News

Skype Rings Off After Two Decades — Here’s What Happens Next

Microsoft is shutting down Skype on May 5, ending a 20-year run as it shifts focus to Teams and AI-powered collaboration tools.

Published

1 year ago

May 5, 2025

Nour Nasir

skype rings off after two decades here's what happens next

Skype, once the go-to platform for internet calls and video chats, is officially shutting down on May 5, marking the end of a service that helped define online communication in the early 2000s. Microsoft, which acquired Skype in 2011, first announced the decision in February as part of a broader pivot toward its Teams platform.

Launched in 2003, Skype quickly became a cultural mainstay, connecting hundreds of millions of users across the globe. At its peak, it had over 300 million monthly active users. But in recent years, it lost ground to platforms like Zoom, WhatsApp, and Microsoft’s own Teams, as users demanded more integrated, mobile-friendly, and reliable communication tools.

Why Is Skype Being Shut Down?

Skype’s sunset reflects a broader strategy shift at Microsoft. While the service played a foundational role in the company’s early mobile and consumer communication offerings, it struggled to transition to the enterprise space. Efforts to position Skype for Business against platforms like Slack fell short, prompting Microsoft to build Teams from the ground up.

Today, Teams has emerged as the company’s flagship for workplace collaboration, bolstered by generative AI features and deep integration with Microsoft 365. With Teams now fulfilling the roles Skype once played — voice, video, messaging, and more — Skype’s relevance has waned.

Technical issues also accelerated the platform’s decline. Users increasingly cited reliability problems, like missed calls and syncing issues, while frequent redesigns (including an ill-fated Snapchat-style interface) alienated loyal users.

What Happens Next For Users?

Microsoft is offering existing Skype users a migration path to Teams. By signing in with their Skype credentials, users can retain their contacts and chat history, with the app itself offering step-by-step guidance for a seamless transition.

For those who prefer not to migrate, Microsoft allows data exports until January 2026. After that, all remaining Skype data will be deleted permanently.

As Microsoft retires one of its most iconic services, the move underscores a larger industry trend — tools built for consumer-grade communication are giving way to AI-powered, enterprise-focused platforms. Skype may be ringing off, but its legacy in reshaping digital communication endures.

News

For etisalat, More Bandwidth Is A Matter Of Digital Sovereignty

The etisalat group plans to expand its international capacity from 20 Tbps to more than 500 Tbps by 2030, with new routes designed for speed and resilience.

Published

2 days ago

October 6, 2026

Nour Nasir

for etisalat, more bandwidth is a matter of digital sovereignty

Emirates News Agency

By 2030, etisalat group plans to lift its international connectivity capacity to more than 500 terabits per second (Tbps), more than 25 times the 20 Tbps it has today. The group presented the expansion as preparation for rising AI demand and an important move for the UAE’s digital sovereignty.

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, witnessed the launch of the project, which covers the UAE and international markets. Sheikh Mansour is also Chairman of the Emirates Investment Authority, etisalat group’s main shareholder.

He emphasized the role of coordinated national efforts in advancing the UAE’s AI and digital economy ambitions. “AI is a central pillar in our development journey moving forward,” he said, adding that developing the country’s digital capabilities would empower every institution, public and private, to build and innovate with AI “at the scale the coming decade will demand”.

“This project reflects our conviction that the UAE should not simply adopt AI, but govern it and build with it,” said H.E Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Alzaabi, Chairman of etisalat group. “That requires digital infrastructure at a scale that would prepare us for the future”. He cast greater international connectivity as a strategic answer to the challenges of processing and moving data globally.

Also Read: RØDE’s Low-Profile Studio Arm Is Designed To Stay Out Of Shot

Beyond raw bandwidth, the expansion will introduce new connectivity routes intended to improve reliability and efficiency, and Alzaabi tied them directly to the sovereignty goal. “Delivered through diversified routes and low-latency design, the project is set to keep the country’s connection to the global digital economy fast, direct and resilient, while ensuring the UAE’s digital sovereignty,” he said.

He also linked the plan to the group’s 50-year commitment to building infrastructure for the nation. The announcement didn’t mention what the expansion will cost. Nor did it name the new routes or say who will build them, the details that would show what digital sovereignty means in practice.