One application that a lot of BlackBerry users have been waiting a long time for is an official Skype client. Just last week we learned that Verizon is bringing Skype Mobile to the BlackBerry as well as Android devices. What we didn’t hear was that Skype Mobile may be exclusive to Verizon subscribers for some time to come.
According to Om Malik, the Skype / Verizon deal for Skype Mobile will be exclusive to the Verizon for the next 2-3 years.
The deal, my sources tell me, is an exclusive partnership between the two that will last for a period of 2-3 years. No other U.S. carrier is going to get a similar Skype offering – which also bolsters my theory that Skype can help Verizon distinguish itself amongst smartphone offerings, especially the iPhone.
[Via Giga Om]
No way
bloody unbelievable. Verizon has always been the carrier to block major progress and deny consumers their right to have several choices. Now they are coming out with a GSM Network (LTE) and they began putting WiFi on their smartphones (select few) and now they’ve signed a deal with skype.
They definitely raised their game. Very interested to see what they come up with next. If they keep this up, I just might switch to their network. (even though they charge more than everyone else) Stingy bastards.
They don’t charge more. ATT and VZW are the same price and is some cases, ATT costs more. My buddy and I both have Blackberries, I’m on VZW and he is on ATT and his bill is 10 bucks more a month than mine.
Errr… Verizon isn’t more expensive than AT&T… And even if they were, why would you ever want to be on any other network? If I’m going to pay to use a smartphone, I actually want to be able to USE it…