At this year’s CeBIT conference, Microsoft COO Kevin Turner announced a staggering statistic: Skype now facilitates 33% of all voice calls made globally, as reported by Stephen Shankland. That figure signals massive user adoption and market penetration. Yet, for Microsoft, this dominance in internet-based calling may be a double-edged sword—impressive on paper, but potentially underwhelming in terms of monetization.
When Microsoft acquired Skype, the goal was clear: to expand access to real-time voice and video communication, drive value for both consumers and enterprise clients, and unlock new revenue streams across global markets. While video conferencing has surged—especially in corporate collaboration, remote work environments, and customer support scenarios—voice communication has shifted into the realm of low-margin utility. Traditional telecom carriers, both mobile and landline, now grapple with dwindling returns from what was once a lucrative voice service market.
Why Has Voice Calling Become So Difficult to Monetize?
The answer lies in how digital communication platforms like Skype, Zoom, WhatsApp, and Microsoft Teams have reshaped user expectations. Consumers increasingly expect voice over IP (VoIP) services to be either free or extremely low-cost. ARCchart research underscores this disruption, noting that services like Skype have eroded the pricing power of traditional telcos.
And let’s be honest—many of us are contributors to this shift. Just today, I needed to call the United States from London. Rather than rack up outrageous international roaming fees with AT&T, I made a beeline for the free public Wi-Fi at St. Pancras station and dialed in using Skype. The call wasn’t technically free, but at just a few cents per minute, it was nearly negligible—offering crystal-clear audio at a fraction of the cost of traditional carriers.