Recently, Skype users around the world experienced massive network problems and outages when trying to connect to the service. When attempting to sign in, users couldn’t get past the login page and were repeatedly told that Skype couldn’t connect.

This outage continued for almost twelve hours, despite Skype’s assurances that they were working on a “quick fix.” Users who originally considered themselves lucky to have already signed on before the problems started soon realized that they couldn’t make any calls, change their status, make any updates to their profile, or see if any of their contacts were online. Additionally, many of the Skype Community pages were not loading properly. 

We hate to say we told you so, but...

This isn't the first time that Skype's users have been unable to connect to the service - missing important meetings, conferences, time with family, and more. Two months ago, users attempting to access the service saw Adobe Flash Player error screens. Even as recently as this week, Skype was down in Egypt for days at a time, prompting outrage on social media. 

So what does all of this mean?

In today's technology-driven world, it's easy to feel comfortable using the free technology services that are readily available to us; we often take it for granted. But it's important to understand the trade-offs you have to make when using a free service.

Skype is the perfect solution for staying in touch with out-of-state relatives and friends - similar to social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter. It's easy-to-use, normally available, and obviously affordable. But you can't rely on it. And isn't reliability one of the most important factors in business-making decisions? We think so, and so do our partners. 

Why Remote Counsel is Worth It

Court reporters have enough on their plates these days - you don't need to worry about whether the technology you're using for a deposition will work - and whether or not you'll have an angry attorney yelling in your ear. Using Remote Counsel's Cameo and Managed Bridging services ensures that every event will run smoothly, no matter where or when it takes place.

Cameo, our self-service mobile videoconferencing and bridging solution, puts you in complete control of a deposition thanks to our reliable, easy-to-use platform. While our world-class support is always here to help you, most of our partners find that they don't need to contact us as often because the service works so well. You won't have to worry about scrambling to find a solution due to massive outages - we've never had one, and we never will. 

Our Managed Bridging solution is perfect for any court reporter who wants the kind of white glove service that allows you to sit back and relax. You can leave all of the technology and organizing to us, for a guaranteed successful event. 

Bottom line: when you partner with Remote Counsel, you won't have to vent on social media when your technology doesn't work. We never have outages (you won't ever see a #RemoteCounselDown hashtag trending), and our support team is always available to assist you. 

Interested? Go to the page below for more information, and fill out the form for a free quote that will meet - or beat - the current price you pay for managed bridging. 

Have you ever had a bad experience using free technology like Skype? Let us know in the comments!