eBay decides to spin off VOIP company Skype, with which it has a decidedly uneven relationship. An IPO is planned for the first half of 2010, although eBay says the specific timing of the IPO will be based on market conditions.

Online auction house eBay is making it clear that it expects VOIP company Skype, which the company acquired in 2005 for $2.6 billion, to start pulling its own commercial weight. April 14, eBay announced plans to separate Skype from the company, beginning with an IPO intended to be completed in the first half of 2010.

"Skype is a great stand-alone business with strong fundamentals and accelerating momentum," Donahoe said in a prepared statement. "We believe operating Skype as a stand-alone publicly traded company is the best path for maximizing its potential. This will give Skype the focus and resources required to continue its growth and effectively compete in online voice and video communications.”

There were signs earlier this YR that eBay was focusing more intently on Skype, which allows users to make calls for free (Skype-to-Skype accounts) or to call mobile phones and landlines for very low rates, aiming to expand the usage of Skype for business purposes. Donahoe also installed a new management team at Skype led by Josh Silverman, which the company said has driven stronger momentum and improved performance.

In March, Skype announced Skype for SIP—a beta program for a limited number of users that will bring VOIP (voice over IP) service to the office PBX. Some analysts have suggested that as PBX systems reach retirement age, Skype is positioned to enable enterprises to make better use of existing SIP PBXes and to alter the impression of Skype’s capability in the business world.