More details can be found at skype.tom.com.”
Apparently the reason for outlawing Skype and other non-government run VoIP services, is considering China is cracking down on dissidents that use the voice by Web protocol to communicate.
TOM Online offers local versions of Skype for Windows, MAC as well as mobile platforms such as Symbian and Windows Mobile.
It appears that the Chinese government doesn’t particularly like their folks using VoIP services and has thus made the use of Skype and other voice by Web protocol client illegal in the country other than those which are offered by government run services.
According to an commentary by on Intomobile by Marin Perez and by way of PC Mag, Chinese newspaper The People’s Daily has stated that VoIP services other than those provided by China Mobile and China Unicom are illegal.
Apparently the decision was made by the Ministry of Industry and knowledge Technology who have additionally set up a hot line to get reports from the public and is distribution circulars which state…”Currently, our ministry is working with relevant departments to focus on the crackdown on illegal VoIP [voice by World Wide Web protocol calls] and we are now appealing to the public for clues for illegal VoIP cases.”
A Skype spokeswoman has said, “Users in China currently can access Skype via TOM Online, our majority JV partner.
