British Telecom (BT) is buying Internet telephony newbie Ribbit. The news is causing quite a stir because Ribbit is known for its open platform for applications development and people are questioning whether BT will stay true to that mission. The $105 million deal also is viewed as BT stepping into the Android/Skype fray, an interesting and yet-unproven experiment in monetizing free services.
Bloomberg: BT to Pay $105 Million for U.S. Telecom Company Ribbit, FT Says
OStatic: Ribbit Going To BT for $105 Million: Will the APIs Stay Open?
ZDNet: BT guns for Android and Skype with Ribbit buy
Washington Post: BT Acquires Ribbit For $105 Million
