First it was Yahoo! & Skype for $1billion USD.
($1b being the 'absolute minimum' one of Skype's VCs allegedly wants.)
Then it was Fox buying Skype for anywhere from $3b to $9b.
Now, the WSJ is reporting that Ebay is in talks to purchase Skype for $2-$3b. (The NY Post says that the bandied-around price is $5b.
Keep in mind that the revenues of Skype is...what? Circa $8 - $12 million USD.
And POTS, the incumbent telcos, have nothing stopping them from bundling VOIP services into their current offerings. Nothing at all.
These POTS are the Grand Masters of Hardball. And they have been at it for over a century.
When MSFT wanted to play in their court, it asked for permission. Believe that! Microsoft asked to be invited to the dance. These guys are not called incumbent monopolies as an affectation.
Telcos are moving into the holy grail of Triple Play, and do you think they will allow Skype to dictate what goes on?
If you are already buying the broadband line from them, you might as well use their VOIP service. It is just that simple!
The pundits hyping Skype keep talking about their IM lists. Phooey! With looming interoperability between virtually all IM clients, that advantage evaporates. Immediately!
I do not know what Ebay purportedly sees in Skype, to justify a purchase. But then, if I did, I would not be writing this blog. I would have made my billion$ and retired, hedonistically, to an island in the South Pacific.
($1b being the 'absolute minimum' one of Skype's VCs allegedly wants.)
Then it was Fox buying Skype for anywhere from $3b to $9b.
Now, the WSJ is reporting that Ebay is in talks to purchase Skype for $2-$3b. (The NY Post says that the bandied-around price is $5b.
Keep in mind that the revenues of Skype is...what? Circa $8 - $12 million USD.
And POTS, the incumbent telcos, have nothing stopping them from bundling VOIP services into their current offerings. Nothing at all.
These POTS are the Grand Masters of Hardball. And they have been at it for over a century.
When MSFT wanted to play in their court, it asked for permission. Believe that! Microsoft asked to be invited to the dance. These guys are not called incumbent monopolies as an affectation.
Telcos are moving into the holy grail of Triple Play, and do you think they will allow Skype to dictate what goes on?
If you are already buying the broadband line from them, you might as well use their VOIP service. It is just that simple!
The pundits hyping Skype keep talking about their IM lists. Phooey! With looming interoperability between virtually all IM clients, that advantage evaporates. Immediately!
I do not know what Ebay purportedly sees in Skype, to justify a purchase. But then, if I did, I would not be writing this blog. I would have made my billion$ and retired, hedonistically, to an island in the South Pacific.