17 September 2009 | Author: L. Sutherland Head of Media Content
Earlier this month it looked as though eBay had solved its Skype problem with plans to sell the VOIP service. Now it seems that trouble is only set to multiply for the proposed deal.
The Guardian reports that the founders of Skype have filed a lawsuit against eBay and the investment group that are making plans to buy the popular VOIP service. Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, the men who got Skype off the ground in 2003, have filed papers asking for an injunction as well as millions of dollars worth of damages. The pair claims that the networking technology that they own has been used unlawfully.
At the heart of the dispute is the core technology that powers Skype, Global Index. This technology is actually the property of Joltid, a UK company started by Zennstrom and Friis back in 2002 and without it eBay could be required to shut the service down.
The problems first arose from eBay's decision not to purchase Global Index when it bought Skype, instead agreeing to lease the technology. When Zennstrom and Friis decided to part company with Skype in 2007 and then revoke the license, eBay found itself in hot water and admitted that unless the problem could be rectified it would likely have to shut the service down as it hadn't managed to develop an alternate technology to take the place of Global Index.
Now it is clear that the dispute has not been settled as many people in the industry believed, and eBay's plans to sell Skype have been potentially thrown into chaos. Early in September, eBay revealed plans to sell a 65 per cent stake to a selection in investors, reportedly including investment firm Andreessen Horowitz.
With this latest revelation, the future of Skype seems uncertain and many internet callers will be hoping for a reprieve and swift solution that will allow them to continue to enjoy the service.
Lawsuit sees eBay's Skype battles intensify
Earlier this month it looked as though eBay had solved its Skype problem with plans to sell the VOIP service. Now it seems that trouble is only set to multiply for the proposed deal.The Guardian reports that the founders of Skype have filed a lawsuit against eBay and the investment group that are making plans to buy the popular VOIP service. Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, the men who got Skype off the ground in 2003, have filed papers asking for an injunction as well as millions of dollars worth of damages. The pair claims that the networking technology that they own has been used unlawfully.
At the heart of the dispute is the core technology that powers Skype, Global Index. This technology is actually the property of Joltid, a UK company started by Zennstrom and Friis back in 2002 and without it eBay could be required to shut the service down.
The problems first arose from eBay's decision not to purchase Global Index when it bought Skype, instead agreeing to lease the technology. When Zennstrom and Friis decided to part company with Skype in 2007 and then revoke the license, eBay found itself in hot water and admitted that unless the problem could be rectified it would likely have to shut the service down as it hadn't managed to develop an alternate technology to take the place of Global Index.
Now it is clear that the dispute has not been settled as many people in the industry believed, and eBay's plans to sell Skype have been potentially thrown into chaos. Early in September, eBay revealed plans to sell a 65 per cent stake to a selection in investors, reportedly including investment firm Andreessen Horowitz.
With this latest revelation, the future of Skype seems uncertain and many internet callers will be hoping for a reprieve and swift solution that will allow them to continue to enjoy the service.
English
German/Deutsch
Norwegian/Norsk
Swedish/Svenska
Italian/Italiano
French/Français
Spanish/Español
Latest News
RSS News Feeds
Related Articles
Tags
