Skype related Press Releases

eBay Inc. Signs Definitive Agreement to Sell Skype in Deal Valuing Communications Business at $2.75 Billion

Jason Ankeny — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 10:44:56 -0400

eBay Inc. (NASDAQ:EBAY - News) today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its Skype communications unit in a deal valuing the business at $2.75 billion. The buyer, who will control an approximately 65 percent stake, is an investor group led by Silver Lake and includes Index Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz and the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Investment Board. eBay is expected to receive approximately $1.9 billion in cash upon the completion of the sale and a note from the buyer in the principal amount of $125 million. The company will retain an approximately 35 percent equity investment in Skype. The transaction, which is not subject to a financing condition, is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2009.

“This is a great deal, unlocking both immediate and long-term value for eBay and tremendous potential for Skype,” said eBay Inc. President and CEO John Donahoe. “We’ve acted decisively on a deal that delivers a high valuation, gives us significant cash up-front and lets us retain a meaningful minority stake with talented partners. Skype is a strong standalone business, but it does not have synergies with our e-commerce and online payments businesses. As a separate company, we believe that Skype will have the focus required to compete effectively in online voice and video communications and accelerate its growth momentum.”

Commenting on the deal, Egon Durban, managing director at Silver Lake, said: “Skype is an innovative, next-generation company that has changed how people and businesses communicate with each other. This transaction benefits all parties involved and will allow Skype the opportunity to accelerate the growth of its business by harnessing the deep technological and company development expertise that resides within the investor group. Josh Silverman has done a strong job leading the company and we look forward to working with Josh and his team to grow the Skype franchise.”

In April 2009, eBay announced plans to separate Skype from the company, beginning with an IPO in 2010. The decision followed a year-long review of Skype within eBay’s portfolio. As it prepared for an IPO, the company said it would naturally consider bids for Skype that offered an attractive valuation. Donahoe said the deal offered by the investor group achieved that.

“This deal achieves our goal of delivering short- and long-term value to eBay and its stockholders, without the possible delays and market risk of an IPO,” Donahoe said. “Selling Skype now at this great valuation, while retaining an equity stake, makes sense for the company. And it allows us to focus all of our energies on the opportunities in front of PayPal and eBay.”

Acquired by eBay in 2005, Skype has strengthened considerably since early 2008 when Donahoe was named eBay’s CEO and tapped company executive Josh Silverman to lead Skype. Silverman has driven strong momentum while building a new management team and delivering a series of Skype innovations such as software upgrades with dramatically improved video and calling quality, the widely popular Skype iPhone app and mobile partnerships with companies such as Nokia and Hutchison. In 2008, Skype generated revenues of $551 million, a 44 percent increase compared to 2007. Total eBay Inc. revenues for 2008 were $8.5 billion. Registered Skype users reached 405 million by the end of 2008, a 47 percent increase from 2007. Skype is attracting hundreds of thousands of new users each week.

About eBay Inc.

Founded in 1995, eBay Inc. (NASDAQ:EBAY - News) connects hundreds of millions of people around the world every day, empowering them to explore new opportunities and innovate together. eBay does this by providing the Internet platforms of choice for global commerce, payments and communications. Since its inception, eBay has expanded to include some of the strongest brands in the world, including eBay, PayPal, Skype, StubHub, Shopping.com, and others. eBay is headquartered in San Jose, California. For more information, please visit www.ebay.com.

About Skype

Skype is software that enables the world’s conversations. Millions of individuals and businesses use Skype to make free video and voice calls, send instant messages and share files with other Skype users. Every day, people everywhere also use Skype to make low-cost calls to landlines and mobiles.

About Silver Lake

Silver Lake is the leading investment firm focused on large scale investments in technology, technology-enabled, and related growth industries. Silver Lake's mission is to function as a value-added partner to the management teams of the world's leading technology franchises. Its portfolio includes or has included technology industry leaders such as Ameritrade, Avago, Business Objects, Gartner, Instinet, Intelsat, NASDAQ, Sabre / Travelocity, Seagate Technology, SunGard Data Systems and UGS. For more information, please visit www.silverlake.com.

About Index Ventures

Index Ventures is a leading European venture capital firm active in technology, biotech and clean tech venture investing since 1996. The firm is dedicated to helping top entrepreneurial teams in the Information Technology and Life Science sectors build their companies into market defining global leaders. The firm has offices in Geneva, London and Jersey and focuses on investments from seed through growth stage companies. Index’s portfolio includes Lehigh Technologies Inc., Playfish and Weatherbill and exits of note include MySQL (the world's most popular open source database recently acquired by Sun), Last.fm (the world's largest social music platform, recently acquired by CBS) and BioXell (BIOX, floated on the SWX in 2007). Index Ventures was one of the original venture capital backers and owners of Skype. For more information, please visit www.indexventures.com.

About Andreessen Horowitz

Andreessen Horowitz was established in June 2009 by entrepreneurs and engineers Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, based on their vision for a new, modern VC firm designed to support today’s entrepreneurs. Andreessen and Horowitz have a track record of investing in, building and scaling highly successful businesses. Andreessen Horowitz is based on Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park, California. Mr. Andreessen is a member of eBay’s board of directors.

About Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Investment Board

The CPP Investment Board is a professional investment management organization that invests the funds not needed by the Canada Pension Plan to pay current benefits on behalf of 17 million Canadian contributors and beneficiaries. In order to build a diversified portfolio of CPP assets, the CPP Investment Board invests in public equities, private equities, real estate, inflation-linked bonds, infrastructure and fixed income instruments. Headquartered in Toronto, with offices in London and Hong Kong, the CPP Investment Board is governed and managed independently of the Canada Pension Plan and at arm's length from governments. At June 30, 2009, the CPP Fund totaled $116.6 billion. For more information about the CPP Investment Board, please visit www.cppib.ca.

Forward Looking Statements

This announcement contains forward-looking statements relating to eBay's future performance that are based on its current expectations, forecasts and assumptions. Those statements involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those discussed. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, the receipt and timing of regulatory approval for the transaction; the possibility that the transaction may not close; the reaction of Skype’s users and commercial partners to the transaction; the reaction of competitors to the transaction; the anticipated continuation of Skype’s growth; and the potential longer-term value of Skype.

More information about factors that could affect eBay's operating results can be found in the company's most recent annual report on its Form 10-K and its subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q (available at http://investor.ebay.com). All forward-looking statements are based on information available to eBay on the date hereof, and eBay assumes no obligation to update such statements.

Skype Electronic Filing to Federal Communications Commission

Phil Goldstein — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:03:00 -0400

September 12, 2008
ELECTRONIC FILING

Chairman Kevin J. Martin
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554
Re: Ex Parte, RM-11361

Dear Chairman Martin:

Skype Communications S.A.R.L. (“Skype”) writes to respond to various
statements made at CTIA’s Wireless I.T. & Entertainment conference in San
Francisco. Attached to this letter is a Reuters report on what seems to be a
wireless industry theme at the CTIA meeting. Instead of broadly carrying
forward the Commission’s tremendous strides toward open networks, the word
coming from the CTIA gathering is that open networks present a multitude of
problems for the carriers, and that to protect consumers from too many choices,
network operators must be the gatekeepers of the consumer experience. This is
inconsistent with the Commission’s Broadband Policy Statement and a market
structure that maximizes choice and innovation.

Skype disputes the need for wireless carriers to maintain their closed
networks not only in the face of consumer preferences but contrary to their
assurances to the Commission1 that the industry had adopted a policy of
openness such as to obviate the need for the relief that Skype sought in its
Petition in the above-captioned proceeding (“Skype Petition”).2 Apparently,
these assurances of openness led some at the Commission to believe that there
was no present need for Commission action. In this regard, the carriers’
apparent change of heart should be a cause for concern.

Despite the carriers’ assurances, when lip service to the goals of open
networks is translated into their terms of service, they continue to require their
subscribers to limit the applications and devices that can be used on their
networks. The attitude of the wireless carriers was perhaps best summed up in
Sprint Nextel Corp. CEO Dan Hesse’s recent comment: “The big Internet can be
daunting …. There can be too much choice.”3 This stands in stark contrast to the
Commission’s wise policies designed to promote as much consumer choice as
possible.

Skype respectfully submits that the wireless carriers continued opposition
to open networks — including their restrictive terms of service — raises
questions about whether the industry will faithfully implement the
Commission’s rules and policies, including the standards set out in the
Commission’s Broadband Policy Statement.4 Skype is mindful of the challenges
that wireless operators face moving from a close model to an open, Internetfriendly
business. As noted, despite some recent steps to modify terms of service
toward openness, carriers continue to prohibit voice applications that compete
with their core business.5 Consumer choice, competition and free markets, not
carriers acting to block competition, should win the day in wireless — now, not
later. If the Commission believed that the transition to more open networks was
going to proceed quickly, statements out of CTIA’s convention suggest just the
opposite.

Skype repeats that the best way for the Commission to maintain the
vigilance that is necessary to protect consumers' interest in open wireless
networks is to for the Commission to affirm that the Commission's Broadband
Policy Statement applies to wireless broadband networks. This would be a
measured response to the dynamics of the wireless market and would send the
correct message to an evasive wireless industry. It would also encourage those
in the application development community, like Skype, who have reasonable
expectations that applications will run as they were designed on wireless
broadband platforms.6

Affirming that the Commission will enforce the Broadband Policy Statement
and address any violations of the Policy Statement on a case-by-case basis is fully
consistent with the Commission approach to constraining Comcast’s abusive
practices.7 In this way, the Commission will maintain a policy environment that
serves the interests of consumers, carriers and innovative providers of wireless
devices and software applications.

Thank you for your continued vigilance in this matter. Please do not
hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Respectfully submitted,
________________________
Christopher Libertelli
Senior Director, Government and
Regulatory Affairs – North America
SKYPE COMMUNICATIONS S.A.R.L.
6e etage, 22/24 boulevard Royal,
Luxembourg, L-2449 LUXEMBOURG

1 Ex Parte filing by CTIA - The Wireless Association, RM-11361, April 14, 2008, at 1
("Wireless carriers, reacting to the demands of consumers in the competitive market,
already have begun implementing a variety of openness initiatives designed to expand
consumer access to new and innovative wireless devices and applications. . . . Because
both Commission action and the wireless marketplace have addressed the concerns
raised by Skype, the Petition should be dismissed.").
2 Skype Communications S.A.R.L., Petition to Confirm A Consumer's Right To Use Internet
Software and Attach Devices to Wireless Networks, RM-11361 (filed Feb. 20, 2007).
3 Allie Winter, Embracing an Open Network, RCR Wireless News, Sep. 10, 2008.
4 Appropriate Framework for Broadband Access to the Internet over Wireline Facilities, CC
Docket No. 02-33, Appropriate Regulatory Treatment for Broadband Access to the Internet
Over Cable Facilities, CS Docket No. 02-52, Policy Statement, FCC 05-151 (rel. Sep. 23,
2005) ("Broadband Policy Statement").
5 See Letter from Robert W. Quinn, Jr., Senior Vice President-Federal Regulatory, AT&T,
to Commissioner Robert M. McDowell, WC Docket No. 07-52, July 25, 2008, at 1, n.1
(noting that all major wireless carriers do not permit the use of peer-to-peer VoIP
applications like Skype).
6 A wide array of industry and consumer groups agree that the Broadband Policy
Statement should apply to wireless broadband networks. See, e.g., Comments of the
Information Technology Industry Council, RM-11361, at 1 (Apr. 30, 2007); Comments of
the Consumer Electronics Association, RM-11361, at 2 (Apr. 30, 2007); Comments of the
VON Coalition, RM-11361, at 2 (Apr. 30, 2007); Comments of Mobile Industry
Executives, RM-11361, at 6 (May 1, 2007); Comments of Consumers Union, Consumer
Federation of America and Free Press, RM-11361 (Apr. 30, 2007); Comments of the Ad
Hoc Public Interest Spectrum Coalition, RM-11361 (Apr. 30, 2007).
7 Formal Complaint of Free Press and Public Knowledge Against Comcast Corporation for
Secretly Degrading Peer-to-Peer Applications, Memorandum Opinion and Order, File No.
EB-08-IH-1518, WC Docket No. 07-52, FCC 08-183 (rel. Aug. 20, 2008

Raketu Extends Free International Calling and Free SMS-Texting With No Monthly Fee -- Unlike Services Offered by Skype

Jim O'Neill — Wed, 14 May 2008 17:32:56 -0400

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - May 12, 2008) - Raketu, a leading global
Internet communications, information, entertainment, and social
networking company, today announced that the company will extend its
free voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) calling and sms-texting
promotion. Consumers can take advantage of Raketu's free international
calling and sms-texting promotion when they make a pre-payment. Users
who pre-pay receive up to 1200 minutes (20 hours) international calling
per month for 3 months to mobile and landline phones in locations in
over 40 countries around the world -- this pre-payment is not a monthly
fee, it is placed in the user's account to be used for pay-for
services. In addition, pre-pay users will also receive 3 free sms-text
messages per month for 3 months to send to anywhere in the world.
Raketu currently has the lowest calling and sms-text rates to any
location globally.

"Raketu offers the best calling and sms rates to any location around
the world, and with our free international minutes and sms-texting, it
is far less expensive than our competitors like Skype offer," said Greg
Parker, president and CEO of Raketu. "Why pay for international calling
when Raketu has it for free. And with the recent addition of our mobile
services, there are now more ways than ever for consumers and
businesses to take advantage of our free and discounted calling and
text rates."

Raketu runs over any Internet connection from roaming mobile to
dial-up to broadband and offers consumers and businesses the ability to
access their Raketu account from any device for free to lowest cost
VoIP calling and sms-text rates globally:

-- PC/Mobile to PC/Mobile -- Totally Free: Raketu to Raketu calling and
instant messaging anywhere in the world, requires both users running
Raketu's desktop or mobile application.

-- PC/Mobile to Phone -- Mostly Free: RakOut Dial-out VoIP service,
requires one user on Raketu, the other on landline/mobile phone. RakOut
offers free calling to locations in over 40 countries around the world, and
the lowest published rates on all other calls. In addition, Raketu offers
free or lowest rate sms-texting to any location around the world.

-- Phone to Phone -- Mostly Free: RakWeb calling requires no software
downloads with both users on traditional mobile or landline phones. This
service can be used by anyone with access to a web browser or can be
activated via sending a local sms-text message. RakWeb calling offers free
calling to locations in over 40 countries around the world and can be
accessed from any device including Windows, Linux, Mac OSX. Symbian OS,
Windows Mobile, Nokia, BlackBerry, iPhone and Linux mobile.
About Raketu Communications Inc.

Raketu Communications Inc. develops leading edge peer-to-peer
Internet protocol applications that provide communications,
information, media and social networking services for consumers and for
business. The company currently has users in over 150 countries around
the world. For more information on Raketu, please visit:
www.Raketu.com.

Skype Tests Software for Mass-Market Mobile Phones

Jim O'Neill — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:13:09 -0400

LUXEMBOURG, April 24, 2008 Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Following recent moves to extend SkypeÃ¢â€žÂ¢ conversations to a wide variety of new mobile and wireless devices, Skype is taking another major step as it continues to merge its internet communications software with mobile phones. Today, the company released a beta version of Skype for your mobile, a mobile Ã¢â‚¬Å“thinÃ¢â‚¬Å“ client that works on about 50 of the most popular Java-enabled mobile phones from Motorola, Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson.

The beta version of Skype for your mobile is available worldwide with a feature set that includes chat, group chat, presence (seeing when your contacts are online), and receiving calls from Skype users, and through SkypeIn.* Additional features, which include the making of Skype-to-Skype and SkypeOut calls from the mobile handsets, are initially supported in seven markets: Brazil (Rio de Janeiro), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Ã¢â‚¬Å“These are still the early days for making Skype calls on mobile phones, but weÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve already made great strides in this space,Ã¢â‚¬Â said Gareth OÃ¢â‚¬â„¢Loughlin, general manager, mobile and hardware devices. Ã¢â‚¬Å“Among other things, we have a great relationship with 3, the mobile operator, which has brought the mobile Skype experience to eight markets through the 3 Skypephone and a range of other packages and phones. Skype for your mobile will expand the available options even further.

Ã¢â‚¬Å“While Skype for your mobile is in beta,Ã¢â‚¬Å“ OÃ¢â‚¬â„¢Loughlin added, Ã¢â‚¬Å“it is an important time for us to listen to our usersÃ¢â‚¬Ëœ feedback, be it through surveys or user forums. We need to hear what delights them and where there is still work to be done. But this product underscores our commitment to innovation and to putting Skype conversations in the pockets of todayÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s mobile masses.Ã¢â‚¬Â

With its beta version, Skype for your mobile enters a public testing phase that will help Skype gauge the response of technology-savvy users whose feedback will help tweak the offering. This phase is expected to last several months, after which a public version of the application will be made available to millions of mobile phone owners around the world.

There are two ways to get the beta version of Skype for your mobile: as a direct over-the-air download to a compatible mobile phone, or it can be downloaded to a computer and then transferred to the phone. For instructions, please visit www.skype.com/go/mobiledownload. This Web page also includes a directory of currently supported mobile phones and the list of markets where the full feature set is available. Additional phones and markets will be added over time.

* You will not incur charges from Skype to call or chat with friends on Skype. Skype will charge its regular very low SkypeOut rates when you call friends who are not on Skype or receive calls in your mobile handset from other Skype users or over SkypeIn. Ã¢â‚¬Â¨When you call Skype-to-Skype or SkypeOut from your mobile, you are using mobile voice and data networks for which your mobile operator charges you for data usage and local mobile calling minutes. We highly recommend getting an unlimited data plan to use with Skype for your mobile. The mobile data network is used to sign onto Skype and to download your contacts, update presence and send/receive instant messages Ã¢â‚¬â€œ so the longer you stay signed on, the more Skype contacts you have or the more you chat with another Skype user, the more you will use your mobile data plan. Ã¢â‚¬Â¨Ã¢â‚¬Â¨To keep the application lightweight, Skype for your mobile works over standard mobile voice networks connections for the first and/or last legs of Skype, SkypeOut and SkypeIn calls Ã¢â‚¬â€œ and over the internet for the rest.

Users in Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ3Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ territories can already get free end-to-end Skype calling and chat on the 3 Skypephone and end-to-end Skype calling at no extra cost on all compatible contract phones from the Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ3Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ mobile operator, as part of their subscription. For more information, please visit www.3skypephone.com.

About Skype

Ã¢â‚¬Â¨Millions of people every day use Skype software to communicate with others through free voice and video calls, as well as instant messages. SkypeÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s 309 million registered users have made more than 100 billion minutes worth of free Skype-to-Skype calls. Many people also use SkypeOut or one of our global subscriptions to save money when calling landlines and mobiles at home and abroad. No longer bound to the computer, Skype conversations can also be had on a broad range of cordless handsets, mobile devices and other Skype Certified hardware. WeÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve made it easy for Skype users to list and recommend their favourite local businesses to the rest of the community with SkypeFind. And even when youÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re fluent in Skype, there is always more to discover: hundreds of third-party developers have created software plug-ins to make Skype even more useful. All of this makes Skype the leading global internet communications company.

Skype is an eBay company (NASDAQ: EBAY), and you can learn more and get Skype at www.skype.com.

Make your world a smaller place: talk, share and do more with Skype.

Access to a broadband Internet connection is required for Skype and all Skype Certified devices and accessories. Skype is not a replacement for your traditional telephone service and cannot be used for emergency calling.

Skype, SkypeIn, SkypeOut, Skype Me, Skype Certified, Skypecasts, associated logos and the Ã¢â‚¬Å“SÃ¢â‚¬Â symbol are trademarks of Skype Limited.

eBay Inc. Appoints New CEOs of Skype and Shopping.com

Jim O'Neill — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:38:23 -0500

San Jose, CA, Feb. 25, 2008 Ã¢â‚¬â€œ eBay Inc. today announced that it has named Josh Silverman the Chief Executive Officer of Skype. Silverman, currently CEO of Shopping.com, an eBay company, brings more than nine years of experience in running hyper-growth global consumer Internet companies. Silverman will join Skype on March 24, 2008 and report directly to John Donahoe, President and CEO-elect of eBay Inc. Michael van Swaaij, who was appointed interim CEO in October 2007, will stay actively involved with Skype.

Ã¢â‚¬ÂWeÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re honored and excited to welcome Josh to Skype as CEO. He has an outstanding track record of entrepreneurial leadership and managing diverse, fast-growing businesses,Ã¢â‚¬Â said Donahoe. Ã¢â‚¬Å“We look forward to working with him as Skype continues to innovate and build out its next stage of growth.Ã¢â‚¬Â

Ã¢â‚¬ÂI am very pleased to be joining SkypeÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s dynamic team at this important time in the companyÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s history,Ã¢â‚¬Â said Silverman. Ã¢â‚¬Å“Skype is an incredibly exciting company. Our opportunities are tremendous as we continue to bring Skype to more people around the world, while finding new ways to add value and helping users continue to set their conversations free using Skype.Ã¢â‚¬Â

Skype is leading the way in providing new and easy ways to stay in touch over the internet though voice and video calling. The company has grown phenomenally since it was founded in 2003, and was acquired by eBay Inc. in September 2005. Today, the company has more than 276 million registered users around the world. In Q4 2007, it posted total revenues of $115 million, an increase of 76 percent over the prior year, while delivering a fourth consecutive quarter of segment profitability. Skype recently announced that since the company was launched in 2003, users around the world have now talked to one another for more than 100 billion minutes using free Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls.

Silverman is currently serving as CEO of Shopping.com and oversees the strategic direction of one of the worldÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s most popular shopping comparison sites. Prior to joining Shopping.com, he held a variety of leadership roles at eBay, including General Manager for Marktplaats.nl. He was also responsible for helping to build eBayÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s extremely successful classifieds businesses in Europe. Before joining eBay in 2003, Silverman was co-founder and CEO of Evite, the leading social event planning web site.

Succeeding Silverman as Shopping.com CEO is another eBay veteran, Andre Haddad. Haddad joined the company in 2001, when eBay acquired iBazar, a leading European online marketplace he co-founded and successfully ran in Paris.

Haddad brings to his new role a strong entrepreneurial and general management background, a passion for the customer experience, and vast eBay business and product knowledge, both in North America and internationally. Most recently, Haddad served as Senior Vice President of Product at eBay. His expertise will be essential to continuing Shopping.comÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s growth as a leading comparison shopping site. Haddad will also be leading eBayÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s consumer electronics business.

Ã¢â‚¬Å“Shopping.com is a pioneer in online comparison shopping and is one of the fastest growing shopping destinations on the Internet,Ã¢â‚¬Â said Haddad. Ã¢â‚¬Å“IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m thrilled to be joining such an exciting company and look forward to building on the strong foundation that Josh and the Shopping.com team have established.Ã¢â‚¬Â

Ã¢â‚¬Å“ItÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s a testament to our deep talent pool that we can fill these positions internally,Ã¢â‚¬Â said Donahoe. Ã¢â‚¬Å“We couldnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t be more pleased to have Josh and Andre taking on such critical leadership roles. Their deep expertise in building and leading fast growth companies combined with their history at eBay makes them the ideal leaders for the Skype and Shopping businesses.Ã¢â‚¬Â

About eBay

Founded in 1995, eBay Inc. connects hundreds of millions of people around the world every day, empowering them to explore new opportunities and innovate together. eBay Inc. does this by providing the Internet platforms of choice for global commerce, payments and communications. Since its inception, eBay Inc. has expanded to include some of the strongest brands in the world, including eBay, PayPal, Skype, Shopping.com and others. eBay Inc. is headquartered in San Jose, California.

About Skype

Skype sets the standard in providing new and easy ways to stay in touch over the internet. Millions of people every day make free Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls and send instant messages using our software. Some pay a little per minute for long-distance and international calls to phones and mobiles and for SMS, voicemail and call forwarding, or they buy subscriptions that give unlimited calls nationwide.

We certify and sell hundreds of hardware products from more than 50 partners and work with third-party developers to create software to extend SkypeÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s functionality. Skype has been downloaded more than half a billion times and over 276 million people from almost every corner of the globe have registered. Skype is an eBay company (NASDAQ: EBAY), and you can learn more and get Skype at www.skype.com. Make your world a smaller place: talk, share and do more with Skype.

Access to a broadband Internet connection is required for Skype and all Skype Certified devices and accessories.

Skype is not a replacement for your traditional telephone service and cannot be used for emergency calling.

Skype, SkypeIn, SkypeOut, Skype Me, Skype Certified, Skypecasts, associated logos and the Ã¢â‚¬Å“SÃ¢â‚¬Â symbol are trademarks of Skype Limited.

About Shopping.com

Shopping.com, an eBay company, pioneered online comparison shopping and today is one of the fastest growing shopping destinations on the Internet with items from thousands of trusted stores from across the Web. With a singular focus on shopping, Shopping.com offers shoppers easy-to-use search tools, engaging content, time-saving navigation, along with millions of product and merchant reviews from the Epinions community, all in one place. The Shopping.com Network powers the shopping experience for hundreds of websites. For more information, please visit www.shopping.com.

Media Contact: eBay Media Hotline | +1.408.376.7458 | press@ebay.com

3 SKYPEPHONE DELIVERS FREE SKYPE TO SKYPE

Jim O'Neill — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 10:46:18 -0500

Ã‚Â

29^th October 2007 Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Skype, the global Internet communications company and 3, the mobile operator, have launched a new affordable handset that lets you make free Skype to Skype calls and send free Skype instant messages from your mobile phone to other Skype users no matter where they are.

The 3 Skypephone is a fully-featured 3G Internet phone with Skype built-in. In addition to Skype calls the phone makes conventional calls and can be used to access 3Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s broad range of other internet services.

3 customers using the 3 Skypephone will be able to make Skype calls and send instant messages on the move with the push of a button. This is the first time an operator has offered a mass market device which is tailor-made for free calling over the internet from a mobile. Now, all of SkypeÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s 246 million registered can be reached for free with the 3 Skypephone.

According to Michael van Swaaij, acting CEO at Skype, Ã¢â‚¬Å“Skype is now truly mobile. This new handset is incredibly easy to use and lets you make free mobile Skype calls when you are on the move to other Skype users all over the world no matter where they are. It couldnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t be simpler Ã¢â‚¬â€œ put Skype in your pocket and make free Skype mobile calls and send free Skype instant messages at the touch of a single Skype button.Ã¢â‚¬Â

Michael van Swaaij added, Ã¢â‚¬Å“Skype began by offering free PC to PC calling and now weÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re doing the same with mobile calls with 3. Thanks to 3, Skype has now taken a giant step forward in theÃ‚Â

mobile arena. It takes an innovative operator like 3 to challenge traditional thinking and offer the kind of product other operators are still shying away from.Ã¢â‚¬Â

Kevin Russell, Chief Executive Officer, 3 UK, said, Ã¢â‚¬Å“3 wants to make the mobile internet available to everyone. To do this, we believe that services need to be simple to access and affordable. Communication is the prime function of the mobile today. Skype is the leader in internet communications. To enable Skype to go mobile in this way brings free internet calls together with an affordable 3G handset. Mobile has the potential to massively increase access to internet calling.Ã¢â‚¬Â

The handset was developed by Skype and 3 in partnership with Qualcomm, using QualcommÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s BREW platform to enable Skype to work with core handset features such as address book and messaging.

The 3 Skypephone will be available this year in the UK, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Italy, Ireland, Macau and Sweden. Skype to Skype calls will always be free from your 3 Skypephone as long as you are on contract or your PAYG 3 credit is topped up monthly. In the UK, the 3 Skypephone is Ã‚Â£49.99 on a PAYG tariff or free on a contract. **

The 3 Skypephone is available from 2 November in 3Stores across the UK and from Skype and 3Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s websites in time for Christmas. The 3 Skypephone is available for pre-order in the UK from today. Anyone who doesnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t already use Skype can create a Skype account by going to www.skype.com and downloading the free software onto their computer. Alternatively they can create a Skype account directly from their 3 Skypephone.

** Fair use policy & terms apply. See the 3 website in each country for local prices and conditions

**Free calls are Skype to Skype calls and Skype instant messages from the 3 network (in some countries this is also available when roaming on a 3 sister network).

Notes to editors:

*For case studies, please contact 3 Monkeys Communications on 0207 440 2410

3 Skypephone functionality:

With 3G, a 2-megapixel camera, mp3 player, mobile TV and internet, 3 Skypephone keeps you occupied even when you run out of things to say. Plus, itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s small and shiny, and comes in black or white, with blue or pink trim. 3 Skypephone also includes:

Fully integrated Skype functionality with contacts, call logs and presence.
Access to Java and 3D games and two preloaded games
2.0 Megapixel camera
Internet browsing
Bluetooth
Weight: 86g
Size: 100 x 44 x 13.6mm
Battery Standby: 320 Hours
Battery Talk Time: 270 Minutes
Battery Video Talk Time: 170 Minutes
Screen Size: 2.0Ã¢â‚¬Â QCIF (176 x 220)
Colour: 262K
Internal Memory: 16MB
External Memory: expandable to 1GB microSD

Handset includes:

Battery 1150mAh
Battery cover (magnetic)
Personal stereo hands free kit
USB cable
Mains charger
CDÃ¢â‚¬â€œROM for PC connection
256MB micro SD memory card (no adapter)
3 user guide
Quick start guide for Skype

About 3

3 is a mobile media company delivering a convergence of communications, entertainment and information to customers on the move. The three areas that form the core of its business are:

Communications Ã¢â‚¬â€œ including all forms of personal communications; voice and video calling; text, picture and video messaging; and mobile blogging

Entertainment Ã¢â‚¬â€œ including television; music audio and video, computer games, and media publishing

Information services Ã¢â‚¬â€œ including wireless web, access to the best of the internet and a range of news services

3 UK is a member of the HWL group of 3G companies, which include 3G operations in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Macau and Sweden.

About Skype

We certify and sell hundreds of hardware products from more than 50 partners and work with third-party developers to create software to extend Skype's functionality. Skype has been downloaded more than half a billion times and over 246 million people from almost every corner of the globe have registered. Make your world a smaller place: talk, share and do more with Skype.

Skype is an eBay company (NASDAQ: EBAY), and you can learn more and get Skype at www.skype.com.

Skype, SkypeIn, SkypeOut, Skype Me, Skype Certified, Skypecasts, associated logos and the Ã¢â‚¬Å“SÃ¢â‚¬Â symbol are trademarks of Skype Limited.

About Qualcomm

QualcommÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s BREW solutions change the way people relate to wireless data services. By enabling the discovery and delivery of high-value content, BREW creates opportunities for the wireless industry to enhance consumersÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ mobile data experience. QualcommÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s comprehensive and targeted BREW Signature Solutions offer reduced time to market and lower capital investment for companies providing mobile products and services. Customers also can benefit from several modular BREW offerings, including uiOneÃ¢â€žÂ¢, deliveryOne and QPointÃ¢â€žÂ¢, which provide the foundation for customer-differentiated wireless data capabilities.

MySpace and Skype Announce Partnership Bringing Free Internet Voice Communications to MySpace Global Community

Jim O'Neill — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 09:55:39 -0400

LOS ANGELES/LUXEMBOURG, October 17, 2007 Ã¢â‚¬â€ MySpace, the worldÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s most popular social network, and Skype, the leading Internet communications company, today announced a partnership to empower the MySpace community with voice communications. With more than 110 million monthly active MySpace users and 220 million SkypeÃ¢â€žÂ¢ registered users around the world, this partnership connects two of the most popular communications platforms on the Internet to create the worldÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s largest online, voice-connected community.

The announcement unveils MySpaceIM with Skype, a new product that integrates MySpaceÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s popular IM clientÃ¢â‚¬â€currently the worldÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s fastest-growing IM platform with more than 25 million installed usersÃ¢â‚¬â€with SkypeÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s free, high-quality voice-calling capability. The partnership will also enable users to link their MySpace profiles and photos or avatars to their accounts on Skype. Both products will be available to users starting in November.

Launching in 20 countries where MySpace has localized communities, MySpaceIM with Skype will enable millions of users to place free Skype Internet calls to other MySpace or Skype users. The addition of Skype voice-calling to MySpaceÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s instant messaging feature gives users more ways to easily connect with friends and family around the world, and does not require MySpace users to download any additional Skype software.

Ã¢â‚¬Å“MySpaceIM with Skype is a truly groundbreaking product integration and partnership,Ã¢â‚¬Â said Chris DeWolfe, co-founder and CEO of MySpace. Ã¢â‚¬Å“Skype has the leading technology in Internet voice communications and an enormous international user base that weÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re thrilled to connect with our existing community. Our network has no geographical boundariesÃ¢â‚¬â€Internet calling is the natural next step for how our members communicate with each other.Ã¢â‚¬Â

Skype is available in 28 languages and is used in almost every country around the world. The ability for Skype users to link their Skype accounts to their MySpace profiles will be available globally, except in Japan, China and Taiwan. In addition to free, high-quality Skype calling, MySpaceIM with Skype will also allow the users of the MySpace network to optionally select SkypeÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s premium fee-based products, including:

SkypeOutÃ¢â€žÂ¢ Ã¢â‚¬â€œ To make calls to landlines and cell phones domestically or internationally;

SkypeInÃ¢â€žÂ¢ Ã¢â‚¬â€œ A local phone number to receive calls wherever you are in the world from other people on landlines or cell phones;

Voicemail Ã¢â‚¬â€œ To take voice messages when youÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re busy or offline; and

Call forwarding Ã¢â‚¬â€œ To redirect incoming Skype calls to a landline or cell phone.

Ã¢â‚¬Å“Both MySpace and Skype have become a part of peopleÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s lives by bringing people closer together, no matter where they live in the world. This partnership reiterates that Skype is the platform of choice for Internet communications because we make it simpler and easier for people to place free calls to one another whether they are on Skype or within the MySpace network,Ã¢â‚¬Â said Michael Van Swaaij, interim CEO of Skype.

MySpaceIM with Skype takes advantage of the many personal privacy settings available to users throughout the MySpace network. Users who have a MySpace profile set to Ã¢â‚¬Å“privateÃ¢â‚¬Â can not receive a Skype call from someone who is not on their friends list. Users can also choose to allow only those individuals they have affirmatively added to their Skype personal contact list to call them. Users are empowered to block any MySpaceIM with Skype user at any time, and with the Ã¢â‚¬Å“incoming call windowÃ¢â‚¬Â users can pre-screen incoming callers in order to accept, ignore, or block the call.

Financial terms of the MySpace and Skype deal were not disclosed.

About MySpace
MySpace, a unit of Fox Interactive Media Inc., is the premier lifestyle portal for connecting with friends, discovering popular culture, and making a positive impact on the world. By integrating web profiles, blogs, instant messaging, e-mail, music streaming, music videos, photo galleries, classified listings, events, groups, college communities, and member forums, MySpace has created a connected community. As the first ranked web domain in terms of page views(c), MySpace is the most widely-used and highly regarded site of its kind and is committed to providing the highest quality member experience. MySpace will continue to innovate with new features that allow its members to express their creativity and share their lives, both online and off. MySpaceÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s international network includes localized community sites in the United States, France, Germany, Australia, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Japan, Sweden, Latin America, Denmark, Norway, Finland and the United Kingdom. Fox Interactive Media is a division of News Corp. (NYSE: NWS, NWS.A; ASX:NWS, NWSLV).

*Among the top 2000 domains comScore Media Metrix, September 2007. For more information on comScore Networks, please go to http://www.comscore.com.

About Skype
Skype sets conversations free by providing new and easy ways to stay in touch over the Internet. Millions of people every day make free Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls and send instant messages using our software. Some pay a little per minute for long-distance and international calls to phones and mobiles and for SMS, voicemail and call forwarding, or they buy subscriptions that give unlimited calls nationwide. We certify and sell hundreds of hardware products from more than 50 partners and work with third-party developers to create software to extend SkypeÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s functionality. Skype has been downloaded more than half a billion times and over 220 million people from almost every corner of the globe have registered. Make your world a smaller place: talk, share and do more with Skype.

Skype is an eBay company (NASDAQ: EBAY), and you can learn more and get Skype at www.skype.com.

Access to a broadband Internet connection is required for Skype and all Skype Certified devices and accessories. Skype is not a replacement for your traditional telephone service and cannot be used for emergency calling.

Skype, SkypeIn, SkypeOut, Skype Me, Skype Certified, Skypecasts, associated logos and the Ã¢â‚¬Å“SÃ¢â‚¬Â symbol are trademarks of Skype Limited.

IPEVO Simplifies Internet Voice Calls With SOLO Desktop Skype Phone

Jim O'Neill — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 09:46:08 -0400

Newly Available SOLO Gives Customers the Freedom to Place and Receive Skype Calls Without a Computer

SAN JOSE, CA--(Marketwire - October 9, 2007) - IPEVO, SkypeÃ¢â€žÂ¢ partner and leading manufacturer of experience-driven Internet devices, today announced the launch of SOLO -- a stand-alone Skype desktop internet phone that enables users to place Skype voice calls without a computer. An always-on Skype CertifiedÃ¢â€žÂ¢ device, SOLO brings the familiarity and functionality of a traditional telephone to Skype's popular internet communications software.

Equipped with an RJ-45 Ethernet connector, SOLO works wherever a broadband Internet connection is available. The phone comes embedded with Skype software, enabling users to make and receive Skype voice calls right out of the box. Setup is as simple as plugging in the network cable, logging into the user's Skype account and placing a call. SOLO supports Skype-to-Skype, SkypeInÃ¢â€žÂ¢, SkypeOutÃ¢â€žÂ¢ and Skype Voicemail -- enabling customers to take advantage of Skype's free calling to other Skype users, as well as low-cost rates to mobile phones and landlines anywhere in the world.

"Technology is not meant to be complex. In fact, the most innovative products fit in perfectly with our everyday lives -- and become second nature," said Edward Lucero VP & general manager of IPEVO North America. "SOLO reflects this philosophy. We've made placing a Skype call as easy and familiar as placing a regular phone call. Users no longer need to power up their computer to place an Internet call."

By bringing the familiarity and simplicity of traditional telephony to internet communications, SOLO is poised to broaden Skype's outreach to mass consumers and create a cohesive integration of internet voice calling with consumers' everyday lives.

Key features of the SOLO include:

-- One-click speakerphone function for hands-free talking-- LED indications for power on/off, missed call, message, mute and speakerphone mode-- Memory keys for speed dials-- 2.4" TFT color LCD display with adjustable viewing angle-- FCC, CE, VCCI, and RoHS compliant

SOLO will launch in the US markets beginning October 9 for $169.99 U.S. MSRP. "IPEVO has packaged the SOLO with a 90 minute SkypeOut voucher, a quick start guide, and built in accounts to make it easier for non-Skype users."

Known for its iconic line of award-winning Skype hardware, IPEVO has established a reputation for developing products that seamlessly integrate into users' lifestyles and living spaces. SOLO continues the company's tradition of combining urban minimalism with smart, functional design. SOLO features a sleek black body with a black or white handset, along with an easy-to-read 2.4" TFT color LCD display.

About IPEVO

IPEVO creates Internet devices to expand and extend the experience of web based services and applications. Renown for its iconic line of best-selling Skype hardware, IPEVO has established a reputation for innovating award-wining designs and affordable products for seamless web integration. For more information, visit www.ipevo.com.

Skype, SkypeIn, SkypeOut, Skype Me, Skype Certified, Skypecasts, associated logos and the "S" symbol are trademarks of Skype Limited.

Press Release: Skype now available for the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet

Thu, 12 Jul 2007 10:33:57 -0400

Skype now available for the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet

ESPOO, Finland and LUXEMBOURG, July 11 -- Skype is now available on the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet, bringing Skype conversations anywhere in the world where there is an available wireless internet connection (WiFi).

"Skype is the recognized leader in internet calling, with more than 196 million registered users worldwide. The Nokia N800 gives people easy access to the Internet and it's a natural step that they will want to make Skype calls away from their desktop." said Ari Virtanen, Vice President, Convergence Products, Nokia. "Consumers can now start enjoying the benefits of Skype on the Nokia N800 and experience a free and easy way to stay in touch with friends, family and business colleagues around the world."

Skype for the Nokia N800 will be available for download for existing users. There will also be Skype download links on the latest release of Nokia N800 devices which will be available at retail and on the Skype online store. From coffee shops and public parks to offices to hotels or even on the beach - users will now be able to make Skype calls anywhere they can find a WiFi hotspot.

"Skype for the Nokia N800 is another important step in our mobility strategy," said Eric Lagier, Skype's head of business development for Mobile. "Our users are no longer just using Skype on their computer desktops. With the growth of mobile devices and WiFi, consumers expect to be connected wherever they are, at the office, at home or on the move. Making Skype available on such an innovative, portable device, lets us bring internet conversations to the mobile masses."

Today, Skype is enjoyed by over 196 million people worldwide. Users download Skype software to make free voice and video calls and send instant messages over the Internet, between Skype users. Skype also offers paid-for services which let users make and forward calls to landlines and mobile phones at low per-minute rates. To enhance the Skype user experience, leading manufacturers such as Nokia have developed products that give users the additional flexibility to place and receive Skype calls wherever they are.

Support for Skype for the Nokia N800 is available with the feature upgrade release to the latest OS 2007 edition. The feature upgrade also introduces AdobeÃ‚Â® FlashÃ‚Â® 9 browser plug-in taking a step forward in web compatibility, support for largercapacity memory cards and considerably enhanced online use-times among other improvements. The OS upgrade is immediately installable from www.nokia.com/N800.

Notes to editors:

High resolution photos of Nokia N800 with Skype client can be found at: www.nokia.com/press

About Skype

Skype sets conversations free by providing new and easy ways to stay in touch over the internet. Millions of people every day make free Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls and send instant messages using our software. Some pay a little per minute for long-distance and international calls to phones and mobiles and for SMS, voicemail and call forwarding, or they buy plans that give unlimited calls nationwide.

We certify and sell hundreds of hardware products from over 50 partners and work with third-party developers to create software to extend Skype's functionality. Skype has been downloaded more than half a billion times and over 196 million people from almost every corner of the globe have registered.

Skype is an eBay company (NASDAQ: EBAY), and you can learn more and get Skype at www.skype.com.

Access to a broadband Internet connection is required for Skype and all Skype Certified devices and accessories. Skype is not a replacement for your traditional telephone service and cannot be used for emergency calling.
Skype, SkypeIn, SkypeOut, Skype Me, Skype Certified, Skypecasts, associated logos and the "S" symbol are trademarks of Skype Limited.

About Nokia Nseries

Nokia Nseries is a range of high performance multimedia computers that delivers unparelled mobile multimedia experiences by combining the latest technologies with stylish design and ease of use. With Nokia Nseries products, consumers can use a single device to enjoy entertainment, access to information and to capture and share pictures and videos, on the go. www.nseries.com

About Nokia

Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the transformation and growth of the converging Internet and communications industries. Nokia makes a wide range of mobile devices and provides people with experiences in music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games and business mobility through these devices. Nokia also provides equipment, solutions and services for communications networks.

Media Enquiries:

Nokia, Multimedia
Communications
Tel. +358 7180 34383

Nokia
Communications
Tel: +358 7180 34900
Email: press.office@nokia.com

Kaplow PR
Chaim Haas (for Skype)
Tel. +1 212 221 1713
chaas@kaplowpr.com

www.nokia.com

Press Release: Skype now available for the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 11:58:08 -0400

Skype now available for the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet

Notes to editors:

High resolution photos of Nokia N800 with Skype client can be found at: www.nokia.com/press

About Skype

Skype is an eBay company (NASDAQ: EBAY), and you can learn more and get Skype at www.skype.com.

About Nokia Nseries

About Nokia

Media Enquiries:

Nokia, Multimedia
Communications
Tel. +358 7180 34383

Nokia
Communications
Tel: +358 7180 34900
Email: press.office@nokia.com

Kaplow PR
Chaim Haas (for Skype)
Tel. +1 212 221 1713
chaas@kaplowpr.com