Report urges BBC Online to stand aside for commercial competition

A report on the BBC Online services says that the corporation's web sites should be reined in. The Graf Report, published today, says that the websites should outsource up to 25 per cent of its content by the end of the 2006/7 financial year. The report also says that the Corporation should err on the side of caution when considering whether to launch an online service against a commercial competitor. ...more

Bland to invest ?1m in BT

The new chairman of BT, Sir Christopher Bland, is to invest ?1m of his own money in BT shares, according to reports on the Web. Although we can't verify this, the move will be seen as a statement of faith from the new chairman. However, it won't mean Bland will be destitute if BT's stock continues to fall - he is already a millionaire several times over though investments and high-profile jobs at LWT and the BBC. ...more

Fifteen new ADSL exchanges confirmed

BT has begun enabling a further 15 exchanges with ADSL. This will bring the total number of exchanges upgraded since BT began its registration scheme to 33. The 15 exchanges are: Bideford, Devon; Caerleon, Gwent; Cheslyn Hay, Staffordshire; Clitheroe, Lancashire ; Great Yarmouth Town, Norfolk Kirby Muxloe, Leicestershire ; Lymm, Cheshire; Newhaven, East Sussex; Middlewich, Cheshire; Neston, Cheshire; Ramsey, East of England; Rhiwderin, Gwent; Pershore, Hereford & Worcester; Westhoughton, Greater Manchester; and Yaxley, Cambridgeshire. ...more

Be shows off its Aura

A new range of devices from Be Incorporated could see MP3 and streamed media moving out of the office and into the living room. The Aura specification sees a device at the heart of a home entertainment system that can encode music to MP3 and other formats from analogue and digital sources as well as downloading files from the Internet, via an in-built modem. The system also features the ability to purchase music online and organise all your files into a playlist system. ...more

Sources say Microsoft to face heavy fines from EU

Microsoft is facing stiff fines after an EU advisory committee found the company has broken European Union antitrust law, according a report by Reuters. The decision is likely to be announced as negotiations between the EU and Microsoft over a compromise are said to have stalled. The Committee is expected to recommend a fine running to hundreds of millions of euros, at its next meeting on 22 March. ...more