I had arranged to stay with a friend and we had agreed that I would call her on my arrival so that she could meet me at her apartment. I distinctly remember my first visit to the US. These calls are considerably cheaper than making actual phone calls, especially international calls. In addition, Skype allows users to purchase “Skype Credit”, which they can use to make low cost calls to landlines and mobiles. Even HBS uses Skype to interview potential admits who are unable to attend an interview in person.
News networks such as CNN are able to receive receive reports or have live commentary from field reporters or experts via Skype. Oprah was famously a huge proponent of using Skype to connect with her viewers on her talkshow. For instance, Skype has allowed viewers to call-in to their favorite TV shows and to appear on screen, allowing for a more interactive experience all around. Skype has managed to become the medium of choice for video calls in various situations.
Skype’s video capabilities create additional value in circumstances where an in-person meeting may be too expensive or inconvenient, but a voice call is not quite sufficient. Why pay to make a phone call when you can download the Skype application and have the same functionality, for free?! Each Skype user benefits from each additional contact they have on Skype because the alternative is a phone call that they have to pay for. It’s simple: free Skype voice calls, video calls, group calls, instant messaging and screen sharing! This value proposition allows Skype to effectively sell itself and grow its network organically. How does Skype create value through network effects? With a user base of over 300 million users that continues to grow, Skype has definitely taken full advantage of direct network effects to create and capture value. Skype has been a boon for users the world over who use the service to communicate with friends, family and colleagues via voice, video and instant messaging over the Internet. Skype has been around for just over 12 years and is the largest voice over IP (VoIP) service in the world.
0 kommentar(er)
