Tom and Skype Strike a Deal
Perhaps only part of the speculation of a deal between Skype and an Asian investor was true. Skype said today it and Li Ka-shing's TOM Online Inc. have created a joint venture
that will see Skype's software deployed more extensively with TOM's 70
million wireless customers in China. The JV, 51% owned by TOM and 49%
by Skype, will “develop, customize and distribute” a Chinese version of
Skype's software to Internet users and service providers in China. The
software will feature a TOM online tab, which will make it easy for
Skype users to access TOM's portal. The JV comes 10 months after Skype and TOM did a deal
in which a customerized version of Skype was developed by both
companies. So far, more than 2.5 million users have registered to use
the software. Terms of the JV were not disclosed so we're still left in
the dark whether rumors of an Asian investor buying a 5% stake in Skype
were inaccurate. Given how much Skype's value could increase if it
enjoys success in China, it's possible TOM has taken a small stake in
Skype through the JV as a way to double up on its bet. According to
Skype's Web site, its software has now been downloaded more than 159
million times.
