We are aware that a lot of companies are not able to generate revenue from Skype because of the absence of a payment API. This issue has been raised by a number of people over the last couple of weeks in blogs and forums. No developer alone can resolve this issue because it involves Skype making backend modifications to the Skype service.

We propose two initiatives to get things moving:

1. A discussion document outlining how a Skype Payment API might work, both at the backend and for the developer. The document can be found here:
http://www.connectotel.com/skype/skypepaymentapi.pdf

To comment on the discussion document please reply to this thread in the forum.

2. A petition to Skype to ask for implementation of a payment API and to request a date by which it will be implemented.

If you wish to add your name to the petition please e-mail marcus@connectotel.com with the subject "Skype Payment API Petition" and the text "I would like to be added to the Skype Payment API petition". I will then contact you with the proposed finalised text of the petition and list of signatories, for your approval, before it is sent out.

Look forward to your feedback!

Thanks & regards
Marcus Williamson
Connectotel
http://www.connectotel.com/
marcus@connectotel.com

We are aware that a lot of companies are not able to generate revenue from Skype because of the absence of a payment API. This issue has been raised by a number of people over the last couple of weeks in blogs and forums. No developer alone can resolve this issue because it involves Skype making backend modifications to the Skype service.

We propose two initiatives to get things moving:

1. A discussion document outlining how a Skype Payment API might work, both at the backend and for the developer. The document can be found here:
http://www.connectotel.com/skype/skypepaymentapi.pdf

To comment on the discussion document please reply to this thread in the forum.

2. A petition to Skype to ask for implementation of a payment API and to request a date by which it will be implemented.  

If you wish to add your name to the petition please e-mail marcus@connectotel.com with the subject \"Skype Payment API Petition\" and the text \"I would like to be added to the Skype Payment API petition\". I will then contact you with the proposed finalised text of the petition and list of signatories, for your approval, before it is sent out.

Look forward to your feedback!

Thanks & regards
Marcus Williamson
Connectotel
http://www.connectotel.com/
marcus@connectotel.com

you can also check http://forum.webtown.com.my - see the section. how to make money with skype. i would be interested to see all your comments there to or here.

Thanks for spearheading this initiative Marcus.
Your Payment API document is very well done.

I want to emphasize your point that opening up the Payment API will provide developers with what they lack most:
"An opportunity to build tools and services that can generate money"

We also would be very interested in the Skype credits payment API. We would want to use it as an "Internet currency" so full 2 way exchange of funds between Skype users.

So this would mean not only P2B (Person to Business) transactions but also:

P2P (Person to Person) transactions
B2P (Business to Person) transactions

I have a pretty long wish list of how I would like this system to work...

We look forward to seeing this on the Skype roadmap and would be more than happy to offer our 2 cents in any future design sessions.

Thanks
Charles

Thanks for spearheading this initiative Marcus.
Your Payment API document is very well done.

I want to emphasize your point that opening up the Payment API will provide developers with what they lack most:  
              \"An opportunity to build tools and services that can generate money\"

We also would be very interested in the Skype credits payment API. We would want to use it as an \"Internet currency\" so full 2 way exchange of funds between Skype users.

So this would mean not only P2B (Person to Business) transactions but also:

P2P (Person to Person) transactions  
B2P (Business to Person) transactions  

I have a pretty long wish list of how I would like this system to work...

We look forward to seeing this on the Skype roadmap and would be more than happy to offer our 2 cents in any future design sessions.

Thanks
Charles

Software platform, billingsystem, hardware gadgets.

A whole array of tools are needed. People who promote skype heavily should be able to setup an online store WITH skype also. At this moment there are money initiatives outside skype.

what skype needs is a green box with that people can buy locally so the skype brand is visibly present. i want to receive phonecalls on my cellphone while i am the office. i don't want to leave my home pc on. the forwarding could be done via the internet-relaying.

Here's a big +1 for this proposal. It has many ramifications. In the short term, It would be good if:-
1) Skype-in could allow premium rate numbers
2) Skype-out could call premium rate numbers

We've got several ideas that depend on these particularly the first one.

I would agree with the P2P as well as P2B in principle, however it would be much easier for Skype to roll this out effectively, and with less risk, if only approved vendors can receive payment transfers.
It would also be nice, if more complicated, to allow a PIN to be created and entered for each transaction, if set by the user (or probably unset if they don't want to type a PIN)

Premium Rate Skype Ids would be a good first step, but Skype would have to be careful with the rates levied and how the user is warned.

Seems that there is relative consensus here though, as you can see from my post on 7th July on a Skype Roadmap, the Revenue Share is one of the top 3 themes I would be thinking about if I was at Skype. http://produktiv.com/pj/2005/07/skype-roadmap.html