More on London-based 0207 SkypeIn numbers

A few days ago, I wrote about why Skype felt it had no choice but to recall and replace about 8,000 London-based 0207 SkypeIn numbers. Our colleagues in customer support have pulled in extra resources and are totally focused on making the transition as smooth as possible.

Hardest hit were users who had subscribed to the affected SkypeIn numbers for 12 months. (SkypeIn subscriptions are available for 3 or 12 months). We know that small businesses are among them and that their trust and confidence is a precious, fragile thing. It’s with them that we’ll have to work the hardest to win back their confidence.

So here’s where things stand at the moment. Our customer support team has been working round the clock to assist everyone affected. At the moment, they've responded to over 75 percent of those who’ve required additional support. And we hope to sort out the remaining inquiries this week. (If there are any outstanding questions, please send an email to sichange@skype.net If you'd like to explore the possibility of retaining your number outside of your Skype account, please contact GCI Telecom on sales@geonum.co.uk).

Everything is being done to keep this from happening in the future. We’re no strangers to crises and major issues like this help us learn as a business. We’ll use the knowledge wisely. Have faith in us.

Comments

As a business owner I accept that the course of business does not always run smoothly however in this instance I do not feel you have grasped the full impact this has on a small business user. I myself have paid Skype in good faith for a number that I subsequently printed onto £1000 worth of stationary. To be told that the number is now changing and nothing can be done about it is not acceptable. You were once a small business - how would you have felt?
I am more than happy to cooperate by either having my number redirected to my new Skype number free of charge or by recieving some compensation for the stationary! You must act with dignity and responsibility.

spaow the dominator

A few people have tried voipfone which is supposed to be better. I believe they are cleaning up after Skype so give it a go. They were recommended on another tech site.

I am one of those affected. I received a "free voucher" which was supposed to offer me a year's SkypeIn number. When I tried to activate it said it could not process my request and I should try again. When I tried again it asked me to pay, even though it was supposed to be free. When in frustration I tried to pay, by Paypal, it refused to accept it. I now have no number and despite several emails to Skype, no reply or explanation. What's going on?

same situation here, i had until april2008 to renew my number so the remianing of the subscription. skype sent me a redeemer voucher for 35pound, a new number cost 40 pounds, also what about my remaining subscription which has nearly 5 months left... i was one of the first to go with the skypein back when the company was just online, I don't get it a phone company with no telephone support,? well ... i got the same problem as the user above regarding getting new number, emailed them and they redeemed me with 35 pounds... a joke when you consider the fact that i still had 5 month of my old number left and also the money i spend on business card stationary with telephone number ect....
come on skype directors sort this out ......

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Nice. . . .

I purchased some 7 skype numbers only to find out today that skype has cancelled the 0207 number without even telling me or refunding any money. Running a company using skype numbers seems to be dangerous ??? I paid for some 10,000 price lists with this number on it I tried contacting them but dare I say no reply is rude. I am thinking twice now about renewing and trusting them again. Well one lost customer from 11 mil is nothing I guess? What numbers will be removed next?? At least they could of contacted me 10,000 price list and 10,000 stamps is a lot of money to lose on a number which i bought in good faith HUM?

TRUST SKYPE AGAIN ? NOPE!!!

I run a smalll company 10,000 price list and stamps is alot of money. SHAME ON YOU SKYPE!!!!

Thanks for all the comments - really useful!

I was just about to get a Skype-in number for a long-term flexible business second line, but from seeing this fiasco, I'll probabaly not do so now.

I'm no fan of BT customer service, but that would seem to be a known better option in the long run than suffereing in the way these people have done.

One way round may be to get a free/cheap 08456 lo-call number to put on stationery, and then redirect that to your geographic Skype number.

Steve

I was looking for SkypeIn information, which is very hard to find on their site, when I came across this story. I guess what can you expect from a company owned by ebay? Now, I'm more likely to go with one of their competitor's like Sightspeed, since it is high rated for video conferencing. It must be tough when Skype is taking business away from telecom companies, but having to lease numbers from them simultaneously. I'll still use SkypeOut for my country calls. Suggestion for those with stationary cost issues: print your own as you need it, it's a much lower cost alternative.

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I was considering using skypein for my business but reading this has put me off. There is another mess for germany skypein and spain is still not happening. So i guess i will stick to jajah and my own voip system thanks to 3cx.

As for regular business the message logs are useless so i suggest you use portable pidgin.

For my family and friends i use oovoo now - this is video based.

In the last 18 months i have only paid for outgoing calls!

Skype is basically dead. PS skype told me today via mail that my -$0.1 had expired. I think it was expired a long time ago. Amateurs!

good job

thanks

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