Skype is officially now a Microsoft brand

by Steven Mostyn - Oct 14 2011, 12:10

Following on from the initial Skype acquisition announcement made in May, software specialist Microsoft has now formally closed the deal and added the VoIP platform to its brand portfolio.

Microsoft’s formal confirmation comes after European regulators completed their formal checks and issued approval for the purchase—which has a dollar tag of around $8.5 billion USD.

“Skype is a phenomenal product and brand that is loved by hundreds of millions of people around the world,” trumpeted Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer in an official statement.

“We look forward to working with the Skype team to create new ways for people to stay connected to family, friends, clients and colleagues—anytime, anywhere,” he added.

In July of this year, Skype said more than 65 million people chat via its online telephony service every day, racking up around 700 million minutes of basic talk time, and 300 million minutes of video chatting in the process.

Skype boss Tony Bates has said that Microsoft’s market power should help drive the service’s customer base to beyond 1 billion in the near future.

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