Skype launched an iPhone client this week, everywhere except for Canada. According to a Skype representative interviewed by Tom Keating, “There are some patent-licensing issues which prevent us from offering it there.” Translation: This is a long-term issue. The representative further went on to state that “it’s codec related.”
I’m thinking that might be a dramatic oversimplification, and a statement made by a PR flack who can’t be expected to understand or even correctly parrot the complexities of this kind of issue. Since Skype uses its own CODECs in many applications it is in a position to choose whichever is most convenient among those which they license and proprietarily own. I am unaware of any CODECs which apply to the mobile VoIP space, which would be patented exclusively in Canada, that Skype might trip over.Â
I’m going to guess that this is probably more related to signaling and/or call setup and I am aware of a few granted patents in Canada that might foul up Skype. Regardless: given the murky nature of patent disputes, if they were to take on the patent holder in Canada and lose that might have a negative effect on their intellectual property claims elsewhere. Given the cost and the risk, they may have decided it was easier to fold up the tent and give up on Canada until whomever the stool pigeon is comes to them with a reasonable settlement.
There is, fellow Canadians, an interim solution that’s pretty easy. Thanks to a commenter from TMCNet, here’s the easy way to get it:
- De-authorize the computer you use to sync to the iPhone from within iTunes
- Grab a coupon code from a place like here.  This allows you to bypass the credit card payment process later.
- Redeem the code from within the iTunes Music Store … the “Redeem” button is cleverly hidden in the top right-hand side of the screen.
- Create a new account. Where it asks for payment select “None” and enter a US address and zip code. I hear 90210 is FILLED with millions of people!
- Search for Skype, download, and Sync. This will *NOT* destroy existing apps you have installed, curiously enough. YRMV.
I am really hoping that some work I did in 2005 with EQO is not responsible for this everybody-but-Canada restriction. Here’s Skype’s preview:
Many Thanks, i downloaded it, also i bought a toronto number from http://www.onekingtelecom.com
they somehow forward it to my skype, quality is awesome, and there is voicemail to email, which skype doesnt offer, as well as followme feature (same as skype but much better quality) another feature is vmx locator, so you can give an option to caller to either leave a message or press 1 to connect to some other phone number. excellent service A+, and cost me only 10$ !
I just downloaded the skype app when I was visiting the US via the hotel wifi, answered all the questions as if I was a US citizen and then installed it. It works great to this day and I am back in Canada.
What would happen to your “American” Skype-iPhone account if you try to buy time with a Canadian credit card? You may want to Skypeout worldwide to landlines and cellphones. Is there a way around it?
Just downloaded fring, added the add-in to skype, performed the Skype test call, and I am off.
just done it with no problem
sign out , change your store to us store
find free app
it will ask you to sign in
creat new account
the non in visa section is there , choose it
get the address and the zip code from google map ,just zoom in then get any point it will show you the zip code
then it will send the confirmation to ur email , mine was gmail
i got the email in 2 seconds
log in and down load the skype
Why not use ‘fring’ which I can see in the app store from Canada? It seems to support Skype in addition to gtalk, etc.
okay, so this is what i did…i went into the us itunes, found skype and clicked download. it asked me for my username and password and also gave me the option to create an account. i clicked “create account” and followed all the steps. when you get to the billing section, under credit cards, there is a selection for “none”. i chose that and finalized my account. it then said it sent a verification email to my email account. however, and i’ve noticed this is a very common problem, the email was never sent. so what i did, as a workaround, was go back to itunes, and at the sign in page, clicked “forgot password”, i then followed the steps to reset my password. which DID send a link to my email. i then reset my password and voila, i now have a US itunes account. a little bit convoluted but it worked!
How did you download skype when you need a us account with credit card. The took the “none” button away.
Stopped working.
Itunes says that the promotion is over
Lloyd’s right…you don’t have to deauthorize your computer….you can easily have many different iTunes accounts (regardless of country) on one machine. You simply have to log in via the iTunes interface to switch countries/accounts. Whichever account/country you’re signed in under when you sync will be the one that your iPhone is tied to.
You may also want to consider skipping Beverly Hills for your account location and go to a state that doesn’t charge sales tax (like, oh I don’t know….Oregon?) You can easily google a valid address (I hear Apple has retail stores in Oregon).
Those seem to be pretty bad work around instructions. I didn’t have to de-authorize or use a coupon. Creating a separate iTunes Store account with a ~fictitious US address.
I bet John Biehler or @iphoneincanada know of some better instructions.
Works fine, prompted to switch accounts when updates. Though iTunes UI is clearly not designed for this experience and has some awkward issues.
The reason why Apple has not released the Skype application in Canada is the very same reason why it took so long to bring the iPhone to Canada. iPhone is a registered trademark of ComWave, a Toronto-based VoiP provider. So Apple likely negotiated with ComWave (gave them some money) and as a part of the deal Apple or it’s third party apps would not move into the VoiP market.
Chances are, until ComWave goes out of business, there will be no VoiP for the Canadian App Store. Apple will simply refuse to give another chunk of change to renegotiate a deal that will not benefit Apple directly/significantly.
If you don’t have “none†as a payment option, just go here:
http://www.tunecore.com/freealbum
get a free code and used it as a payment option once your done downloading the free songs, your account will be unlocked. You’ll be able to get Skype or anything you want…
Yesterday, I made skype to skype call to Europe from Toronto. I could hear them, they could not hear me. We could IM with no problem though. Can you offer any explanations? When I hung up, notice came up “cannot use skype with 3G” I assumed I was on wifi. Should I have 3G turned off before making skype to skype calls? I just tried again today. I can no longer sign on to skype! Appreciate any advice you can offer.
The no payment option is still available, but you must sign in through the app store vs. the music store. It worked fine for me last night, but much easier than this solution.
Unfortunately the payment option “none” is no longer available, so the only workaround now seems to be to get someone in the States to download the application for you and send you the installation file.
The CBC article on this subject could not be more factually incorrect. It verges on the point of irresponsible reporting. They blame the CRTC and lack of 911 support, thus illustrating how little the article’s author understands about telecom or VoIP or .. well .. anything.
This claim is FALSE. In its decision in 2005 the CRTC contemplated and specifically exempted both VoIP and Mobile from certain 911 requirements… this is ironic because anyone who’s dialed 911 from a wireless phone in Canada and from Vonage in Canada has had a comparitively better experience on the mobile side.
In addition, neither Industry Canada nor the CRTC has any interest in regulating VoIP as a technology — their only concern is fixed/residential land lines that happen to utilize VoIP. This is a snesible policy and one which the CBC clearly fails to understand.