© Dado Ruvic/Reuters
"We're a bit overloaded right now...Please try again later, or download Skype to use it anytime," Skype wrote on its website.
"Affected users will not be able to change their status, their contacts will all show as offline and they will be unable to start Skype calls to them." However, they added that instant messages "are still being delivered as usual. The status issue also doesn't affect Skype for Web, which can be used to make calls and send instant messages."
Skype was created back in 2003 and has since gathered more than 660 million users worldwide (as of 2010).
Use your local SIP (or IAX) service provider (google for more) - and tell your party to do so.