Microsoft Corporation has agreed to acquire Internet telephony service Skype Technologies SA for $8.5 billion ( including $755 million of Skype debt ). This is stated in a Microsoft press release .

The deal, approved by the boards of directors of both companies, will be financed entirely from Microsoft's existing cash flows.

Skype will be called the Microsoft Skype Division, with current Skype CEO Tony Bates continuing to lead the division. He will report personally to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. According to the latter, Skype is “a phenomenal service that is loved by millions of people around the world.” “Together, we will create the future of real-time communications, making it easy for people to stay in touch with their family, friends, clients and colleagues,” said the head of Microsoft. Bates, in turn, said that Microsoft and Skype share a vision of delivering “software innovations and products” to users.

Skype support will appear in the Xbox game console and smartphones running Windows Phone, as well as in Lync, Outlook, and Xbox Live services . The parties hope to receive regulatory approval by the end of 2011.

This deal is the most expensive purchase of Microsoft in the entire 36-year history of the company (until today, this status was achieved by the acquisition of Aquantive in 2007 for $6 billion).

The media reported that Skype would come under the control of Microsoft on Tuesday morning. The acquisition of the service will allow Microsoft to expand its presence in the consumer market by acquiring a world-famous Internet brand.

Just last week, Reuters sources claimed that the most likely contender for the purchase of Skype is the world's largest social network Facebook, and its competition is from another Internet giant - Google Corporation (read more in the material "Who will buy Skype?" ). The transaction price was estimated at only $3-4 billion.

Skype was founded in 2003. In 2005, the company was acquired by EBay for $2.6 billion, then 70% of its shares were sold in 2009 to a group of private investors at a valuation of $2.75 billion. Today, the service has 663 million registered users, its monthly audience is 145 million Human. Skype's revenue in 2010 grew to $860 million (from $719 million in 2009), the net loss was $7 million ($369 million in 2009).

Microsoft buys Skype for $8.5 billion