EBay to buys Skype for $4.1B

The rumor that started last week seem true: EBay will likely buy Skype in a deal that could be worth $4.1B. there are 54 Million Skype users and that’s more than what most wireless carriers have. However, Skype users do not always pay for using the software. On the other hand, Skype does not have to maintain any infrastructure. The question is: how much can Skype earn? EBay seems to think “a lot”. That’s interesting when one knows that Skype will be banned from China and its 1.5 Billion people. Google was once rumored to buy Skype.

EBay plans initially to pay $1.3 billion in cash and $1.3 billion in stock and to make a further payout of up to $1.5 billion by 2008 or 2009 if financial targets are met, giving the deal a total value of up to $4.1 billion, the source said.” (Reuters)