10-13-99 News re NXTL and MSFT...from Geneva yesterday...
BTW....WHERE is everyone on this board....Wall Street doesn't seem to be the only ones' yawning... (see our beginning header...)....
KLP
individualinvestor.com@NEWS-P2&ticker=NXTLNXTL
News News Index
Wednesday, October 13, 1999 12:48pm ET
News Search - Input Company Ticker
Ticker Symbol Search
TELECOMS-Microsoft sees more phone, cable deals
By Jessica Hall
GENEVA, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp <MSFT.O> said on Tuesday
it expects to continue investing aggressively in the telecommunications and
cable industries to expand the market for its software and services.
The Redmond, Washington-based software giant already has made about
$7.9 billion in phone and cable investments in the past two years, including a
$5 billion investment in AT&T Corp. <T.N> and its $600 million investment in
Nextel Communications Inc <NXTL.O>.
"The telecommunications industry is already a Top 3 market for Microsoft.
Looking out a few years, this is going to be a key growth area. You can
expect it to be a top priority and we'll resource and invest accordingly,"
Jonathon Usher, Microsoft's telecommunications industry marketing manager
said in an interview at the Telecom 99 trade show in Geneva.
"We never intend to become a service provider or running a telco ourselves,
we want to invest in them and provide technology for them to help them
deploy next-generation services, IP (Internet protocol) services and
broadband services," Usher said.
Microsoft's relationship with phone and cable companies will be symbiotic.
Microsoft's software and technical expertise will help companies provide new
services and products while gaining access to a rich and growing market for its
wares.
"Increasing the future of the software and communications industries are
intertwined and I think that relationship is imperative to meet the growth
expectations of both industries moving forward," Usher said.
Despite the sharp rise in U.S. telecommunications and cable stocks, Microsoft
still sees investment opportunities.
The company will continue to invest in established companies, as well as new,
emerging companies with "interesting prospects," Usher said. Investments will
continue in Europe and the rest of the world.
"There's a fantastic opportunity for Microsoft to work with carriers in Europe
and the U.S. and worldwide. It's in only just the beginning -- it's in a very
embryonic state."
In addition to investments in phone and cable companies, Microsoft also is
focusing on "intelligent devices" or wireless products that will have voice, data,
computing and video power. |
