France to chase up Skype over telecomms registration

French prosecutors are to look into the online call service Skype for failing to register as a telecommunications company.

Reuters/Susana Bates

Under French law, a telecommunications company must register and accept certain conditions, including allowing police to monitor calls.

Arcep, the French agency that regulates telecommunications, says as a service that allows people to make phone calls, Skype should be considered a telecommunications company.

Skype, a subsidiary of Microsoft, which is headquartered in Luxembourg, argues that it does not need to follow French communications laws.

This is just the latest instance of France trying to exert control of internet companies, technology blogger Liam Boogar told RFI.