Blocking skype?

Skype is being blocked with increased frequency in the ME countries...first UAE, then Oman, now Bahrain... Who is next?

Is Skype a security threat or a revenue threat?

The blocking of skype is being done with new recently announced technology: NetSpective from Verso technologies.

Based on the notes press release for the manufacturer:

"This new application provides the most comprehensive array of optimization and content management options currently available for cable operators and internet protocol service providers seeking to selectively disable undesirable network traffic and improve service levels on their networks. Applications such as Skype, Peer-2-Peer (P2P) messaging, streaming media and instant messaging increasingly cause congestion on service provider networks and interrupt or degrade service for other critical applications...... This traffic runs outside the traditional carrier revenue generation models and is therefore highly undesirable for them."

The interesting aspect is history is once again repeating itself.

This will provide business opportunities for both sides....

More details here: Coverage and press release from Verso

Verso is now the only technology to provide these capabilities... Packeteer also offers similar features:
- -identify skype traffic
- classify Skype traffic
- "throttle" Skype traffic (by assigning it low priority)
- block Skype traffic

Other insteresting things could be said here about business risk and share value eBay-Skpye (but those will remain for the financially focused blogs...)

One a final note...skype is back in Bahrain. Skype can be both a risk as well as a benefit to the enterprise, as any other technology is must be controlle by the corporate policy.