FCC approves AOL/Time Warner merger, Jan.IM group works toward interoperability, Feb, 8, 2001.While AOL is working on interoperability, its competitors are also trying to establish interoperability protocols through the IMUnified coalition and the Internet Engineering Task Force.
The software maker has already embedded MSN Messenger in the latest versions of its Exchange and Outlook corporate messaging products. Microsoft has already announced it will embed a slightly altered version of MSN Messenger in its Windows XP release this October (see story). Many analysts agree, however, that each instant messaging provider is fighting for customer share in the consumer and corporate messaging infrastructure. Once a secure protocol for sharing user directories can be established, the company said it will open its service to other instant messaging providers. AOL also can't add features such as live streaming video to its service until it complies with the FCC order.ĪOL has previously refused to open its member list to other services, citing security and privacy concerns. Therefore, the FCC said, AOL must allow others to use Time Warner's installed base of cable infrastructure or be interoperable with other services before it can be carried over Time Warner's lines. last year, AOL had the potential to get its instant messaging service to all of Time Warner's cable subscribers. With the merger of AOL and Time Warner Inc. The FCC said instant messaging has the potential to be a widely used means of communication and that no company should have a monopoly on access to that medium. Most chat services, including AIM, MSN Messenger and Yahoo Messenger, are free, even to users who aren't customers of the companies' Internet service offerings.
"Consistent with this commitment, AOL has largely completed its development of the necessary technology, has recently begun internal testing of that technology and remains on schedule to begin testing server-to-server interoperability with a leading technology company later this summer."Īmong the conditions in approving AOL's merger with Time Warner (see story), the FCC required the company to open its dominant AIM service so users of services such as Microsoft Corp.'s MSN Messenger and Yahoo Inc.'s Yahoo Messenger can chat with AIM and ICQ users. "AOL publicly stated last July that it anticipated that it would require approximately one year to develop a server-to-server protocol, to be followed by a period of time to test and refine its interoperability solution," the letter said.
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