InternetNews Staff

France Telecom is the first European telecom operator to connect its points of presence (POP) to the national switchboards. This move brings many advantages such as cheaper Net access for consumers and new vocal technology service offerings that will soon be available on the national IP network. Previously, French users would contact the local loop […]

iaxis Launches Internet Backbone With Juniper Technology iaxis Friday launched its broadband Internet backbone-based solely on state-of-the-art Juniper M40 routers. The network, branded iaxiscore, will enable U.S. Net service providers and application service providers to connect with European ISPs. U.S. companies using iaxiscore will be able to provide European consumers high-speed Internet access, enhanced screen […]

Logica and its regional partner Itqan have won a $4 million contract with UAE telco Etisalat to provide a new e-commerce infrastructure. The project, initiated by Comtrust, which is a new e-commerce venture of Etisalat, is expected to bolster Etisalat’s position as an Internet business hub in the UAE and the Middle East. The hub […]

Consumer portal LiQ.com (pronounced “like you”) launched with a new chat and shop technology, a new concept in e-commerce that it calls “social shopping.” LiQ.com technology allows customers to shop together online. Customers can bring items into private chatrooms to show and discuss with friends, choosing among more than four million products from over 400 […]

Bloomingdale’s has launched in-store virtual shopping counters called eOSKs, claiming to be the first major retailer in the country to launch a true “click and mortar” retail channel. Designed, developed and installed by e-commerce player eOSK.com, the eOSKs “specifically cater to the discriminating Bloomingdale’s clientele,” the company said. An eOSK is an interactive terminal with […]

The number of U.S. adults using credit cards to purchase goods and services online more than doubled between 1998 and 1999, according to a new research report. The report from Cyber Dialogue said that by the third quarter of 1999, 19.2 million adults used their credit cards to make online transactions, compared to 9.3 million […]

StarCite.com launched as a global business-to-business e-commerce “Meeting Marketplace.” “StarCite.com is an Internet-based marketplace for buying and selling products that will change the way meetings are both booked and managed,” said John Pino, chairman and chief executive officer of StarCite Inc. “We designed this site with extensive input from meeting planners, hotel executives and other […]

Pet food and supply retailer PetFoodDirect.com acquired ThePetCenter.com, an Internet animal hospital. Financial terms were not disclosed. Under the terms of the agreement, ThePetCenter.com will remain a separate site, but will be linked and co-branded with PetFoodDirect.com. T.J. Dunn Jr., a veterinarian who founded ThePetCenter.com in 1997, will serve as director of veterinary services for […]

Internet issues rallied for a second straight day, following strong economic data and a couple of Internet companies hitting the public market. internet.com’s Internet Stock Index jumped 36.32, or 5.28 percent, to 724.31, the Nasdaq Composite leaped 99.05 to 3452.76 and the Dow Jones industrial average gained 40.67 to 11039.06. Stocks were helped by a […]

WebMachines said it was adding both MP3 and MPEG capabilities to its iaWare set of software and services. Developed in-house by WebMachines’ team of embedded systems software experts, these new customized media players are the latest enhancements to iaWare — WebMachines’ own thin client/server software solution for Internet appliances. “We believe Digital Media is the […]

ZDNet Thursday joined Sun Microsystems Inc. in the $30 million second round of financing for Expertcity.com, a new online destination for real-time, expert-assisted help and learning. ZDNet (ZDZ) and Sun Microsystems (SUNW) joined Bertelsmann AG and Wit Capital Group Inc. (WITC) as primary investors in the company. In October, ZDNet integrated the expertcity.com service into […]

The Internet Corp. for Assigned Names and Numbers this week put out the call for motivated voluntary members of ICANN’s new Membership Implementation Task Force. The task force will help ICANN to create a “broad, diverse, and globally representative” At large membership, from which the organization will choose one third of its directors. As follow-up […]