Two Scandinavian entrepreneurs behind free online Skype telephone calls moved closer on Tuesday to launching a global broadband television service.
The Joost-branded Internet business, which would be free for users, marks the third start-up by Janus Friis and Niklas Zennstrom. The pair helped revolutionize the market for free telephone calls over the Web before selling Skype to eBay Inc. (Nasdaq:EBAY - news) for around $2.5 billion in 2005.
They also founded the popular file-sharing service Kazaa, which they sold to Australian company Sharman Networks in 2001.
Friis and Zennstrom will continue their day jobs at Skype and e-Bay while daily management of Joost is handled by Chief Executive Fredrik de Wahl, who has worked with them before