A Gartner analyst has cautioned against the use of Skype in companies due to security risks.
Addressing delegates at this week`s Gartner Symposium in Cape Town, Gartner research VP Neil Rickard told delegates they "do not want Skype".
The software, which can be downloaded from the Internet, allows users to make calls from their PCs at a reduced rate.
But Rickard cautioned that the rate - while on the face of it looks cheaper - was not as cheap as the rates that could be achieved through negotiation of bulk tariffs with telecoms providers.
Moreover, if each department bought its own Skype talk time, this rate would be well over what the company could negotiate for, he said.
The software was bandwidth-intensive, Rickard added, as - even when not on a call - the software was "talking" to other Skype applications.
Skype also piggybacked off a company`s networks, which essentially resulted in a company`s IT budget supporting Skype`s infrastructure.
The software also opened companies up to security threats, as files could be passed through machines without detection, he warned.
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