During the four-year period after its $2.6 billion acquisition of Internet phone and video-conferencing service, Skype, eBay has realized that the service has “limited synergies” with online auction house. As such, the company intends spinning off Skype with an IPO in 2010 first-half.

Acknowledging that eBay had taken over Skype with the aim of facilitating real-time transactions for customers, the company now feels that the purchase of the VoIP could not provide the synergies it sought.

Clarifying about Skype’s status and prospects, eBay CEO John Donahoe said: “Skype is a great stand-alone business with strong fundamentals and accelerating momentum. But it's clear that Skype has limited synergies with eBay and PayPal. We believe operating Skype as a stand-alone publicly traded company is the best path for maximizing its potential.”

Donahoe added that the initial public offering for Skype will give it the focus and requisite resources for not only sustaining its growth, but also for effectively competing in online voice and video communications. Skype generated $551 million in revenue in 2008, and eBay expects it to surpass $1 billion-revenue mark in 2011.

Apparently, eBay’s IPO plan for Skype comes within days of The New York Times’ report about Skype co-founders - Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis – involved in attempts for raising $1 billion from equity investors, for reclaiming their brainchild!