Will eBay sell Skype?

A statement by eBay's chief executive describing Skype as a "great stand-alone business" has resulted in mounting speculation across the web that eBay is making preparations to sell Skype, the online communications service. eBay purchased Skype in 2005 for about $2.6 billion, and has since admitted to overpaying for the purchase.

While giving assurances that eBay will continue to run and operate Skype, and that "it's not a distraction currently," CEO John Donahoe essentially threw out the welcome mat to potential buyers by also noting that "the synergies between Skype and the other parts of our portfolio are minimal." While it is hard to imagine eBay making the sale, given the current state of the market, stranger things have happened.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at Times Online
- check out this article at The Wall Street Journal

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Skype news at FierceCIO