O2

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Cellcos Want Nokia to Remove Skype from N97

The Nokia N97 will integrate Skype directly into its address book. This will be a boon to cellular providers selling great data services, but a bane to cellular providers still addicted to legacy voice revenue. Two of the less progressive mobile operators in the UK, Orange and O2, are threatening not to carry the N97 unless Skype is removed.

3, a more progressive UK mobile operator, should have no problem with Skype on the N97. In fact, they already offer their own Skype handset.

Looks like cellular provides are taking a page from the record labels’ playbook: blocking useful technologies to preserve outdated business models. As the music industry so aptly demonstrates, that strategy is doomed to fail.

Six Degrees of Separation Now Three

Technology is making the world a smaller and smaller place. A new study commissioned by European telco O2 says the traditional six degrees of separation have been reduced to three. A whopping 98% of the respondents bridged the gap through the Internet or their mobile phones.

Congratulations. You are now three degrees closer to Kevin Bacon.

(Via JC Cuneta.)