A terse statement posted to the Official Google blog announced the search advertising company will stop its efforts in the click-to-call area.





The oddly brief statement appeared on Google's home in the blogosphere, with the notation, "This message has been translated using Google language tools," printed below the text of the message.


Here is what showed up on the blog today:


After concientiously considering, Google has decided not to continue with Google Click-to-call project. The project has been in the media on last days because of the notice of Google agreement with e-Bay. We finally consider click-to-call agreement with e-Bay a monopolistic aproach that would damage small companies in the CRM area.

Google and eBay signed an agreement in August 2006 to work on "'Click-to-Call' Advertising and Technology Integration." This was part of a multi-year deal that also places Google's search and advertising on eBay's international sites.


The click-to-call plans had been described as follows:


Google and eBay also plan to integrate and launch "click-to-call" advertising functionality within eBay's U.S. and international marketplaces and Google's search platform. The click-to-call capability will allow a user to click on a link or icon within a product or service advertisement to initiate an Internet voice call to participating eBay merchants or Google advertisers directly from either company's respective sites, using Skype or Google Talk.


Let the speculation begin.