All, "BT declines comment on Microsoft bid rumours"
Reuters Story - January 23, 1998 05:01
LONDON, Jan 23 (Reuters) - British Telecommunications Plc
on Friday declined to comment on market speculation that
U.S. software giant Microsoft Corp might bid for the
company.
"There are clearly lots of rumours, and we just don't
comment on rumours and speculation ... What's happening this
morning is it's just swirling around still," a BT spokeswoman
said.
BT's shares rose nearly five pence to hit a new record of
588 by 1000 GMT amid continued bid talk, despite doubts by some
analysts that Microsoft would try to buy the company.
Earlier this week, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates said his
company was working with telecoms partners like BT to develop
information technology services.
However, he added that Microsoft was not looking to be in
the communications business.
"We are working more with communications companies. But we
will not be in the communications business. We won't run cable
or fibre in the same way that we didn't build chips and we
didn't build PCs," he told a financial conference here on
Tuesday.
"All we need to do is take Windows (software) and extend it
so that it can be the base for telephony...and find out what
does the communications industry need in order for Windows NT to
be a key building block," he added via satellite link-up.
On Thursday, a Microsoft spokeswoman declined to comment on
the current BT rumours. ((Jeff Daeschner, London newsroom, +44
171 542-7717 fax +44 171 583-3769,
uk.equities.newsreuters.com)) |
