Facebook, Google would fight for Skype (NewsFactor)

Facebook and Google have more crossed on in the other turf online. Now the giants of the Internet can be a war again - for Skype.

According to an exclusive Reuters report, Facebook and Google compete ink an agreement with Skype in the wake of initial public offering of the web conferencing service delay. The BPI has been defined for the first half of 2011 but has been pushed until later in the year.

Reuters sources say that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been "internal discussion" on the alignment of Skype. Other anonymous sources say that Facebook hopes to form a joint venture with Skype. Google is reportedly also trying to work out the terms on a joint venture.

Skype, Google and Facebook immediately could not be reached for comment. Skype is owned by a group of investors led by Silver Lake and includes eBay, Joltid Limited, founders of Skype Niklas Zennstr?m and Janus Friis, Andreessen Horowitz and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.

The price is a problem

Skype has a huge global installed base of users and a complete VoIP telephony infrastructure. It could be easily deployed by Facebook or Google, that Google already has most of the same property, according to Greg Sterling, senior analyst at Sterling Market Intelligence.

"There is a very good fit with Facebook, and may provide assets that the company has not already, so that a couple of potential new revenue streams," Sterling said.

"The question would be the purchase price", he added. "But it is not inconceivable that Skype could work with both in a capacity of joint-venture.". But given the rivalry between Google and Facebook, I would be skeptical that would occur. ?

Development of the Skype

All this may seem familiar to Skype, which was founded in 2003. eBay acquired the then nascent society in 2005 for an exorbitant sum 2.6 billion in stock, cash and eBay, more potential performance-based consideration. The acquisition was supposed to strengthen on the world market of eBay and payments platform, while opening several new sectors and create significant new opportunities for monetization of the company.

It didn't work so well. In April 2009, eBay announced that it spin off of the Internet VoIP telephony and make an initial public offer during the first half of 2010, after having decided that Skype had limited synergies with eBay and its PayPal subsidiary. The company spent a year assessment Skype and its potential within the portfolio of eBay before deciding that a spin-off has been the best choice.

Skype has evolved since eBay released. Acquired Skype Qik, a business of software for mobile video and in March, has launched a new iPhone application called Qik video to connect. The new app allows people launch video telephony, video mail and video-sharing. In March, Skype also announced the launch of advertising in the Skype software. Ads now appear in the home of Skype for Windows tab.

Back in February, Skype has announced a program mobile partner for operators on the markets with low penetration of 3 G Broadband and has launched a partnership program of hot spot with the main suppliers of Wi - Fi.