Software

FTC gives green light to Microsoft-Skype deal

posted by Alan F. / Jun 19, 2011, 5:25 AM

FTC gives green light to Microsoft-Skype deal

Microsoft is slowly making progress in its attempt to close its largest deal ever, the $8.5 billion purchase of internet chat and telephony company Skype. The Federal Trade Commission has signed off on the acquisition and next up is the Department of Justice. On deals valued at $65.2 million or more, both agencies must approve the transaction before it closes.

Microsoft has amassed a fabled mountain of cash and is paying three times the valuation of Skype a mere 18 months ago when private equity investment firm Silver Lake bought a 67% stake in the company from eBay. Although Redmond based Microsoft already offers a similar service called Windows Live, Skype lets users connect using different mobile platforms on their phones. Purchasing Skype could allow Microsoft to offer business users more types of business conferencing tools and sell more digital advertising.

source: Yahoo

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4 Comments

1. Sam's Song unregistered

This will be amazing for the phones. I'm slowly starting to fall in love with Windows Phone 7.

posted on Jun 19, 2011, 10:00 AM 0

2. ibap

Posts: 867; Member since: Sep 09, 2009

And what happens to Skype on other platforms?

posted on Jun 19, 2011, 10:47 AM 1

3. SomewhereInWA unregistered

Get ready for the bloatware. As M$ seems to purchase software from other companies, they increase the installation size (currently 8.49MB on my Thunderbolt). Get ready for a 20MB install (or better) somewhere in the near future. They just can't leave well enough alone.

posted on Jun 19, 2011, 11:15 AM 1

4. ILikeBubbles

Posts: 525; Member since: Jan 17, 2011

ouch... Microsoft wants to be Google but they just don't care for the people like Google seems to...

posted on Jun 19, 2011, 3:22 PM 1

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