Skype Technologies and an investor group led by Silver Lake have signed a definitive agreement in which the investor group will purchase a 65 per cent interest in Skype Technologies from eBay for approximately $1.9bn in cash, in a transaction valuing Skype Technologies at $2.75 bn. eBay will retain the remaining 35 per cent equity interest in Skype.

Skype is the manufacturer and developer of Skype software, which is used by individuals and businesses to make free video and voice calls, send instant messages and share files with other Skype users. The software also allows users to make calls to landlines and mobile telephone lines.

It is understood that JP Morgan, Barclays and RBC Capital Markets advised Silver Lake and its investor group and will provide the financing necessary to complete the transaction.

Trilogy International Partners (Trilogy), a US-based telecommunications holding company, has announced its intention to acquire an additional 26 per cent stake in 2degrees, a Greenfield mobile wireless operator in New Zealand, bringing Trilogy’s interest in the venture to 52 per cent.

Trilogy agreed to purchase the interest currently held by Hong Kong-based General Enterprise Management Services (GEMS) in exchange for approximately 8 per cent of Trilogy equity.

The company expects 2degrees to launch commercial service next month in the New Zealand telecommunications market.

ZTE, a global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, is rolling out an all-IP mobile phone and data network for Madamobil, a new mobile operator in Madagascar.

Madamobil is owned and operated by Life Telecom Holdings (a telecom investment and management firm based in the Netherlands) in partnership with Tecom Investments (a subsidiary of Dubai Holdings, an institutional investor in the Middle East).

The network rollout is currently in its final stages with ZTE supplying the core equipment and the base stations for the first phase of the network construction.

ZTE informed the futuristic core network is based on its layered architecture, which is currently an all IP environment, and includes the latest core based on Mobile Soft-switch; a Mobile Packet Backbone Network for data services; and a billing platform using intelligent network technology to deliver pre-paid and post-paid services to users.

Madamobil expects to launch services by August in Antananarivo, Madagascar’s capital, and to then expand into other cities in Madagascar.

Life Telecom Holdings plans to invest in the acquisition and roll out of 5 to 7 other mobile telephony licences in Africa over the next 2 to 3 years and expects that its capital spend over the next 5 years will be well in excess of $500m.

Asia Global Holdings’ subsidiary Idea Asia and Global Media & Entertainment (GMEG) have entered into an agreement whereby GMEG has agreed to acquire Idea Asia from AAGH subsidiary Sino Trade Intelligent Development (Sino Trade) in return for 7.5% of GMEG’s common stock and other considerations. The deal is pending exchange of consideration on or before 15 May.

AAGH Management believes this transaction will provide the company and its shareholders the opportunity to benefit from the company’s investment in TV entertainment and the future potential value of Idea Asia while easing the company’s expense burden related to overhead, production, marketing and distribution.

Idea Asia based in Hong Kong and Shanghai, acquires, creates, funds, and produces internationally & locally created content for distribution throughout various media channels in China. The company provides ‘value-added services’ to marketers, advertisers, and media outlets by bringing TV and entertainment content and branded content formatted to be delivered throughout China.

Ericsson has entered into an agreement to divest its TEMS-branded products business, consisting of tools for air interface monitoring and radio network planning, to Ascom.

The agreement involves the transfer of about 300 employees of which around 180 are based in Sweden. The transaction is expected to close in June this year.

Ericsson said that with the divestment, the company seeks to refine its Professional Services portfolio to focus more on the services business.

Ericsson’s TEMS-branded products business provides tools for air interface monitoring and radio network planning. These solutions facilitate planning, implementation and optimisation of networks.

Alcatel-Lucent has been awarded a E7m contract for the expansion of Telekom Malaysia’s (TM) 10 Gigabit Ethernet network.

The contract will see a network expansion in the central and northern regions of Peninsular Malaysia, two of the country’s most densely populated regions, and is aimed at moving the country closer to being a broadband nation.

Alcatel-Lucent said that its solution will enable TM to offer Virtual Leased Line (VLL) and Virtual Private LAN services (VPLS) to its business customers. This next generation network will also form the platform for aggregating TM’s next-generation (NGN) access gateways and IP DSLAM for future services, including triple play, allowing TM to offer the next wave of advanced services with minimal further investment.

Local partner Airstar will provide engineering services and L1/L2 maintenance. The contract follows a three-year deal secured by Alcatel-Lucent and Airstar in 2006.

Global Telecom & Technology (GTT), a network integrator that provides its clients with a portfolio of wide-area network and mobility services, has announced the appointment of Eric A Swank as its Chief Financial Officer.

As CFO of GTT, Swank will oversee all global financial functions and have direct responsibility for financial operations, reporting and controls, audit and tax, and financial planning and analysis.

Swank will also manage investor relations activities, banking and advisory relationships, and will work closely with GTT’s executive team to drive key strategic initiatives.

Spring Wireless, a mobile software and services company, has established US headquarters in Seattle. Spring has operations across the Americas, Europe and Asia.

In August 2008, Goldman Sachs, New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and Brazilian investment firm, Ideiasnet, invested $66m in Spring Wireless to fuel its worldwide expansion and help fund future acquisitions.

In connection with the financing, Spring Wireless’ Board of Directors has grown to include Raheel Zia, vice president of Goldman Sachs Principal Investment Area, and Patrick Kerins, general partner at NEA.

In addition to its new Board members, Spring Wireless has also named a US management team including Shakil Haroon, who will serve as Spring Wireless USA general manager.

China Voice Holding (CHVC) has sold its US operating subsidiaries and issued 15,000,000 shares of CHVC common stock to Flint Telecom Group (FLTT). CHVC will receive $10m cash over the next two years and receive up to 21m shares of FLTT valued at approximately $8m from the transaction, for a total value of approximately $18m.

The transaction, which is viewed as a divestment of the company’s non-core US business, provides CHVC with the additional capital to take advantage of synergistic opportunities in China. CHVC will continue to maintain offices in the United States and will retain most of their key Executives and Board of Directors, the company informed.

Ericsson has launched spare parts management services (SPMS) to support TM International Bangladesh’s (TMIB) mobile network.

Under the agreement, Ericsson will provide TMIB with hardware support for routine as well emergency maintenance. Ericsson will also take over the responsibility of the spare parts and provide TMIB with local support, enabling immediate response to the customer’s needs.

Ericsson’s SPMS is expected to reduce TMIB’s investment in spare parts, helping to improve cash flow, and reduce expenditure associated with spare parts inventories.