As much as I hate carriers who block services, they have a point here. Wireless calls typically use 8kbps. Next-generation codecs cut that to 4-5kbps. Skype,

As much as I hate carriers who block services, they have a point here. Wireless calls typically use 8kbps. Next-generation codecs cut that to 4-5kbps. Skype, well, is wasteful. With most people's internet connections, this doesn't matter. What's 20-60kbps? However, if everyone decided to use Skype on their wireless, we'd hit capacity problems fast. We'd also see the end of unlimited data. It would be metered in an official manner and it would come out to a rate more expensive than voice because it uses more network resources than voice. If a minute voice call uses 480kb and a minute Skype call uses 1200kb, you can bet that the Skype call will cost you double (or more). The fact is that wireless networks are able to optimize their voice services when it's voice. When it's data, it's just wasteful of bandwidth. That doesn't matter over your cable modem. It matters on a shared wireless link that works because it pushes the max on efficiency.