Posted February 28, 2006 at 04:49 PM by Analyst
I have been getting a number of e-mails asking me about my views on Catholics and network operators after an article in the Inquirer. So rather than leave myself open to further threats of bribery, I will elaborate.
While attending 3GSM in Barcelona last week, I was having a relaxed lunch with Tony Dennis from the Inquirer and Annie Turner, who was writing a piece for Wireless Business Review. Towards the end of the meal and a bottle of wine, it came up that my father is an Anglican clergyman. Annie jokingly commented that Anglicanism is not a real religion since, amongst other things, its clergy can marry. I replied that the Catholics had not done so well controlling their priests, adding that the mobile operators' attitude to Skype has been similar: denial. There was then a brief discussion about whether I wished to be quoted.
The next day I bumped into Tony at the show. He said the story had even prompted a complaint from an irate reader from the States who was offended at the implied joke about Catholics; to which the journalist had curtly replied, "So what? I am British. Go burn down our embassy!"
Of course my comments were not based on our research data, as we only track the availability and consumption of mobile data services and steer clear of off-pulpit clerical activities. However you can expect more about Skype from us.
