AltaVista Goes Local in France, the Netherlands

AltaVista Co. Thursday extended
its global reach by launching its new France and Netherlands properties.

Both sites will generate local content and the signature search function
with country-specific indices which AltaVista claims will cover 95 percent
of local sites in both the French and Dutch languages.

The CMGI-owned (CMGI)
portal has introduced similar European versions in the U.K., Germany and
Sweden. AltaVista also claims that more than half its user traffic — which
the company claims hit 2 billion monthly page views in January and reeled in
54 unique visitors — originates outside of the U.S.

AltaVista introduced free Internet access in the U.S. and Canada last year,
and plans to carry this feature to AltaVista France through a deal with
Internet Telecom. Local content providers in France include Agence
France-Press (AFP), Liberation news, Webcity and Paris Avenue for local
information, Lokace directory services, and others.

The Dutch site will include content from YourNews, ActivePlus stock market
quotes, Meteo Consult weather information, Spott Multichannel auctions, and
AutoTrader car sales.

“AltaVista’s new French and Dutch sites underscore our commitment to create
local Internet destinations with premier resources in countries around the
world,” said Rod Schrock, president and chief executive officer of
AltaVista.

Schrock added that AltaVista will continue to develop and launch
international throughout the year.