Jim Wagner

Like the building bricks the LEGO name is synonymous with, software giant Microsoft Corp. has been busy building content partnerships one company at a time to reinvent itself in America Online, Inc.’s image. Microsoft put one such brick in place its contract signed Wednesday with LEGO Co. Microsoft hopes to offset the reach of AOL’s […]

In a year fraught with the financial bust of many broadband Internet service providers, two Baby Bells are reporting a broadband boom. Verizon Communications, Inc., and BellSouth both announced they had met or exceeded its 2000 digital subscriber line goals. With more than $6.2 billion in data revenues this year, Verizon is expecting last year’s […]

Federal courts Monday awarded NetZero, Inc., a temporary restraining order against Juno Online Services, Inc., and its use of patented ad banner technology. NetZero officials believe Juno and other ISPs throughout the country are causing irreparable financial harm with continued use of its ZeroPort technology, patented just last month. Mark G. Goldston, NetZero chairman, was […]

The government is looking to local and regional Internet service providers for help to toughen up its open cable network access policy. It’s not a good sign for America Online Inc. and Time Warner Inc., which have been guaranteeing government approval to investors by the end of 2000 or the early days of January, 2001. […]

Covad Communications continues its cost-cutting measures with the release of another 400 employees and 200 central office closures Friday. It’s the second round of layoffs in a month for the financially-challenged competitive local exchange carrier as it strives to reach market stability in the troubled high-speed Internet access industry. Today’s cuts come from Covad’s fledgling […]

NorthPoint Communications sold its interest in a European experiment to venture partner VersaTel Friday, freeing up much-needed capital and netting $6.5 million for the coffers. Dutch-based VersaTel took complete control of VersaPoint after buying NorthPoint’s 50 percent stake, freeing the troubled American competitive local exchange carrier from approximately $23.2 million in future deployment commitments. The […]

Customers are now finding out that free Internet is coming at a price. Hours after Netzero, Inc., announced plans to charge online bandwidth hogs who use its service for more than 40 hours a month, bluelight.com followed in kind, telling customers who use its free dial-up service services for more than 25 hours a month […]

Several national Internet service providers are getting a sneak-peek of Hughes Network Systems two-way satellite service, officials announced Thursday, months before the company plans to roll out the service nationwide. Juno Online Services Inc., Earthlink Inc., and Pegasus received the first test models for an expected first quarter 2001 mass deployment. Gary Baker, Juno spokesperson, […]

Lucent Technologies officials Thursday revised fourth quarter 2000 revenues from $9.7 to $8.4 billion, announced its $1 billion cost-cutting intentions and warned of revenue shortfalls throughout 2001. All in all, not the type of announcement Lucent officials expected or wanted to end the year with. The news obviously wasn’t well-received by investors, either. The revised […]

By Jim Wagner Hughes Electronics Corp. took advantage of a depressed market to buy out national broadband provider Telocity for $180 million Thursday. The satellite company, a division of General Motors Corp., has agreed to advance Telocity $20 million before the tender offer, which isn’t expected to start until Feb. 1, 2001, is completed. Hughes […]

America Online Inc., subscribers dreading an absence of the comforting “You have mail!” prompt on their PC while away for the holidays this weekend can breathe easier with expanded features and functionality to AOLbyPhone, officials announced Wednesday. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, the saying goes, and subscribers who can’t wait to get back home […]

America Online, Inc., and Time Warner, Inc., officials Wednesday reiterated their belief the Federal Communications Commission will approve its merger by the early days of January. Dave McClure, U.S. Internet Industry Association president, agrees, and said that despite the fact that there are only 10 days left in December and a commission in the transition, […]