IDG News Service - EBay Inc. is in talks to acquire Internet telephony company Skype Technologies SA for between $2 billion and $3 billion, a move that could mark a big strategy shift for the online auction company, The Wall Street Journal reported today, citing unnamed sources familiar with the talks.
The talks are at an early stage and could still fall apart, according to one person briefed on the matter, the Journal reported.
Skype has talked with a few other interested buyers, including News Corp., Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo Inc., the newspaper said, but none of these talks have led to deals.
The Luxembourg-based company, which provides a free voice-over-IP service in addition to several premium services, is also considering an initial public offering.
As eBay's core business -- online auction sales -- matures, the company has been looking to expand into new product areas and international markets, the Journal said.
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