Some of the most prominent mobile GSM operators, like O2, T-Mobile and Orange in Europe, have banned the use of mobile VoIP services on their phones. Mobile VoIP services are getting more numerous and better. After Yeigo, Fring, Packet8 MobileTalk and YackieMobile, Skype was the last to launch its really open mobile service.

With the main aim of making users save big amounts on their mobile communication, mobile VoIP services are a real threat to traditional mobile operators, which can lose huge sums of money in the process. Some are however more pragmatic in their approach. Vodafone, for instance tries to conform to that, expecting their customers to stick to traditional mobile service for the customer care and quality of service they provide. 3 network not only tolerates mobile VoIP but also go fully with it - it has partnered with Skype to produce the 3 SkypePhone. Now that the tug of war is on, the question is whether the future belongs to mobile VoIP or will GSM keep its place, and for how long.