TELECOM WATCH
CA and Microsoft Form Alliance: Rumors in the industry had been flying about a partnership between Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Wash., and Computer Associates International Inc., Islandia, N.Y. Here's the recently announced deal: The two powerhouses plan to build a new infrastructure for so-called "enterprise" applications, such as the Web. Computer Associates will use Microsoft's Web browser, Internet Explorer and ActiveX technologies to create Internet and intranet access to CA-Unicenter TNG. CA
CA and Microsoft Form Alliance: Rumors in the industry had been flying about a partnership between Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Wash., and Computer Associates International Inc., Islandia, N.Y. Here's the recently announced deal: The two powerhouses plan to build a new infrastructure for so-called "enterprise" applications, such as the Web. Computer Associates will use Microsoft's Web browser, Internet Explorer and ActiveX technologies to create Internet and intranet access to CA-Unicenter TNG. CA will also use a Microsoft clustering technology, code named Wolfpack.
BBN's E-Commerce Offering: In yet another step to encourage electronic commerce, BBN Corp., Cambridge, Mass., has introduced Merchant Advantage, through which companies sell products over the Internet. BBN handles the security and processes orders.
BBN is pitching the new service as a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week option for sales and distribution. The Merchant Advantage system accepts and verifies the order, calculates sales tax, authorizes the credit card, issues a receipt, handles encryption, keeps transaction records and tells the merchant about each order.
The offering is available for demonstration over the next few weeks at http://bbnstore.bbnplanet. com:8000/bbnstor1.htm.
Hewlett-Packard's New Internet World: Hewlett-Packard Co., Palo Alto, Calif., recently became the first computer equipment manufacturer to bundle AT&T WorldNet service with its products -- one of several new Internet moves by the company.
In addition, H-P has upgraded its own Internet services. The changes are designed to save computer administrators time and improve security and scalability. The Internet services are part of the company's Version 10.20 of H-P UX and Hewlett-Packard's UNIX system.
Rochester Gets High-Speed Access: CAI Wireless Systems Inc., Rochester, N.Y., is set to launch a high-speed wireless Internet trial in Rochester by the end of this month. If all goes as planned, the service will be available to the public in the first quarter of 1997.
The project will use General Instrument Corp.'s SURFboard cable modems, which send data at 27 megabits per second. These modems are faster than T1 connections, which are faster than the typical computer modems that send at 28.8 kilobits per second.