EBay Finally Sells Skype

[Shayla]

EBay announced it has completed the sale of Skype for $2 billion.

EBay has completed its sale of Skype for about $2 billion to an investor group that included the founders of the Internet phone service.

Last week, the online auction site settled a legal skirmish with co-founders Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis which allowed the deal to move forward. The settlement gave Skype ownership of critical software that had been licensed from the company they founded, Joltid Ltd.

Ebay said Thursday it sold a 70 percent stake in the company for about $1.9 billion plus $125 million that it will receive at a later date. The company is keeping the remaining 30 percent stake.

The settlement means Zennstrom and Friis get a 14 percent stake in Skype. The investor group, led by Silver Lake, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Andreessen Horowitz, get 56 percent ownership.

San Jose, Calif.-based Ebay Inc. also purchased senior debt securities worth $50 million to help finance the deal.

More on TechCrunch

Source : DigitalTrends

[(Spork)]

2 million or 2 billion ?

[Shayla]

2 million or 2 billion ?

Fixed :)

[Zmijutin]

I just hope that skype will stay as it is. Great IM and Voice tool.

[Hendrick]

I use it daily to keep in touch with someone special who currently is away for college. As long as it doesn't change drastically for the worst, I'm okay with this.

[Chasethebase Veteran]

I just hope that skype will stay as it is. Great IM and Voice tool.

My experiences with it have been horrifying and ridden with spam. It works well yes, but there's always conversations popping up with users who I haven't authorised. Even when I select the option to not allow them to send conversations (Only with Friends/Contacts) they still show up.

Never going to be using again until it's fixed. (N)

Note: Multiple computers, multiple accounts.

[christracy]

Still don't know why the hell they bought Skype in the first place. I don't see how either would/could enhances the others product or market.

[sundayx Veteran]

Google needs it, merge with google voice?

[Zmijutin]

My experiences with it have been horrifying and ridden with spam. It works well yes, but there's always conversations popping up with users who I haven't authorised. Even when I select the option to not allow them to send conversations (Only with Friends/Contacts) they still show up.

Never going to be using again until it's fixed. (N)

Note: Multiple computers, multiple accounts.

I've never experienced that. Which version were you used? I'm running latest 4.1 and no spam and popups.

[leph555]

It would be amazing if Google bought it, but I guess they are going to compete head to head