trying to) making sure their position is clearly understood.
With the recent succession of stories out of first Italy and now Belgium, it appears the regulators are lining up/ganging up on Skype outside the USA. Interestingly, this occurred after Skype started to signal the market that they were moving to Luxembourg as a corporate base of operations.
By no means do I think this is accidental. Skype is a viable, and growing threat to the traditional telcos, and yes, the mobile operators. Like Skype these companies also employ for regulatory specialists who bring matters to light.
In my view, the battle lines are just starting to be drawn. Ironically, with a more populist leadership in government here in the USA Skype may find a much more friendly and cooperative FCC, while in Europe we’ll find that Skype (and by default eBay) becomes the next Microsoft, IBM type target but not for the same reasons. In those cases the threat was their monopolistic perception. In this case it’s the oligopoly at work to preserve what they have.
Isn’t it funny how time makes old perspectives change, and of course, whose in power.