BT to snub Microsoft for Netscape

BRITISH TELECOM is this week expected to snub Microsoft by signing a contract with Netscape to provide software for its new Internet services. The deal involves Netscape supplying software to drive a free web-based e-mail service, called talk21, designed to encourage people who do not own

computers to surf the net from Internet cafes, public

libraries, new TV-based Internet services and BT's own multimedia payphones. Netscape will also supply software for BT's pay-as-you-go Internet access service called Click+.