eBay close to Skype sale

Internet auction site eBay is selling a 65% stake in its online phone business Skype for £1.2bn.

A group of private equity investors have agreed to buy the controlling shareholding in the company.

Skype allows people to make free or cheap voice and video calls on computers and mobile phones.

The deal values the company at around £1.7bn and will see eBay retain a 35% stake.


Full article at: eBay Sells Skype Stake: Internet Auction Site Flogs Majority Of Online Phone Business | Business | Sky News

Does anybody out there use Skype? I know lots of you are going to say yes, but I still seem to be in a circle of friends where very few people use it. In fact, I belong to the generation that seems to have lost all knowledge of their landline and only uses mobile phones - extremely irritating because of the costs to keep in touch! So come on everyone, jump on the Skype bandwagon ... please!

I have to say I don't use skype and I don't use a home phone, I use my mobile only - and yes the cost is too high. But with one small hand held device I can make phone calls to anyone, anywhere in the world, I can send text/photo messages, e-mails, I can send recorded audio messages to other phones, I can use the internet, I can take photographs, film videos, edit these photos and videos, I can connect my phone to my TV or computer ... and its got my diary built into it ... who needs a home phone or skype or camera?

I use skype both on my mobile and for work.

The bonus is that no matter where I am in the country, I log onto skype and anyone can call my local landline number to get hold of me on my mobile.

VOIP is the future!

You can even purchase skype handsets for your home phone that don't require you to have your PC on, and you use it no differently to your landline.

As for eBay and Skype, I knew back when they purchased it that it would never leverage the sort of synergies they claimed. A terrible strategic move.