When it seems that Skype calls were safe because they were encoded, it has been revealed that computational linguistics can crack the encryption on VOIP calls well enough to reconstruct what is being said. The guys at the University of North Carolina have used the grammar of phonemes to match the patterns of data frame sizes with the most likely patterns of phonemes. This “Phonotactic Reconstruction” can translate the encryption into words.

Apparently, even though they are encrypted, the frames that make up a Skype call contain clues about what phonemes are being spoken and this means that the hackers don’t have to worry about mathematically breaking the encryption. The encrypted data contains statistical relationship to the original data which makes Skype, and many other forms of VOIP telephone systems, vulnerable to this sort of attack. The issue is that voice data makes use of the structure of speech using the Linear Predictive Filter. Data is compressed by using an input code word that represents the sound made in the throat by the vocal chords. These are set in a filter so that the output matches the sound as well as it can.

For Skype, it uses Code Excited Linear Prediction which gives data a code word, the gain coefficient and a set of linear prediction coefficients. The frame is compressed using a variable bit rate scheme and this produces a frame that has a size that does depend on the type of phoneme that has been encoded. It is then encrypted. But the encryption doesn’t change the size of the frame and so the encrypted data that is transmitted has a correlation between frame size and phoneme uttered. This made it possible for the boffins to use their “Phonotactic Reconstruction” techniques to reveal what was said during the call.

VoipRaider has developed a free mobile voip application that works for your Android, iPhone and Symbian phones.

To use the voipraider free mobile voip application you go to http://www.voipRaider.com/en/mobilevoip.php to select your mobile device. Then follow the onscreen easy instructions and start calling. The voip calls will be charged from your VoipRaider credit and voipraider claims that there are no other hidden costs. So like their predecessors, voipdiscount, you can now make cheap international calls anywhere you want and now you can save on your mobile calls too.

A month ago it was reported that T-Mobile had disabled Bobsled in Facebook. Now it has been mentioned that T-Mobile’s Bobsled will be relaunched next week after making some changes to Bobsled application. Although information on these changes are not specified, we believe it has to do with the design to ensure that Bobsled is clearly differentiated from Facebook communication service.

T-Mobile Bobsled is a free application that enables users to place Internet calls to friends logged into Facebook chat. T-Mobile USA launched Bobsled in association with VoIP solutions provider Vivox. Vivox also manages VoIP services for other social platforms and online gaming networks. In addition to VoIP calls, Bobsled enables users to send private or public voicemails to their friends’ Facebook walls. The upside of the application is that neither Facebook user needs to be a T-Mobile subscriber. Only the caller is required to have installed Bobsled. Moving forward, T-Mobile plans to introduce additional Bobsled features including video chat and smartphone/tablet accessibility.

Viber is poised to launch their viber android app in the next few days. It is currently in the beta.

Viber android app can be set as your default dialing app. Therefore if the person you are calling has Viber installed, the call will automatically connect through Viber over your data connection, either WiFi or 3G. Viber android app will overlook your mobile carrier. The viber android app also allows you to send and receive text messages.

Once you installed viber to your phone, Viber will scan your contacts and immediately lists those who have installed Viber. This is somewhat similar to popular messaging app WhatsApp but unlike Skype who we need to create account or hunt around for a specific skype’s username.

Installation of the viber android app is easy and the call quality is good. Viber for the iphone has been very popular when it first started last year. Now users of android will be able to get viber installed into their phones. With viber apps being installed into iphones and android smartphones, the days of voice carrier are severely numbered!

If there was something that was missing from Facebook, it is a calling feature that can be use by friends. For this to happen, and to leverage on the internet, VOIP would be the best solution. This will be in line with the essence of Facebook being free to use. Over the last couple of years there had been talks about VOIP apps being introduced into Facebook only for T-Mobile pulling out Babaloo over small commercial matter.

Now it seems apparent that Facebook has something up their sleeves. According to Reuters, they are talking to Skype to include it as their primary VoIP vehicle on the Facebook. It seems that its not only Facebook, but Google as well. This is an excerpt of the Reuters report;

Facebook and Google Inc are separately considering a tie-up with Skype after the web video conferencing service delayed its initial public offering, two sources with direct knowledge of the discussions told Reuters .

Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has been involved in internal discussions about buying Skype, according to one of the sources. Another source said Facebook had reached out to the Luxembourg-based company about forming a joint venture.

Google has also held early talks for a joint venture with Skype, the second source said. AND ALSO, Microsoft has joined the fray! Microsoft is of course playing catchup.

A Skype deal could be valued at $3 billion to $4 billion, the first source said. Skype’s IPO is expected to raise about $1 billion, several other sources said.

Why buy Skype

So why is Skype being chased by these giants?

1. For Facebook, they need a real time communication platform. It is about time they provide such facility. In essence, they would become a telco of the future.

2. For Google, well they can just buy about anything they want. They already have gtalk and other voip applications in the work. They do not need it but by buying Skype, they will hinder Facebook progress.

3. For Bill Gates Microsoft, what else can it be for them. For an organisation that started this “revolution”, they became stuck to being a dictator for a long time that they lost out on a lot and still am. So Microsoft would need something to appeal to the revolutionary masses. Skype will be able to give them that – apart from slowing everybody down so that they can catch up. Another reason would be to get hold of Skype Connect which is a business platform. A competition of sorts for their business Unified Communications area.

So theres plenty of cash to be flown around. Whichever way it goes, the shareholders are rubbing their hands with glee.

LATEST NEWS

Wall Street Journal that Microsoft is planning to buy the company for $7 billion, in a deal worth closer to $8 billion after Skype’s debts are considered. This mirrors an earlier rumor of a Microsoft-Skype deal published by GigaOm.