****   OLD PRESS ARCHIVE FROM DUBAI

NTT DoCoMo kept a veil over its expansion plans as media reports said it will tie up with America Online to give the two market leaders an edge in grabbing a share of the global wireless Internet market. Japanese financial daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun said NTT DoCoMo could sign a deal with AOL, the world’s largest Internet services provider (ISP), as early as August that would offer wireless e-mail and AOL content to cell phone users worldwide. Analysts said a tie-up between the two market leaders would allow them to expand their customer base and leverage each other’s skills. But many questions remain, they said, such as the regional scope of a possible tie-up and what would happen to competing ISP operations, such as DoCoMo parent company Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp’s (NTT) OCN dial-up service. A link between AOL’s services and DoCoMo’s cutting-edge Internet-access "i-mode" cellular phone technology would be one more step in DoCoMo’s drive to capture a wide chunk of the global next-generation wireless telecoms market. AOL Japan did not deny the report, but said: "We are not in a position to make a comment." A tie-up between the two would in many ways be a deal between equals.

The Dutch government’s auction of UMTS mobile phone licences ended abruptly, with sources saying one of the contenders, VersaTel, had backed out, leaving the state with the auction netting a total sum far lower that originally expected. However, a source familiar with the auction process told that Libertel and KPN Mobile had won the two higher capacity A and B licences, paying respectively 1.567 million and 1.573 million guilders. DutchtoneFTE.PA, Telfort and 3G Blue, a consortium of unlisted Ben with Deutsche Telecom, won the smaller C, D and E licences with outlays of 960 million, 947 million and 870 million guilders respectively. The total amount raise was said to be 5.9 billion guilders ($2.5 billion), far lower than the 20 billion guilders Dutch Finance Minister Gerrit Zalm had mooted in April. The auction is to establish which players will run UMTS services in the Netherlands from 2002. A three-way battle for the two major licences had developed between British Telecom’s Telfort, Libertel, which is majority owned by BT rival Vodafone Airtouch, and KPN Telecom’s KPN Mobile. In the end, Telfort appears to have settled for a lower capacity licence, while VersaTel seems to have dropped out.

The Al-Futtaim Trading Group of Companies has launched a series of new web sites for its automotive brands. A company statement said apart from providing information on vehicles (specifications and colours) from Toyota, Lexus, Honda, Volvo, Jeep, Chrysler and Dodge, customers will find contact details, telephone, fax and e-mail links, plus directions to the nearest showroom. Keith Stack, group director automotive at Al Futtaim Trading Group, said the web sites is in line with the commitment to be at the forefront of the rapidly developing and expanding global e-business and e-commerce community. "Getting a quote for the vehicle of your choice, booking a service and organising a test drive has never been easier—all that the customer now has to do is send an e-mail with their details and Al Futtaim will take care of the rest," he said

A new Jordanian web site databank to gather and disseminate information on IT-literate Jordanians went on line as part of a national scheme to push Jordan well into the Information Age. "A comprehensive database will be readily available on the site to include relevant information on Jordanians working in the field as well as university students expected to graduate in the coming year." The site will help Jordan "to enter the new Information Age with a vibrant and confident spirit, guided by the young and bold leadership of King Abdullah II, to set forth a better and brighter life for its citizens." The site which can browsed on www.it.jo hopes to provide a solid database to identify Jordanians specialised in the field of information technology (IT), inside and outside the country.

Telecoms group Ericsson has signed a GPRS networks contract with Turkey’s largest mobile operator Turkcell, further strengthening its position as the world’s leading mobile networks maker. Sweden’s Ericsson said that the contract covered an end-to-end GPRS solution by Ericsson including core networks elements, transmission backbone, interfaces, implementations and support. GPRS implementation will be completed between the fourth quarter of 2000 and first quarter of nest year.

Microsoft announced a new feature on its Web browser which it said would give users more control over how their personal information is used when they go online. The feature released on a test version of Internet Explorer 5.5, alerts users to the presence of files known as "cookies"" and allows them to delete them. Explorer 5.5 will be widely available within four weeks. Cookies are small files placed on the hard drive of a computer as it views a Web site and used to gather information about subsequent Web use. The files allow Web sites to customise information to reflect user preferences, and advertisers to target potential consumers based on their online habits. But privacy advocates say cookies can be used to gather personal data about users and track their movements in cyberspace without their knowledge.

Apple Computer Inc. Chief Executive Steve Jobs on Wednesday unveiled a new line of Power Mac G4 computers that use dual microprocessing. The microprocessor handles all the instruction and crunches the calculations used in computing. Apple is shipping the new G4s starting on Wednesday. Jobs said the dual processing will be standard in the 450Mhz and 500Mhz computers. Jobs also unveiled a redesign of Apple’s mouse and keyboard. The mouse is optical and will be standard in all Apple computers. Apple also premiered a commercial for the new mouse. In an effort to address the sub$1000 computer market, Apple also unveiled its new iMac models, two of which sell for under $1,000. The new iMac, with its 350Mhz G3 processor, will sell for $799 and will be shipped in September. Apple’s new optical mouse and keyboard will come standard with the new iMac.

SYNFOSYS Business Solutions from India is planning to open an office in Dubai, according to Pramod Sana, managing director of the company. He said the company was focussing on four areas, including on-site development, off-shore development, e-commerce and product development. The main objectives of the company, is to develop, design, use, implement, lease, purchase, sell, import, export, distribute, maintain and support various kinds of software for any information processing applications. It also provides information management services, including data entry, software package development, conducts feasibility studies, performs benchmark tests, sells computer time, recruits and trains personnel apart from rendering advice or any information processing aspects.

Sony Gulf and Jumbo Electronics announced the UAE launch of a new Sony mobile phone, which incorporates Wireless Application Protocol (WAP). Addressing a Press conference in Dubai, Haruyasu Nagata, managing director of Sony Gulf, said that the new mobile phone called CMD-Z5, represents Sony's commitment to provide consumers the excitement of high technology and the ease-of-use bundled together with the Sony experience. Nagata also said that with WAP, advanced jog dial for easy one-handed operation, small size, lightweight and other features, the CMD-Z5 is a strong contender in the premium mobile phone market in the Gulf region. It is priced at around Dh 1,600. Some of the features of Z5 includes Internet and e-mail access, built-in answering machine, voice memo, dual band operation and weight of 82 grams. The phone has a talk time of three hours and 40 min. and gives up to 150 hours of standby time.

Sun Microsystems Inc., the owner of the free StarOffice suite of programmes that competes with Microsoft Corp.'s Office programmes, plans to make the source for StarOffice public, in an effort to give the fledgling programme a boost with software developers. StarOffice, which was developed by Marco Boerries and his Star Division company that was later bought by Sun for $74 million in stock, has been gaining in popularity recently. In includes word-processing, spreadsheets, presentations, Web publishing, e-mail scheduling and other functions that can work on a variety of operating systems, including Windows.

India's monopoly overseas telephone provider Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd plans to bid for licence to operate domestic long-distance services. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had said that the government would open domestic long-distance telephone operation to private sector before August 15. The policy provides for private players to pay the government a stipulated entry fee and a portion of revenues. The government was considering levying a one-time fee of Rs5. billion ($111.8 million) on successful bidders. Government owned VSNL was gearing to offer voice over Internet services once the law was changed to permit this.

Internet search engine Lycos Inc launched the Indian version of its portal (http://www.lycosasia.co.in) in collaboration with local partners, including leading Hindi language portal, webdunia.com. Portals focused on Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines would be launched by the year-end, they said. According to Mary Ong, chief executive officer of Lycos Asia, The site's content…will provide users a comprehensive array of top quality information and services including search, local directories, free e-mail and webbuilding and channels of special relevance to local communities.

America Online Inc said it agreed to offer some of its content and services through AT&T Wireless Services, which operates a digital network with about 12.5 million subscribers. The deal builds on its "AOL Anywhere" strategy, which aims to allow its members use mobile devices to access AOL e-mail, instant messaging and content. Starting this fall, AT&T Wireless' Digital PocketNet wireless users will have access to AOL's most popular services and features, such as e-mail, news and local guide Digital City, for a fee. MovieFone's local movie listing will be available free through AT&T Wireless' Internet-ready phones as part of the PocketNet Basic service plan. AOL e-mail and MovieFone will have premier placement through the main screen of the AT&T Digital PocketNet service. AT&T Wireless subscribers can pay a flat rate of about $6.99 a month for unlimited access to compatible e-mail accounts or $4.99 for e-mail, calendars and to -do lists.

RAS Infotech Limited, a Hyderabad-based, Internet and web solutions company, announced it will be opening its office at Dubai Internet City (DIC) in November. According to Khazi Mohammed Akram, Ras Infotech will be focusing on the areas of its core competence that includes e-commerce, application development and process control in the region. He said the company is in touch with various clients in the UAE for developing portals. It is also talking to various departmental stores and hypermarkets for creating dedicated transactional kiosks, which would be kept at points like the airport from where tourists or shoppers can directly order for goods. He also pointed out that Ras Infotech also has the ability to provide solutions on wireless application protocol. Akram said that his company is strong in this area and is expecting to have a considerable market share in this segment in the Middle East.

Britain’s biggest Internet service provider Freeserve Plc is back in talks with T-Online, reviving hopes the loss-making ISP could be taken over by the German giant. But an industry source told that British company would be interested in an alliance with T-Online. Loss-making Freeserve saw its shares tumble late last month when merger talks collapsed with Deutsche Telekom AG, which owns T-Online, which would have bought the 80 percent stake owned by the Dixons Group. One source told Reuters that Freeserve did not want to sell the whole company now but might look for a 15-20 percent stake sale initially.

Bluelink, a US-based telecom company and the University of Adelaide’s Centre for Telecom Information have jointly developed, what they call a politeness feature in mobiles. They have hit upon the idea of Q-zone, public places like movies, lecture halls, restaurant, where the shrill cry of mobiles would automatically be toned down to a whisper. Q-zone automatically changes settings on cell phones and other small electronic devices to user lower ring volume upon entering specified areas. Your normal settings are restored once you leave the Q-zone. The Bluelink system would include a wireless base station and accompanying software for muffling the cell rings. The system, once established, would set up a short-range wireless network and continuously send signals to cell phones to switch off.

Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said that the government will open domestic long distance telephone operations to the private sector before August 15. According to him, recognising the benefits of large-scale competition the government has decided to fully deregulate NLDO (National Long Distance Operations), with no artificial restrictions on the number of licences to be issued. He said long distance telephony would be opened up before August 15, when India marks its Independence Day. Private players would have to pay a stipulated entry fee and a share of the revenues. While private firms have begun offering fixed telephone services in several Indian states since 1994, long distance telephony is still a monopoly of the government.

Toshiba Corp and 22 other Japanese consumer electronic and software firms said they have agreed to cooperate in developing Linux-based operating system (OS) for digital electronics products. The move, which aims to create industry-standard operating systems for use in items such as mobile phones and car navigation systems, is in line with a global industry trend for competitors to join forces to share hefty development costs. The united effort by major consumer electronics makers may also help expand the use of Linux, a freely distribute operating system that runs on a number of hardware systems and performs functions broadly similar to the Windows systems of US software giant Microsoft Corp. Initial members of the consortium include Sony Corp, NEC Corp, Fujitsu Ltd, Hitachi Ltd, Mitsubishi Electric Corp and TurboLinux Japan, a subsidiary of US based TurboLinux Inc. Tokyo’s Waseda University and Toyohashi University of Technology in southern Japan will also participate.

Microsoft Corp. MSFT.O Chairman Bill Gates is set to announce a preview release of its Windows operating system that will run on Intel Corp.’s INTC.O forthcoming Itanium microprocessor. The Itanium chip is important for Intel, because it is its first foray into 64-bit chips, which handle data in 64-bit increments instead of today’s 32-bit chips. All of the chip giant’s current chips are now 32-bit microprocessors and include its Celeron, Pentium III and Xeon brands. The announcement by Microsoft should give Itanium a boost as it gets closer to production. For Intel'’ Itanium chip to take off, it needs to run on a variety of popular operating systems used in large computer networks, such as Windows, Sun’s Solaris and others.

Datamix will organise a ‘Seminar on hackers and e-business infrastructure’ at Dubai World Trade Centre on September 26. The event will be attended by senior decision-makers of commercial organisations, government planners and policy makers, legal experts and information technology professionals. The conference sessions would throw light on the multiple security threats facing Internet-based conduct of business to come out with secure options. It will cover topics like national plan for Internet security; cyber crime—nature and intensity; legal implications; computer security industry and hacking; identifying critical pieces of infrastructure and shared interdependencies; detection of attacks and protection of networks; protection of web servers; firewalls; on-line security services; and system security.

British Telecommunications Plc and AT&T launched a mobile service that will allow people to use the same phone number in more than 100 countries in Europe, America and Asia. The service allows roaming between the GSM networks used in most of the world and TDMA system favoured in the US. Business subscribing to the WorldConnect service will also get free use of a global billing product called WorldView. This will provide telecoms managers with a regular CD-ROM listing all calls and services used by employees worldwide. The service will also allow them to co-ordinate their international mobile contracts. BT Wireless also announced a corporate email service that will allow users to access their desktop Microsoft Outlook accounts through their mobiles. It is based on AT&T product called PocketNet.

Dubai Internet City has announced a new web competition, which will give star status to web pioneers in the UAE. Dubbed the UAE Webstar Competition, this initiative will recognise web pioneers and start the web development in the UAE, according to Adan Abdulkarim Julfar from the Community Development Department. The competition, which will further advance web development, will recognise excellence in five areas: information websites, e-commerce enabled B2Clinic web sites, business-to business web sites, portal and the best government website. Each category will be awarded in both English and Arabic.

Lloyd’s of London will offer up to $100m in insurance coverage to clients of computer security management firm Counterpane Security Inc. against hacker losses to their business or their customers. Counterpane in its announcement claimed to be the first Internet security service provider to provide a guarantee of direct financial reimbursement in the event a hacker breaks through its defenses and uses customer data. The guarantee is underwritten by insurance brokers Frank Crystal and Co. and SafeOnline, with additional coverage available for purchase from Lloyd’s, the world’s leading insurance market. Standard computer security includes firewalls, antivirus software that is updated weekly and systems that can prevent the entry of hackers.

ITL Cosmos yesterday announced entering the consumer IT and PC business as the exclusive agents for Fujitsu Siemens Computers (FSC) in the UAE. Addressing a Press Conference in Dubai yesterday, Ram Buxani, director of ITL Cosmos, attributed the entry of his company in the IT and PC business to increasing Internet usage apart from the growth in the IT and PC business itself. He also explained that FSC will sell through ITL Cosmos consumers multimedia and notebook PCs, consumer PC products and peripherals. The partners’ strategy will revolve around fulfilling the needs of home users, mobile user and small business enterprises.

The Internet access survey conducted by "The Economist", was based on population ratio ranked the countries in the following order: Norway, Singapore, Sweden, Canada, Finland, Australia, Denmark, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Britain, Switzerland, Austria, Taiwan, South Korea, Belgium, Germany, UAE, Japan, Italy, Ireland, France, Spain, Poland, Brazil, South Africa, Russia, Mexico, China, Egypt and India. The UAE’s ranking brought the prediction of Mohammed Al Gergawi, Director-General of the Technology, E-commerce and Media Free Zone and Chairman of Dubai Internet City, that the UAE would be rated 10^th in the world within two years, a step closer, according to a media release.

According to V. Sriram, head of business development in the Asia Pacific region, the company, Infosys Technologies Ltd, an information technology consulting firm listed in India and on the Nasdaq, has signed a partnership agreement with Bullant, a privately held Australian technology company, and intends to expand further in Australia. Under the terms of the deal, Infosys will help with the Australian company’s software product development and use Bullant’s technology to build solutions for Bullant customers. Asked whether he will make acquisitions or enter alliances in Australia to expand Infosys’ operations, Sriram said both are possible avenues for the company.

Microsoft Corp has agreed to limit its investment in British cable company Telewest Communications Plc to a minority stake, and has therefore withdrawn the transaction from review by the European Commission. Microsoft said it would keep its 23.7% stake in Telewest, but would break all structural links with Liberty Media and give up any rights which would have given it decisive influence over decisions at Telewest. With Microsoft relinquishing legal control over Telewest, the deal no longer required approval under the EU’s merger regulation, which only gives the Commission jurisdiction when there is a change in control of a company.

British mobile phone operator Orange, owned by France Telecom, said yesterday it paid £95 million ($144 million) in cash for web site Ananova Ltd, home to the first computer generated newscaster. Orange Chief Executive Hans Snook said the news web site, bought from the UK’s Press Association (PA), would form a key plank in the company’s plans to develop its own online portal platform. PA said the deal represented a significant contract to provide Orange with content, seen as increasingly important for communications groups keen to attract and keep customers.

Leading German mobile phone manufacturer Siemens announced the launch of their new range of WAP (wireless application protocol) enabled mobile phones in the region. The new range includes the C35 and S35 models, both comes with integrated WAP 1.1 browser. The C35 model weighs 115gm, it has a standby time of up to 180 hours and a talk time of up to 300 min. Features include stopwatch, currency converter, silent alert and clock with date and time stamp. It also includes picture messaging and calling faces. "Picture Messaging" allows the user to send fun and emotive images instead or in addition to text messages via SMS (Short Messaging Service). "Calling Faces" adds further emotional value to every call by allowing users to add amusing and personal face icons to important names in their address books. The S35 model weighs 105gm and has the WAP 1.1 browser, opening the door to the world of mobile online information and business services. The Infrared Interface (kDA) also makes the handset easily compatible with loptops and personal data assistants, such as the Siemens 1C35 (The Unifier).

A portal site for mobile devices, the first in the Middle East, was launched in Dubai yesterday. Users of mobile devices can have access to real-time, personalised, regional information, and even entertainment through the site. The site called atcess.com is the initiative of ewadi.com and arabianbiz.com, and Oracle. Umer Ahmad director of atcell.com, told a Press conference yesterday that mobile users in the UAE and the region can access the site which will provide the latest news, weather etc. and send e-mails. Initially all services will be free, but later some fee will be levied on premium services. As per business model, the site will be advertisement-driven, but like elsewhere in the world, it will be ready to tie up with infrastructure providers which may involve sharing of revenues. The site can be accessed from anywhere in the world and users can use the site’s mobile gateway to go to the Internet.

The European Commission is set to recommend that Microsoft Corp. be prevented from exercising joint control with Liberty Media Group over British cable operator Telewest Communications Plc, the Wall Street Journal Europe reported. The EU executive had circulated a draft decision blocking the move out of fear the US software giant could corner the market for digital television software. The Commission is not expected to reach a final decision on the Microsoft-Telewest case until later this month. The deadline for its review of the $3 billion transaction, which would give Microsoft 30% of Telewest, is August 4. The deadline for the companies to submit antitrust remedies is looming this week.

Japanese convenience store chains Sunkus & Associates and Circle K Japan Co said, they have set up a joint venture with 14 other Japanese firms to offer goods and services online. In a country where consumers are reluctant to bank online due to concerns about security, the ubiquitous stores’ role in e-commerce could include taking orders online, distributing merchandise and helping customers to settle their bills. The company will start a trial of the service in October and aim to have it fully operational by next February, offering services relating to travel, cars, books and photography through the Internet and terminals to be located at convenience stores.

IBM has announced its software focus for the next generation Web infrastructure, with sweeping product additions and enhancement, and key financial and strategic investments. Unveiling the WebSphere Software Platform, Tarek Niazi, manager of software, IBM middle East and Africa, said the company will invest more than $1 billion on the platform in 2000 alone, and expects that investment to grow by double digits next year. He said the WebSphere Software Platform delivers "the true Web infrastructure, a complete integrated set of technologies, that addresses every phase of e-business". According to him customers don’t have to search out the components and struggle to construct their solutions.

Search Internet Development Services (Sids), a leading regional Internet consultancy firm, has been acquired by a US based e-business solutions company eWadi.com. The acquisition reflects the growing appeal of the region to the Internet related players. Umer Ahmad, regional director of eWadi, said his company had its eyes on the Middle East for a long time. "With the opening of the Dubai Internet City and constant news of other enterprising policies by the government of Dubai, this seemed tan ideal time to step in, and we feel Sids is the right product." He said eWadi complements the range of services offered by Sids and "we have already begun implementing our technology for several clients to great advantage."

In his second weekly Web cast, President Bill Clinton said from Philadelphia, the e-signature law that he signed on Friday had far-reaching positive ramifications for the economy. "This new law will give fresh momentum to what is already the longest economic expansion in our history, an expansion driven largely by the phenomenal growth in information technologies, particularly the Internet, with its almost unlimited potential to expand their opportunities and broaden their horizons." He also said that companies will have the legal certainty they need to invest and expand in electronic commerce. They will be able not only to purchase and services online, but to contract to do so. Clinton said firms could potentially save billions of dollars by sending and retaining monthly statements and other records in electronic form.

British Telecommunications Plc said that Japan’s J-Phone mobile phone companies—in which it has equity stakes with Japan Telecom and Vodafone AirTouch—have won licences for third generation services. The award means the nine J-Phone companies can prepare for launch of third generation services in key regional Japanese markets in December 2001. According to BT Chief Executive Peter Bonfield, the partnership offers unique global capabilities and reach. BT and its partners are investing up to £4.2b ($6.35b) in future J-Phone operations following a share issue in the J-Phone companies earlier this year. The J-Phone companies’ network makes them Japan’s third largest mobile service provider, with eight million customers—16 per cent of Japan’s market.

President Bill Clinton used an electronic card and his dog’s name as a password to "e-sign" into law a bill that makes electronic signature as valid as their ink counterparts. The act, approved overwhelmingly earlier in June by both houses of US Congress, eliminates legal barriers to using electronic technology to form and sign contracts, collect and store documents and send and receive notices and disclosures. It is seen as paving the way for a new era of electronic commerce in which companies could complete transactions online instead of in person. The measure, similar to laws already approved in dozens of states, requires that consumers consent to doing business online and that they are assured consecution equivalent to those in the paper world. It also ensures that government agencies have the authority to enforce the laws, protect the public interest and carry out their missions in the electronic world, the White House said in a statement.

Five big British property companies and insurers yesterday announced the formation of a consortium to offer a new telecommunications services to tenants. The five are Prudential Plc, British Land Co Plc, Canary Wharf Group Plc, Legal & General and Norwich Union Investment Management. The consortium would provide tenants with access to high-tech telecoms technology direct to their desktops.

Intel Corp. introduced its new high-end Pentium 4 computer chip, formerly code-named Willamette, which runs 50 percent faster than the company’s fastest chip so far. The Pentium 4, which goes on sale this fall, runs at a "clock speed" of 1.5 gigahertz, or 1.5 billion cycles per second. Computer operating at such speeds are essential in a world where new generations of Internet commerce, gaming and entertainment require greater processing power, chief executive Craig Barrett said while unveiling the new name at Intel’s Santa Clara, California, headquarters. Much of the existing software on the market today requires far less processing power than the fastest chips provide, although the new chips demonstrably speed up games and graphics.

Deutsche Telekom launched the biggest corporate bond sale in history, aiming to raise $14 billion to bolster its bid for next-generation mobile telephone licenses throughout Europe. The debt issue, conducted around the world in euros, dollars, yen and pounds, was considered reasonably priced for the telecommunications giant, with 30-year dollar-denominated bonds expected to be priced just over 2 percentage points more than US Treasury bonds of similar maturity. Buyers are also keen to snap up the bonds because they come with a guarantee to bump up yields if the company’s credit rating were to fall below a single-A rating. Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s gave the issue ratings on the double-A level. Deutsche Telekom’s deal is also attractive because of the company’s dominant market position, said Christie Creelman of Back Bay Advisors LP in Boston.

Datamatix yesterday announced the launch of a horizontal web portal to cater to the demand for information in the Gulf region. A Press release from the portal, www.gccnews.com, caters to the diverse interests of people from different strata of society in the Gulf region. The portal seeks to act as the comprehensive information provider on every aspect of life in these countries, according to the release.

The Oracle Corp. has confirmed it hired a detective agency to investigate allies of rival Microsoft Corp., and said that work showed that Microsoft paid the trade and policy groups to "influence" public opinion during its federal antitrust trial. The work by Investigative Group International Inc. allegedly included a $1,200 offer to janitors to get a peek at the trash of the Association for Competitive Technology, a trade group. While Oracle did not take specific responsibility for the probe of ACT, the company said it was necessary to hire IGI to investigate the Independent Institute and the National Taxpayers Union to expose Microsoft’s actions.

India’s state-run Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MNTL), expects to launch mobile phone services in Bombay and New Delhi early in October. "We expect to launch the services commercially sometime in early October," Srinivas Rajagopalan told reporters after MNTL launched a co-branded credit card with American Express. MNTL offers fixed-line telecom and Internet services in Mumbai and New Delhi. The government, which has sold part of its stake in the domestic market and through the issue of global depositary receipts (GDRs), currently holds about 56 percent in MTNL. The firm plans to convert some of its GDRs to American depositary receipts and list them on the New York Stock Exchange shortly.

Dubai Ports and Customs (DP&C) announced the launch of ‘E-Mirsal’, the first e-government e-commerce solution to go live as part of its ‘IT Vision Year 2000’ plan. E-Mirsal is the e-commerce version of the ‘Mirsal’ Cargo Community System developed by the DP&C’s Information Technology Centre (ITC), explained Dr Obaid Saqer Busit, Chairman of the UAE Customs Council and Director General of DP&C, addressing a Press conference in Dubai. Built on Microsoft Windows NT server and Microsoft SQL server platform, e-Mirsal allows agents, shippers, transport companies and other organisations in the cargo business to process their customs clearing documents and payments 24 hours a day and seven days a week, using the Internet.

Sun Microsystems Inc said that it plans to expand its "iForce" programme, that offers technology services and help to businesses and startups in building Internet ventures. The company currently had iForce centres in San Francisco, Paris and Tokyo and has as many as 40 centres around the world if Sun’s business partners were included. Sun will invest $20 million on iForce initiative in South Asia, of which around $6.0 million will be invested in India, said Bhaskar Pramanik, managing director of Sun Microsystems India Pvt Ltd.

The technology could be used in desktop PCs and even hand-held devices. It will be introduced first for IBM’s Netfinity line of servers with Intel processors for corporate networks and web sites. The memory-doubling is achieved by a chip that acts as an intermediary between the processor, which is the brain of the computer, and the memory. The chip encodes data so that it takes up half the space. To compensate for the time it takes to encode and decode data, the chip will store the data used most frequently by the processor in a special "cache," speeding up access. IBM’s Memory eXpansion Technology is 10,000 times faster than software-based schemes. MXT could save a typical Internet service provider millions of dollars in memory.

German industrial and technology group Siemens said that it planned to spend $1.5 billion in building up its mobile phone operations in Asia, with the aim of lifting its market share in the region to 15 percent by 2002. It planned to expand its GSM standard mobile phone network, jointly develop the new TD-SCDMA mobile communications standard with the China Academy of Telecommunication Technology (CATT) and produce new mobile telephones. Siemens aimed to become one of the three largest mobile communications suppliers in Asia and would use China, where the mobile division generates sales of around $300 million, as a bridgehead for its expansion in the region.

Emirates Global Capital Corporation’s (EGCC) planned Saadiyat offshore financial centre will also focus strongly on electronic commerce. EGCC was set up in June 1999 to develop Saadiyat, planned as an offshore financial centre near Abu Dhabi. Real estate activity will also form part of the project. According to Jo El Chamali, EGCC plans to create an e-business hub which would not create any conflict with Dubai Internet City, a free trade zone for IT and e-commerce planned to open later this year on the outskirts of Dubai. He also said that plans for Saadiyat’s physical development were now underway. A bridge and basic infrastructure will compromise the main part of phase one of the island’s development and will be finished in 2003. He also added that EGCC planned initial public offering, which had originally been slated to happen late last year, would now most likely take place after the first phase of development had been finalised.

Algeria will open its telecommunications sector to local and foreign investors before the end of the year under the terms of a draft law approved by the government. The long awaited move could be a big boost to Algeria’s slow moving privatisation programme. It aimed opening the sector to private investors under a concession regime and setting up a state-run telecoms watchdog to grant mobile phone licences. The main aim is to lift state monopoly over these activities and improve the quality of the services. The monopoly Administration de Postes et Telecommunication (PTT) has some 1.5 million fixed line subscribers and 60,000 mobile phone users. The official said there was a rapidly growing market for both fixed and GSM telephone service.

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates and other executives unveiled prototype ".NET" products such as computers that recognise and answer voice commands and a digital notepad that can understand handwriting and download books from the Web. Dot-net software is to woven into all Microsoft’s products, including its flagship Windows operating system and Office suite of business software, to enable devices and services to easily swap information. At the heart of the project is so called XML (extensible markup language) technology that is an emerging lingua franca of the Internet that makes it easier to exchange data between different computers and networks. Dot-net software will be based on XML, and will in turn be the foundation for new programmes and subscription services—a dramatic shift from Microsoft’s money-spinning formula of software sold on a CD or shipped already inside computers. Gates said the first version of the technology would be rolled out in products next year with more robust version following in 2002 and beyond.

British Telecommunications Plc is considering buying media companies that could provide content for its broadband Internet services and is open to deals as big as AOL-Time Warner merger. The company has already signed up 75 companies to supply content such as news, video clips and software applications for its "always-on" Internet service, which it launches to small businesses in July and to consumers soon after. Most of those deals are on a licensing or revenue-sharing basis and include only travel reservations company Amadeus.

The products, most of which are already available, will allow users to surf the Internet using the telephone instead of a screen and a voice instead of a mouse and keyboard. The Armonk, N.Y.-based company and second largest software maker after Microsoft Corp., said it would incorporate VoiceXML—Extensible Markup Language—into its WebSphere server technology that has traditionally managed all transactions and movements on a Web page. In this way, the new technology will add a layer that allows Internet activity to go from the graphics displayed on a screen to be conducted using a voice on a phone, be it wireless or standard wired telephones. In addition to providing the technology that will allow the users to get stock quotes, buy merchandise, find out what movie is playing and buy a ticket all via the phone Internet, the voice technology will allow telecommunications companies to build portals where users can get news, horoscopes and other information over Internet by talking into the phone.

Intel Corp. unveiled its first so-called Web appliance, which gives consumers a built-in phone, Internet access and e-mail, in the company’s latest move beyond its core business of microprocessors for personal computers. The Intel Dot.Station Web appliance would be offered by Internet service providers, most likely as part of an overall service package similar to those for cable TV set-top boxes or cell phones. It will run on the upstart Linux operating system that has emerged as a rival to Microsoft Corp.’s Windows software. The Dot.Station, which consists or a single free-standing unit with a monitor and a separate keyboard, has a high-resolution screen that can show the full width of a Web page and includes a built-in phone. The appliance comes with software that allows service providers to remotely manage and upgrade the devices. Service providers would be able to customise the content and services of the devices to match their brands.

Lucent Technologies Inc. sued 10 former employees who left the telecommunications-equipment maker to work for rival Cisco Systems Inc. The suit, filed in US District Court in Boston, seeks to prevent the employees from divulging information about Lucent’s optical networking business to Cisco. The employees, who were engineers in Lucent’s Merrimack Valley facility in Massachusetts, were sued "to prevent our valuable intellectual property from being used by former employees recently hired away by a major competitor," said Kathleen Fitzgerald, a spokeswoman for Lucent, of Murray Hill, N.J. The employees, who had access to information concerning Lucent’s optical networking systems, could harm Lucent if they disclose the data to Cisco.

Software seller Red Hat Inc. and Dell Computer Corp. said they would expand their efforts to market Linux, an alternative operating system to Microsoft’s Windows that can be downloaded for free over the Internet. The agreement calls for the creation of a One Source Alliance to offer support services for Linux users who purchased the software from Red Hat and to develop Linux-related products for Dell. Linux is available for free download on the Internet, but customers who purchase the software from Red Hat or other companies receive technical manuals and support services. The announcement expands an April deal on which Dell said it would install Linux on a line of high-end computer servers for which Red Hat would provide technical support.

The Emirates Telecommunication Corporation (Etisalat) has accused hackers of playing havoc with the country’s Internet services network for the past two weeks and that the problem appears to be far from over despite the arrest of a suspected hacker, a young European expatriate, in Dubai over the weekend. "The Etisalat Internet Network was attacked by a group of Internet criminals. Several attacks were reported by other administrations and many sites are being compromised. We have now sheltered and adequately protected our system and network from such attacks by this and other such similar groups and individuals," Ali Salem Al Owais president and CEO of the UAE’s sole telecom service provider.

The virus, which spreads via Microsoft Outlook or Internet chat room, is contained in an e-mail attachment named "Life-stages.txt.shs". If opened, it modifies files and sends mail to the computer’s entire Microsoft Outlook address book, potentially over loading mail servers. The new computer virus has caused shutdowns of the e-mail systems at four Fortune 100 companies. The virus does no harm to computer files, but similar to May’s "Love Bug" virus, simply multiplies by sending itself out to everyone listed in the infected computer’s address book. While users are well-warned about VisualBasic attachments, which appear as ".vbs" extensions, the so-called "Stages" virus looks like a text file, complete with ".txt" extension. But the real extension is ".shs," which stands for Windows Shell Scrap Object.

The new ThinkPad series is built with the future of mobile computing and customer needs in mind. With models weighing in at 2.7kg and 35.6mm thin, the price of the new notebooks start at $1170. All models include a standard 56k V.90 modem for easy access to the Internet and also provide users legacy-free capabilities, such as two USB ports and ‘easy launch’ buttons that can provide one-button access to the Web. Other features include keyboard with comfortable palm rest, TrackPoint pointing device with ‘Press-to-Select’ for one-touch application launches and Internet Scroll Bar for easy Web page and document viewing.

AT&T Wireless Group said it will buy wireless systems in San Francisco, San Diego and Houston markets for $3.3 billion from Vodafone AirTouch Plc, GTE Corp. and PrimeCo PCS. The deals are expected to help pave the way toward combining GTE’s wireless assets into Verizon Wireless, the company created by the merger of Bell Atlantic and Vodafone AirTouch’s wireless businesses. "The agreements are a major step toward eliminating remaining overlapping cellular operations that would be created by the integration of GTE Wireless assets into Verizon Wireless," Bell Atlantic, Vodafone and GTE said in release.

Six of the largest conglomerates in the Philippines yesterday launched an electronic marketplace to cash in on growing Internet business. The six companies will purchase part of their total supply requirements, ranging from paper clips to coaxial cables, through the electronic commerce system, officials said. Aboitiz Equity Ventures, the Ayala Group, JG Summit Holdings, the Lopez Group, the Philippine Long Distance and Telephone Co. and United Laboratories Inc. set up the 24-hour Internet marketplace with an initial capital of one billion pesos (about $23.6 million). President Joseph Estrada signed into law a landmark e-commerce statue to protect transactions and set penalties for abuses. He said the law would help position the Philippines at a key player in the world information technology boom as it was the fourth country in Asia after Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea to introduce e-commerce laws.

According to America Online spokesman Rich D’ Amato, A small number of member accounts may have been illegally viewed. They are aware of claims that a small number of member accounts were illegally accessed, and they take these claims seriously. The perpetrators of the attack targeted AOL customer service representatives with e-mails containing a "Trojan horse" attachment, that when opened, created a connection to the sender’s computer and allowed access to some AOL accounts. He stressed that the hackers involved did not appear to have gained access to AOL’s 23 million member database of subscribers, or data on users of other services that include CompuServe, Netscape Netcenter, ICQ and other popular sites. "We will continue to investigate these claims and will turn over what we learn to law enforcement authorities," D’Amato said. "We will take any and all opportunities to prosecute these hackers," he added.

America Online Inc., under pressure to open its massive instant messaging network to competitors, announced that it supports the creation of a worldwide messaging standard. AOL on Thursday released a proposed design for a worldwide messaging system. Such a system would allow people, regardless of their Internet service provider to zap messages to one another.

The US House of Representatives has proved a measure making "digital signatures" legally binding, a move supporters say will be a boon electronic commerce. Lawmakers voted 426-4 on Wednesday to approve the measure, which was crafted by a House-Senate committee that resolved the differences in earlier versions passed by both chambers. The bill is expected to pass the Senate and be signed by President Bill Clinton, who in a statement said he was "pleased" with the vote and would "look forward to signing this key legislation into law" once it clears the Senate. The measure would make it easier for customers to open bank and brokerage accounts online.

Microsoft Corp. chairman Bill Gates yesterday signed an agreement with Samsung Electronics Company Ltd. to design, develop and market a new line of innovative mobile phones. Under the accord, Samsung will design a range of phones for GSM (global system for mobile communications) and CDMA (code division multiple access) networks using software developed by Microsoft. Feature phones, enabling access to e-mail, personal information and the Internet are to be available later this year under the deal. Smart phones, supporting more powerful wireless data computing, are to come out in 2001. Samsung’s system designers will collaborate with Microsoft designers and both companies will work with mobile operators to help develop the wireless networks.

Global One, the international telecommunications company bought by France Telecom, said yesterday it would team with Intermedia Communications Inc. to enter the US market for the first time. Global One said it would connect its international network with Intermedia’s US system. Tampa, Florida-based Intermedia is a phone company that competes with all the Baby Bells. Intermedia "clearly has the resources, reach, and leading-edge technologies to strongly support us" in the US. Global One said it would broaden its international sales force to include offices in 12 US cities by the end of 2000. The company said its network infrastructure would expand to 20 cities and the number of employees would go up "significantly" over the next year.

Emirates Internet and Multimedia (EIM) has joined forces with ASPGulf, the region’s first application service provider, to offer businesses in the UAE application delivery services. Maroua Naim, EIM General Manager, said that ASP will help businesses in the UAE to reduce their IT costs by up to 50% through the rental instead of buying key business application software licenses, networks and computer hardware. According to her that for a monthly payment, ASPGulf deploys the hardware and software, as well as provide regular maintenance and configuration tune-ups required to keep applications running efficiently. By subscribing to ASPGulf, businesses can now have access to best applications such as ERP (enterprise resource planning), Great Plains and CPM (customer relationship management) software without the initial high upfront investment and at continuous savings. She said those subscribing will benefit from technical expertise in deployment and maintenance services, as well as continuous and instantaneous upgrades.

European mobile phone retailer Carphone Warehouse Group announced yesterday a strategic alliance with AOL Europe and the launch of its Mviva mobile Internet portal. Carphone Warehouse said it would launch its Mviva portal (www.mviva.com) in Britain, France, Sweden, Spain and the Netherlands this summer. Internet firm AOL will pay Carphone Warehouse $25 million in cash, as well as providing technology infrastructure, to acquire 15% of the portal. AOL also has the right to acquire a further next 12 months, based on a valuation of Mviva of $700 million.

According to an official statement, the Dubai IT Forum members will consist of a large number of global IT companies who will support the forum with experts and educational resources. Announcing the move, Dr. Khlifa Suliman, General Director of the Rulers Court, said the Dubai IT Forum would constitute a forum for businessmen, experts in the new IT fields and those working in the Internet development. The forum will provide Dubai Internet City (DIC) with the training facilities, which will be at the disposal of students and undergraduates studying in universities in IT fields, said Dr. Suliman. "This forum has an important role to play in IT development in Dubai and that it will culminate to a series of ideas and global experience that will be of great benefit to the UAE," he said.

Two leading IT vendors—Acer Computer and Oracle Middle East—yesterday introduced a range of eight vertical industry IT solutions aimed at the growing small and medium-sized business (SMB) market. The solutions address the needs of industries as diverse as those of automotive dealers, contracting companies, distribution operations, restaurants, retail establishments, shipping agents, trading companies and travel agencies. The two companies displayed the solutions at the ‘Solution Days’ at the Key Information Technology (KIT) showroom in Dubai, which began yesterday. It will end on June 13. Acer and Oracle plan to bring this ‘Solution Centre’ concept to other Gulf countries after its inauguration in Dubai.

Business telecoms provider PNC Tele.com Plc yesterday said it was taking over mobile phone retailer KJC Ltd for £45 million ($68.38 million) and moving to the main board of the London Stock Exchange. The telecom reseller also said it would boost profit margins by switching its own traffic under a deal to lease Fibernet Group Plc’s national network. PNC said the takeover of KJC will allow it to offer mobile as well as fixed-line services to its 120,000 customers. It would give it access to KJC’s 290,000 clients. The combined business will have turnover of £75 million and profits of around 5.5 million, Chief Executive Geremy Thomas said. The deal will boost earnings per share by 117% in the first year.

Indian software firm Satyam Computer Services Ltd said yesterday it had signed a joint venture agreement with TRW Inc of US for providing information systems and engineering services to the US firm and other companies. "This venture will focus largely on the automotive sector worldwide where TRW is a leading player with customers and suppliers across the globe," Satyam said in a statement. Satyam will own a 76% majority equity interest in the venture’s paid-up capital of $1 million while TRW will own the balance 24%. Under the terms of agreement, TRW will outsource to the joint venture at least $200 million worth of projects over a five-year period. "This strategic supplier relationship will be great step in TRW’s ongoing battle to reduce costs company-wide," the statement quoted David Cote, TRW president and chief operating officer as saying.

French telecommunications group Alcatel SA said that it is suing US rival infringing patents in the US and in Europe. In a statement, the French company said that affiliates have filed three separate lawsuits, two in the US and one in the Netherlands. Alcatel did not disclose how much it was suing Cisco for. Alcatel’s first lawsuit, filed in California, alleged that San Jose, Ca. based Cisco infringed four separate patents relating to routing and switching technologies. A second suit in Texas accused Cisco of their patent infringement and additional violation of Alcatel’s copyrights and trade secret rights. Alcatel N.V., the group’s Netherlands-based company, has filed a suit in Amsterdam against Cisco and its Dutch affiliates relating to distribution of Cisco products in Europe.

Indian computer software bluechip Infosys Technologies Ltd yesterday said it had tied up with German e-commerce firm Preis24.com to develop solutions for business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce. A statement from the Nasdaq-listed Infosys said the two firms will develop solutions to lower procurement costs and drive new revenue opportunities for customers. "Infosys will provide Preis24.com with its expertise in complex integration projects," the statement said. It said Munich based Preis24.com is a neutral online marketplace that trades in office equipment, consumables, support services and telecom equipment.

British telecoms group Cable and Wireless announced yesterday it was forming an alliance with US software giant Microsoft to provide Internet services to small and medium-sized businesses. The British group said the services would be available later this year in the US, Britain and Australia, and then developed in the rest of Europe and Asia in 2001. The partnership will offer Microsoft Windows 2000 and Microsoft Exchange on wireless networks, integrating voice messaging, e-mail, fax system, etc.

International Business Machines Corp. and three other companies are forming an airline e-commerce and outsourcing alliance for airlines to improve how they manage information technology to be used for tickets, staffing and plane maintenance. IBM, Siebel Systems Inc., Sweden’s Intentia International and Mercury will market and sell this service to airlines worldwide, IBM said. Under "IBM ConnectEdge for Airlines," Intentia, Siebel and Mercury will provide some of the applications software, while IBM will manage hardware, services and middleware and will offer to provide outsourcing of information technology to the airlines, IBM spokesman Michael Azzi said. Airlines spend an estimated $10 billion a year on information technology worldwide, IBM said.

The European Commission said yesterday that recent decisions by the International Telecommunications Union should ensure sufficient radio spectrum for growth of third generation (3G) mobile telecom services. The commission said 3,000 delegates from 190 countries negotiated several hundreds of highly technical proposals leading to the signature of agreements. The ITU members agreed on a series of measures, notably new frequencies to ensure that future mobile telephones around the world can communicate with each other to exchange data, including through the Internet.

The two companies will develop new software allowing mobile phones to hook up to the Internet and process data at high speeds with technology now used in Sega’s Dreamcast home game machine that has Internet functionality. The new cell phone, to be launched globally in the spring of 2001, reflects a bid by troubled Sega to diversify beyond video games to revive profits that have been squeezed by tough competition, particularly from Sony Corp.’s Play Station. The new phone will be able to download games and video images as well as other forms of data from the Internet. No comment was immediately available from Motorola, but the financial daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun said the US cell-phone maker aims to use the new software widely in its mobile phones in 2001 as it races to catch up with market leader Nokia Corp.

Emirates Internet and Multimedia (EIM), a subsidiary of Etisalat, announced in Dubai that it is fully geared to lead the Internet revolution with a capacity expansion which will enable it to cater for 300,000 subscribers by the end of the year. Maroua Naim, EIM general manager, launching a new OnLine registration service facility, said she expected to dramatically increase the Internet subscriber base by 20,000 this year. Speaking at the Press conference, Maroua said the new OnLine registration service will provide the same level of service to new Internet subscribers in the UAE as in the most technologically advanced countries. "This is the first important step for any new subscribers to use the unlimited power of the Internet for e-commerce, education and other popular services such as e-mail."

UK net firm TelMe.com said yesterday it had struck an alliance with Advanced Travel Partners (ATP) of the Netherlands to provide travel services for leading Dutch Internet service provider World Online. TelMe said its Ticket Window technology would be the exclusive booking engine for World Online’s travel portal, Voyager, through at least 2001, while ATP would continue to provide the services for travel across Europe.

Hewlett-Packard Co. will offer full refunds for some of its hand-held computers because their screens can’t show as many colours as promised. One of them, the Jornada 545, was launched April 19 with much fanfare as one of the first hand-helds to run Microsoft Corp.’s Pocket PC operating system. The $499 Jornada was marketed as being able to show about 65,000 colours at once but an error was discovered by customers who said that it could only show 4,000 in the development process.

The partnership was said to be worth 20 million baht ($513,000) in potential advertisement revenues to be generated off the portal. Bridge, the largest online financial news service provider in North America, will supply Thailand.com with around the clock financial and business reports on Thailand and the region, which will be available on the portal in English, Thai, Japanese, Chinese and Bahasa Malay/Indonesian.

BT is unhappy with Oftel’s ruling in March that it must pay half the cost of auto-diallers, boxes that plug into domestic phone sockets and automatically route calls to an alternative carrier. It is the first time BT has used a recently granted power to change Oftel in the courts. The Oftel ruling followed BT’s failure to comply with a European Commission demand that dominant carriers provide automatic facilities for routing calls to competitors by the start of this year.

Motorola Inc. yesterday announced a $30 billion alliance with Flextronics International Ltd. in which the Singapore firm will make consumer electronics parts over the next five years and Motorola gets a small stake in the contract manufacturer. Under the deal, Flextronics will supply and manufacture cellphones, two-way pagers, set-top boxes, wireless communications gear and components for Motorola, the world’s No. 2 maker of cellular phones. Production is to take place throughout the world, including North and Latin America, Eastern and Western Europe and Asia.

Indian computer software bluechip Infosys Technologies Ltd yesterday said that it would provide local support to its banking product customers in the east African island nation of Mauritius. A statement from Nasdaq-listed Infosys said that currently three of the 10 commercial banks in Mauritius – South East Asian Bank, Indian Ocean International Bank and Bank of Baroda – use Infosys banking solutions software. Local support will include help desk support, implementation support and continuous ongoing support.

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