AOL fights for international power

 

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As America Online strives to pull ahead in the European ISP race, it's also pondering how to conquer the market at home by turning a profit on acquisitions such as ICQ and triumphing in the high-speed cable access battle.

Will AOL be forced to go free in Europe? To compete in Europe, analysts say AOL may have to offer services free, which could create an awkward situation with regard to the company's subscribers in other countries who still have to pay. AOL sharpens ICQ ambitions Last year AOL paid $287 million for a product with 12 million users but no revenue. A year later, its popularity has nearly trebled, but it's still not clear whether ICQ was a good buy. GTE, AOL unveil cable ISP trials The companies unveil a trial project they say proves cable companies can easily give outside ISPs access to their cable networks to provide high-speed Internet access.