So we already have the rumored N97 release date of the 26th June, which is great news. But recent rumors suggest that the N97 might not be coming to o2 or Orange in the UK.

Certain sources suggest that o2 and Orange have stated they've not accepted the N97 due to the fact that it comes pre-installed with Skype. The concern is, that Skype's VOIP feature will lead to loss in revenue from contracts. People may opt for a lower monthly line rental with less free minutes and use Skype more often.

Would you use Skype to replace your free minutes?. I use Skype to call my Skype contacts. I have Skype on my E71 and use it to call my Skype contacts on the move. I only tend to use Skype to call my overseas friends or colleagues, which I'd never use my network for anyway. Imagine the costs?!

An O2 spokesperson was quoted as saying “We have made no announcement yet on whether will stock this handset, we are currently working with Nokia to understand their Skype service and the business model around it.”

Personally, I believe this is just in negotiation which will come out with a win-win result. First of all, I can't imagine o2 or Orange not support such a flagship Nokia handset, it would cause many network ports. Secondly I can't imagine Nokia not meeting the needs of 2 major UK operators and missing out on sales and potentially damage their relationship. Lets face it, all it would take from Nokia is for the firmware to be tweaked. Skype could be removed or alternatively utilise a Wifi only version of Skype similar to the one seen on the iPhone.