John Lewell

UK Schools Minister Charles Clarke has said that more than half of the UK’s primary schools are now connected to the Internet. Clarke was speaking about an NOP survey commissioned by the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTa) to discover facts about the use of IT and communications technology in schools. “We pioneered arrangements […]

Free access to Internet services has slowed the growth of subscription-based ISPs from 80 percent per year to less than one percent, according to the latest Quarterly Internet Report from Durlacher Research. Next year, says Durlacher — whose new report is sponsored by BT — subscription-based ISPs in the UK will actually be in decline. […]

Scoot.com announced that it has completed the acquisition of software development company Diva Solutions for £1.18 million (US$1.86 million) in cash. The purchase of Diva brings a range of Internet technology and expertise in trading systems, real-time market data, settlement, and propensity modelling. Diva is said to have “nine high calibre development experts” in these […]

Domain name registration service register.com is slashing its prices for registering .co.uk and .org.uk extensions to £49 ($79.45). As a result, register.com becomes the most competitive of the services currently offering domain registration to the UK market, despite its North American base. “At register.com, one of our top priorities is to help businesses and individuals […]

TownPagesNet.com has acquired WWW.CO.UK, the UK’s leading Internet provider of cinema information, and its affiliated group companies for £4 million ($6 million) in cash and stock. The terms of the deal require TownPages to pay £2.5 million ($4 million) in stock and the remainder in cash, with “an additional earnout” that becomes payable if WWW.CO.UK […]

Information Technology Minister Michael Wills has unveiled plans which the UK government believes will make the UK’s laws more “e-friendly.” During Thursday’s launch of “Promoting Electronic Commerce”, a consultation on the draft Electronic Communications Bill, Michael Wills said the draft bill would build confidence in e-commerce by protecting credit card numbers, personal details, and sensitive […]

Hemmington Scott, one of the leading UK providers of investment and financial information on the Internet, has launched free Internet access. The new service, complete with a business portal branded “hemscott.net Business,” will make Hemmington Scott practically the only major content provider with its own ISP. Connectivity and management of the ISP will be supplied […]

MCI Worldcom has announced that it is upgrading its UUNET network in Europe by deploying Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) technology. The upgrade to UUNET will increase its bandwidth and capacity up to 16 times the current levels between key European cities, with the initial phase being completed in the third quarter of 1999. Upgraded links […]

According to a new study by Global Financial Communication Network (GFC Net), the use of the Internet by business and financial journalists is now “almost universal,” with 95 percent using the Net for news and information. For the study, interviewers contacted 117 business and financial journalists in the world’s leading financial centres — Hong Kong, […]

Enterprise application specialist Merant International announced Tuesday that it has agreed to purchase Raleigh, NC-based The Marathon Group, an Internet professional services firm. Merant, a global organisation quoted on the London Stock Exchange (MRN) and Nasdaq (MRNT), says the acquisition is a fundamental part of its strategy to help its customers “e-enable” their enterprises. Merant […]

Downloadable music destination EMusic.com has formed a strategic partnership with Crunch Music, the leading marketer of independent UK music in the MP3 format. EMusic.com and Crunch Music said Monday they will work together on joint promotions and marketing on both sides of the Atlantic. “Independent record labels in the UK are the most significant source […]

AOL Europe confirmed Monday that it will launch a new subscription-free service, Netscape Online, to complement its AOL and CompuServe brands in the UK. The launch is scheduled for mid-August this year. “One of the great advantages of AOL Europe is that we are a multiple-brand company, so we can successfully match our brand offerings […]