Culture

Portals pursue overseas audience

As the boom in international Internet use arrives, U.S. companies are aggressively expanding their offerings abroad, from Latin America to Europe and Japan.

 

  latest developments 

As the boom in international Internet use arrives, U.S. companies are aggressively expanding their offerings abroad, from Latin America to Europe and Japan.

"Competition will be fierce in all areas. The question is, who will be able to make money?"

- Pio di Gregorio, head of research at BSCH in Milan

 
Microsoft joins with Telmex in portal venture
update The company enters a joint portal venture with telecommunications giant Telefonos de Mexico, marking yet another effort to reinvigorate its struggling MSN brand and establish a credible international Web presence.

Free access kick-starts Net use in Italy
Italian Internet leader Telecom Italia forecasts its number of Net users will double by year's end, giving a glimpse of strapping cyberspace growth in Italy.

Lycos makes Latin America push
Lycos and Tripod country-specific Web sites will be launched in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Venezuela and will reach more than 80 percent of the people in Latin America.

Yahoo Japan profits rise 675.9 percent
The company reports a phenomenal rise in its half-year profits as a rapidly growing Net population helps it attract advertising clients on a broader base.

previous coverage
Portals revamp sites for minorities
Rather than seamlessly exploiting a niche, Web communities geared toward ethnic minorities are still tinkering with their formulas in a bid to find one that works.