Skype claims 13 million users in China

China is now Skype's biggest market, despite legal issues that may make parts of the internet telephone service illegal in the country. 

EBay, which acquired Skype in September last year, said yesterday that there are 13 million registered Skype users in China, about 13 per cent of the total, and more than in any other nation. 

The Skype user numbers were released as part of eBay's Analyst Day (PDF download) presentation. 

After China, the next largest nation for Skype is the US which has fewer than half the Chinese total at about six million. The company claims more than 100 million users worldwide.

However, the SkypeOut service, which lets users call traditional telephone numbers at low cost, appears to be of uncertain legality in China.

According to media reports last year, at least one local telecoms operator in China has suggested that a 2004 regulation forbids SkypeOut and similar services.

Only a small number of licensed telecoms operators are able to offer such services, other reports say, and Skype does not have a licence.

Chinese telecoms licenses are traditionally difficult to obtain, particularly for foreign-controlled companies.

See also:

Skype taps into consumer market

Version 2.5 adds quality management, Outlook contacts and SMS  03 May 2006

Why Skype means business

Equally vilified and praised, Skype has divided opinion like no other application. Nigel Hawthorn explains exactly what it has to offer  24 Apr 2006

The Skype's the limit

Skype acquires Voice over IP firm to bolster online voice engineering skills  12 Apr 2006

UK VoIP users flock to Skype

Nearly half the British VoIP market uses Skype  10 Apr 2006

Analyst firm savages Skype

Too big a security risk, report finds  10 Mar 2006

Skype closes in on China

VoIP firm likely to offer services through state-owned operators  17 Nov 2005

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