Anyone Use Skype?

[Brownian Motion]

The New York Times

September 8, 2005

EBay Said to Be in Talks to Acquire Skype

By ANDREW ROSS SORKIN and VIKAS BAJAJ

EBay is in preliminary discussions to acquire Skype Technologies, the Internet telephone company that has been the object of much merger speculation of late, for $2 billion to $3 billion, two people involved in the negotiations said today.

The talks are highly tentative and could fall apart, these people said on the condition that they not be identified because the talks are continuing.

An acquisition of Skype would put eBay at the forefront of one of the hottest and most-watched online movements of recent times, and one that the giant online marketplace has so far not been a major part of. It would also follow moves by Microsoft and Google, which eBay increasingly finds itself in competition with on new technologies, to get into the Internet phone business.

Last month, Google announced a service similar to Skype's free phone service called Google Talk, and Microsoft said it was acquiring Teleo, a San Francisco-based service provider that allows phone calls between a personal computer and a telephone.

The discussions between eBay and Skype were first reported in The New York Post and The Wall Street Journal today.

Skype allows users who download its software and register for its service to talk to one another for free over the Internet. For a company that is a little over two years old, it has already amassed a large global following - the company says its telephony software has been downloaded 162 million times and it has 53 million registered users, with as many as three million using its service at any given time.

Most of its customers do not pay Skype anything, but about two million customers have signed up for premium services that allow customers to make and receive calls from regular phone numbers for a fee.

An acquisition of Skype would be eBay's biggest purchase since it bought the Internet Auction Company of South Korea in 2004 for $4.3 billion. EBay has been aggressively acquiring companies, many of them overseas, in recent years as it has been reaching beyond its core business of being the definitive online bazaar.

Skype, based in Luxembourg, was founded by Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis, who also founded the popular and often controversial Kazaa, the file-trading service that has drawn the ire of the recording and motion picture industry. Skype's rise from a small Internet service to a phenomenon has roiled the telecommunications industry, whose officials at times try to dismiss it as a niche online fad that could never replace trusty phones and at other times cite as a revolutionary force transforming their more than 100-year old industry.

* Copyright 2005 The New York Times Company

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[Brownian Motion]

Most of its customers do not pay Skype anything, but about two million customers have signed up for premium services that allow customers to make and receive calls from regular phone numbers for a fee.

How does this differ from current land-based phone service?

[kh1958]

I've used Skype to talk to someone in Mexico. You just need two computers with the software, and you can talk over the computer line as long as you like for free. The sound isn't as good as a land line, but it usually works pretty well. You can also use it to call someone from your computer to their landline--that's the Service that you have to pay for.

[rostasi]

I use it at least once a week for international calls.

Mostly to Japan and Germany and it never costs a thing.

Usually I am talking to someone who is using the built-in mic

on their laptop while I use an external mic on my desktop unit.

Love it!

[Big Wheel]

My office has started using it in the last month. I think we called Cambodia on it a week or two ago.

[kh1958]

Currently 2.27 million Skype users logged in.

[Stereojack]

I use Skype twice a week to play backgammon with my brother in California. We find the connection to be clear and it never cuts off. And it's free, as long as you've got an internet connection.

[Claude]

My girlfriend an I are big Skype users. I've saved hundreds of Euros on international calls, by skyping with her in Malta instead of phoning. Now she lives with me and uses Skype to keep contact with her relatives and friends.

SkypeOut also saved me a lot of money. When I'm traveling abroad, in Germany, Belgium or Switzerland, my girlfriend calls me with SkypeOut to my hotel room number. That way, one hour phone calls cost 1 Euro instead of 10. Short international phone calls, to book a flight or a hotel, cost me an average of 2 Euro-Cent per call.

I find using Skype more comfortable than a normal phone, because of the headset. And one can also easily exchange messages (for example internet links) or files with the chat function while speaking.

Edited September 9, 2005 by Claude

[tjobbe]

I'm not using skype as I use VoIP via a local provider offering me flat rates into the german land-line network, but all in all I was able to cut my overall communication costs for broadband, Internet and Phone access by half.....

My prob with Skype is: you need you PC switched on still, VoIP (via SIP) does work as extention to regular phones with black boxes inserted.

Cheers, Tjobbe

[Swinger]

I've used Skype for a few months and I find it extremely useful and it saves a lot of money as well.

My SKype ID is Plaexia. Feel free to call me if you like.

[Adam]

I use Skype with one other person. Coincidentally, it's another Finn, Swinger, an artist named Tellervo Kalleinen. She told me about it, and it's worked great to talk or to chat with her.

Maybe I'll give you a call - build up my network of Finns. :-)

[Swinger]

I use Skype with one other person.  Coincidentally, it's another Finn, Swinger, an artist named Tellervo Kalleinen.  She told me about it, and it's worked great to talk or to chat with her.

Maybe I'll give you a call - build up my network of Finns.  :-)

←

Heh

There is something wrong with my microphone at the moment. I've had my headset for a couple of weeks and for reason my mic is not working very well at the moment.Unfortunately I can't return it and demand my money back because I have already lost the receipt

What is your Skype ID?

[porcy62]

EBay just bought Skype

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050912/ap_on_...DNqBHNlYwM3NDk-

Edited September 12, 2005 by porcy62

[catesta]

Interesting, I've never even heard of this stuff.

[andybleaden]

I used it to call a friend in Germany ,....pc to pc and it was ........well weird I guess....it was someone I had emailed and Instant messaged for ages and we were discussing skype and got hoppoked up...you hear through my pc speakers which was very strange and not like the phone at all as it is crystal clear and better sounding.

I also used to use it with next door when the free calls period has not clicked in and I need help with the pc!...but that is real lazy and we spend 5 mins saying how we out to lean out the window and stuff

Anyway its free give it a try before the bean counters put a stop to it

[Tom 1960]

I was abit curious if others here had this program on there computers and came across this thread. I'm a big fan having talked to people in Illinois, Arizona, Texas, Scotland and Germany. I would really enjoy the opportunity to talk to some of you guys at some point. If you happen to see my on Skype, give me a buzz. My screenname is thomasjj.

Edited February 5, 2006 by Tom 1960

[Swinger]

Tom 1960:

Thanks for our little chat. My English is far from perfect although it has been always been my favorite subject in school.I was most likely just a little bit nervous when we talked a little bit

Feel free to call me!

[Tom 1960]

Tom 1960:

Thanks for our little chat. My English is far from perfect although it has been always been my favorite subject in school.I was most likely just a little bit nervous when we talked a little bit

Feel free to call me!

Don't sweat it! I thought you spoke very good english.I really enjoyed conversing with you. I look forward to getting together again on the Skype in the near future.

[Swinger]

Can you guys give me your Skype ID's so I could add them and call you occasionally?

[marcoliv]

mine is marcavol

MCO

[Hardbopjazz]

Can this program work with a dialup connection or does it have to be DSL, Cable or other broadband connections?

[Claude]

I tried Skype with the phone modem built into my laptop, it worked fine.

Only when I browsed the web at the same time over that slow connection there were communication lags.