At Home, Microsoft in Cable Deal
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (AP) - Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT - news) will partner with At Home Corp. (Nasdaq:ATHM - news) to help small and medium-sized cable companies provide high-speed Internet connections for customers.
Microsoft will become a strategic technology partner in At Home Solutions, a private venture that uses At Home's nationwide network.
Microsoft, based in Redmond, Wash., will contribute its Window NT Server operating system and support and resources to assist in
marketing the service, the companies said in a statement.
Sources close to the deal said Microsoft's investment was worth $5 million, The Wall Street Journal reported today.
At Home estimates 15 million homes and businesses are served by smaller, local cable companies.
''We very much welcome Microsoft's involvement, which will help us to establish At Home Solutions as the clear broadband leader in the small and mid-sized cable markets,'' said At Home Solutions chairman Dean A. Gilbert.
Microsoft and the Redwood City-based At Home had been seen as rivals since they both operate Internet portal sites.
3Com Corp., Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:CSCO - news), Motorola Inc. (NYSE:MOT - news) and Falcon Communications Inc. are also investors in At Home Solutions.*
* Not to mention AT&T! :) |
