Skype spokesman Peter Parkes said in an earlier blog post that the problem stemmed from many “supernodes” in the Skype network – computers that serve as phone directories to help Skype users find each other – going offline due to “a problem affecting some versions of Skype”, which effectively prevented users from being able to access the service.
On the business side, speculation is rampant on the web as to what impact the outage will have on Skype financially, both in terms of lost revenues and compensation related to the network crash, and Skype’s plans for an IPO on the Nasdaq exchange.
Skype filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for an IPO in August with a target to raise up to $100 million. In the filing, Skype touted the reliability of its peer-to-peer network architecture as a strength compared to conventional telcos.
“Skype's massive pre-Christmas service outage isn't exactly what you'd want if you were an Internet phone shop on the way to an IPO,” stated one article posted on TheStreet.com.
Meanwhile, prior to the service outage, Bates – who took the helm of Skype in October this year after leaving Cisco Systems – has been talking up plans to fuel Skype growth by adding corporate partnerships and new products.