BBCi switches from Google to Inktomi

After a year licensing Google's Internet search technology, the British Broadcasting Corporation's interactive division, BBCi, signed a deal to use rival navigation technology from Inktomi, according to Chris Charlton, London-based BBCi's communications manager. "The decision to change our results service provider from Google to Inktomi was taken after the provision of the service was put to public tender, in accordance with EU Procurement Legislation," he said. The switch, which was implemented March 20, was made after several months of testing potential service providers "using a series of tests designed to measure each company and service over many criteria, including technical and editorial considerations."

The change comes as competition in the Web search market is at a pitch, marked by a string of customer changes and recent acquisitions. For example, Inktomi was recently purchased by Web portal Yahoo, which licenses Google's search technology on a nonexclusive basis.