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Technology Stocks : LAST MILE TECHNOLOGIES - Let's Discuss Them Here -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: axial who wrote (8625)	9/27/2000 12:24:37 AM
From: Frank A. Coluccio	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 12823

Let's see if they exchange instant messaging (ICQ) privileges. Or, do they already? A while ago we discussed the IM craze becoming the crux of an "open access" issue, similar to the very open access rights that AOL was striving for with T in the cable space. Same issue, different layer. Which is exactly what we see happening now. quote.bloomberg.com : Wall Street Journal Reveals AOL's IM Strategy AOL Interoperability; Brick Walls for Everyone Else Business/Technology Editors WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 26, 2000--Free IM today questioned AOL's credibility on the instant messaging (IM) issue as reports surfaced that AOL has established a link between AIM and ICQ services. As the Wall Street Journal reported that AOL may be further along in the integration of its two, different, instant messaging systems than it has revealed publicly. For weeks, the company has been telling regulators that they have no plans of integration before industry interoperability is established. "The fact that AOL has established virtual interoperability between its 138 million AIM and ICQ members completely undermines AOL's arguments to government officials stressing the technical infeasibility of open communication," said Margaret Heffernan and Ross Bagully, co-founders of Free IM. "AOL's attempt to keep this information hidden is just one more example of its dominance of the market and its attempt to keep its wall around its users." Throughout the past months, AOL has made numerous inconsistent statements about interoperability, calling into question the company's commitment to open instant messaging, cited Heffernan and Bagully. For example: [and that is how it ends... ] FAC