To: Maurice Winn who wrote (22580 ) 2/6/1999 1:05:00 AM From: Ruffian Respond to of 152472
Bloomberg> Microsoft, European Telecom Company Seen Unveiling Alliance Microsoft, European Telecom Company Seen Unveiling Alliance Redmond, Washington, Feb. 5 (Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp. is expected say on Monday that it's linked up with a European partner to provide wireless Internet access to compete with a joint initiative of Motorola Inc., LM Ericsson and Nokia Oyj. Paul Maritz, Microsoft's group vice president for platforms and applications, will address the Wireless '99 CTIA Conference in New Orleans, Microsoft said, declining to elaborate on his remarks. He'll announce an agreement with a major European telecommunications carrier, and speculation has centered on British Telecommunications Plc, said Seamus McAteer, an analyst at Jupiter Communications. Microsoft, the No. 1 software maker, created a joint venture with Qualcomm Inc. in November to offer wireless Internet access service to cellular-phone companies, which offer it to their customers. The expected link with a European partner will challenge the Motorola-Ericsson-Nokia group, McAteer said. ''Microsoft wants to showcase its technology,'' McAteer said. ''It's late to this game and wants to get a firm footing in the carrier space.'' Mobile Internet access is expected to grow rapidly as computers shrink in size and perform more kinds of computing, including navigating the World Wide Web, reading electronic mail aloud and receiving data from desktop personal computers. Microsoft's Windows NT operating system for computer networks, Windows CE system for Internet devices and Exchange e-mail server software are all aimed at the market. ''Microsoft is trying to forge ahead by demonstrating the efficiency of their technology by partnering with a carrier and rolling out a service,'' McAteer said. Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft rose 15/16 to 160. San Diego-based Qualcomm rose 1 5/8 to 67 1/16. NYSE/AMEX delayed 20 m