In a Tuesday statement, French telecoms regulator ARCEP said that the failure on the part of Microsoft's Skype subsidiary to register as a telecom operator will be investigated by prosecutors.

Pointing out that ARCEP's repeated requests to Skype to register as an "electronic communications operator" has not been adhered to, the regulator said that - given the fact that Skype allows users to make voice calls to fixed and mobile numbers in France and other countries across the world - it was obligatory for Skype to permit emergency calls as well as legal interception of calls when required.

About the prosecutors' investigation to be launched into Skype's failure to register as a telecom firm, ARCEP said that, going by the laws in effect in France, even though no administrative authorisation is required by a telecom operator, it still has to make a "prior declaration."

ARCEP also added that any non-compliance with the law is deemed a criminal offence.

Meanwhile, in response to ARCEP's assertion that Skype would, as a regular telecoms service provider, have to undertake certain obligations, including routing emergency calls and allowing legal wire-tapping, Skype told AFP: "We have engaged with Arcep in discussion over the last several months during which we shared our view that Skype is not a provider of electronic communications services under French law."