GoFuckYourself.com - Adult Webmaster Forum - AOL Sells ICQ to Russian investors for $187.5 million

- Fucking Around & Business Discussion (https://gfy.com/forumdisplay.php?f=26)

- - AOL Sells ICQ to Russian investors for $187.5 million (https://gfy.com/showthread.php?t=965931)

AOL Sells ICQ to Russian investors for $187.5 million

Quote:

MOSCOW & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AOL Inc. (NYSE:AOL - News) and Digital Sky Technologies Limited (DST), the largest Internet company in the Russian-speaking and Eastern European markets, announced today that they have reached an agreement for DST to acquire ICQ ? the leading instant messaging service in Russia and a number of other international markets ? for $187.5 million.

ICQ was created in 1996 by the Israeli company Mirabilis. AOL acquired the assets of Mirabilis, primarily ICQ, in June 1998. Available in 16 languages, ICQ has more than 32 million unique visitors per month.* Approximately 80 percent of ICQ users are between the ages of 13 and 29 and spend an average of more than five hours a day connected to the service, according to internal data. ICQ has built a successful presence in markets like Russia, Germany, Czech Republic and Israel.

?The acquisition of ICQ is a strategic enhancement of our business in Russia and Eastern Europe. ICQ?s long-standing brand name and its sizeable loyal customer base together represent a very attractive opportunity to further strengthen our position in the region,? said Yuri Milner, Chief Executive Officer of DST.

?As AOL continues its turnaround effort, we?re fortunate to find a great home for ICQ with DST,? said Tim Armstrong, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AOL. ?DST is a leading innovator in the Internet investment space and has a significant presence in the markets where ICQ is strong. Founded and run in Israel, ICQ has been a revolutionary company on the Internet. We wish them great success as a part of DST and will be rooting for them going forward.?

*February 2010 comScore Media Metrix data

About Digital Sky Technologies

DST was founded in 2005 and is the largest Internet company in the Russian-speaking and Eastern European markets and one of the leading investment groups globally to exclusively focus on Internet related companies. DST, together with its affiliate DST Global, also hold stakes in Internet world leaders such as Facebook, Zynga and GroupOn. DST is a privately held company backed by leading Russian and Western financial institutions. For more information please visit www.dst-global.com.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/aol-s...dst-fyi-2010-4

That's a ton of cash. I wonder what plans the new owners have for the service. I haven't used native ICQ since I switched to Trillian years ago, but I'd love to see ICQ get some better features.

well, that explains all the damn russian ICQ spam!

MOSCOW & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- From next update icq will be available in russian language only.

my guess is one of these:

1) unlimited Russian spamming

2) Russians will use ICQ to learn to speak english by talking over IM... then spam them!

I doubt if they'd turn it into a spam-fest. These are the same investors who have a stake in Facebook, Zynga, and Groupon -- all at over $1 billion valuation. :winkwink:

Quote:

Originally Posted by sexdatesj (Post 17086779)

well, that explains all the damn russian ICQ spam!

This was my first thought... daily barrage of requests is insane some days.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sexdatesj (Post 17086779)

well, that explains all the damn russian ICQ spam!

i know it seems like i get them daily :mad:

great business 4 AOL

First Skype, now ICQ

...http://humanrightshouse.org/files/im...b-bandiera.jpg

I see what you did there... yeah, Russians got enough money to do that...

They cant fuck it up more than aohell did..

Hmmm, as I recall AOL bought it for 400 million and they unloaded it for less than half? Wow.
WG

Quote:

Originally Posted by WiredGuy (Post 17087141)

Hmmm, as I recall AOL bought it for 400 million and they unloaded it for less than half? Wow.
WG

287 actually

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyber Fucker (Post 17087015)

First Skype, now ICQ

...http://humanrightshouse.org/files/im...b-bandiera.jpg

I see what you did there... yeah, Russians got enough money to do that...

What's about Skype?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monique Niccole (Post 17086909)

I doubt if they'd turn it into a spam-fest. These are the same investors who have a stake in Facebook, Zynga, and Groupon -- all at over $1 billion valuation. :winkwink:

What do you mean "turn it into"? It already is a spamfest.

Maybe they'll find a way to clean it up. That would be good. Maybe these particular russians are GOOD russians.

I'm a dreamer.

funny - the second i opened this thread i got a russian spam message... :-/

I had a few spam request adds today. This news scares me a little..lol

I switch mine off at night and my spam requests dropped over 90%.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CDSmith (Post 17087535)

What do you mean "turn it into"? It already is a spamfest.

Maybe they'll find a way to clean it up. That would be good. Maybe these particular russians are GOOD russians.

I'm a dreamer.

Is your ICQ number a newer one? I've had my ICQ number since 2000/01 and rarely get spam. Maybe once or twice a week. I always figured this was because I had an older number and most older numbers are no longer active.

I'm guessing they bought it so they can take all of the short inactive ICQ numbers and sell them.... " I sell short ICQ" to a whole new level!

Quote:

Originally Posted by will76 (Post 17087641)

I've had mine since '98.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CDSmith (Post 17087647)

I've had mine since '98.

Well, I got mine in '97

Quote:

Originally Posted by sexdatesj (Post 17086779)

well, that explains all the damn russian ICQ spam!

:Oh crap:Oh crap

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waddymelon (Post 17087687)

Well, I got mine in '97

Does yours get spammed much?

To be honest I don't get as much now I was a few months back. For a while there I was getting tons of "17)@#@_)*U has added you", along with several unsoliscited messages in Russian per day.

Lately it's down to just a handful a week.

I hope they can put an end to all that spam that comes thru.

word has it DST has ties to the kremlin and kgb and is using this as an information gathering tool. change your passwords.