AltaVista Reaches Record 225,000 Users in Two Weeks With Free Internet Access and World's First Microportal.PALO ALTO Palo Alto, city, California Palo Alto (păl`ō ăl`tō), city (1990 pop. 55,900), Santa Clara co., W Calif.; inc. 1894. Although primarily residential, Palo Alto has aerospace, electronics, and advanced research industries. , Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 25, 1999-- -- Takes Minority Ownership in 1stUp.com Technology Provider After Unprecedented Internet Sign-up Offering-- -- New Advertising Extols MicroPortal's Personalization Custom tailoring information to the individual. On the Web, personalization means returning a page that has been customized for the user, taking into consideration that person's habits and preferences. , Web Search Features and Piques Users' Curiosity for Savings with Free Internet Access See how to access the Internet. -- AltaVista Company, a premier media and commerce network at http://www.altavista.com, has reached 225,000 users in less than two weeks after introducing its FreeAccess Internet service combined with the world's first MicroPortal -- an unprecedented Internet sign-up offering. "This offering is on a rocket trajectory and has easily surpassed our expectations of user demand for AltaVista FreeAccess and the AltaVista MicroPortal," said Rod Schrock, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of AltaVista Company. "We are clearly on track to exceed our goal of a million users within one year and be the preeminent provider of this type of service." AltaVista is the first leading Internet brand to offer free online access with the ability to browse the Web and link to personalized services. In just under two weeks, the download and registration rate has been approximately one user every five seconds for the new offering -- faster than any other Internet connection service. AltaVista FreeAccess is a new, nationwide dial-up free service offering a quality Internet connection without monthly service fees. AltaVista uniquely combines its FreeAccess service with the new AltaVista MicroPortal, an up-to-the-minute personalized desktop window to premier AltaVista services and legendary Web search capabilities. In response to the success of the offering, AltaVista, a majority-owned company of CMGI CMGI Commonly Maintained Grounds Infrastructures CMGI College Marketing Group Information (Services) Inc. (Nasdaq:CMGI), has taken a 19.9 percent minority ownership in privately-held 1stUp.com, the technology developer for AltaVista's FreeAccess and the MicroPortal service. Based in San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden , 1stUp.com's patent-pending technology provides businesses with a scalable, highly secure solution to deliver consumers ad-supported dial-up Internet accounts. Terms of the investment have not been disclosed. Beginning this week, AltaVista will launch an online advertising campaign followed by radio spots in September to support its FreeAccess and MicroPortal offerings. The campaign, created by advertising agency Wieden & Kennedy, extols the personalization and Web search features of the AltaVista MicroPortal and piques users' curiosity for savings -- roughly $240 per year -- with AltaVista's FreeAccees Internet service. The world's first MicroPortal allows users to easily navigate all that the Web has to offer through a small micro-browser that remains open as a separate desktop window without disrupting the user's browsing or other desktop activities. Acting as a constant gateway to users' most desired dynamic information, the desktop window provides links to premier AltaVista services and displays rotating, customizable content. Through one-click access, users can get information about world events, news, sports, financial information, stock quotes, weather updates, TV listings, and local content. The AltaVista MicroPortal can be positioned anywhere on the desktop at the user's discretion and only takes up about five percent of screen space. Users who register for the service and interact with the MicroPortal window are eligible to win $5 million in electronic cash good for more than one million products at AltaVista's Shopping.com. The certificates are valid and redeemable in the U.S. AltaVista's FreeAccess and MicroPortal service works with any Web browser The program that serves as your front end to the Web on the Internet. In order to view a site, you type its address (URL) into the browser's Location field; for example, www.computerlanguage.com, and the home page of that site is downloaded to you. and is accessible to users who have Internet Explorer Microsoft's Web browser, which comes with Windows starting with Windows 98. Commonly called "IE," versions for Mac and Unix are also available. Internet Explorer is the most widely used Web browser on the market. It has also been the browser engine in AOL's Internet access software. version 4 or higher installed on their PC. My AltaVista is the permanent home page displayed every time a user logs onto the Internet, giving instant access to customizable content and services available on the AltaVista Network. The service operates on Windows 95 and 98, and will soon be available for Windows NT (Windows New Technology) A 32-bit operating system from Microsoft for Intel x86 CPUs. NT is the core technology in Windows 2000 and Windows XP (see Windows). Available in separate client and server versions, it includes built-in networking and preemptive multitasking. and Macintosh users. AltaVista provides a free Web-based email Web-based email or webmail is a term referring to an e-mail service intended to be primarily accessed via a web browser, as opposed to through an application such as Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express, Mozilla's Thunderbird or Apple's Mail. or a premium service that is accessible through the AltaVista homepage. AltaVista FreeAccess with the MicroPortal is immediately available as a free downloadable application at http://www.microav.com, or from the industry's leading AltaVista Search at http://www.altavista.com. FreeAccess users can get customer service through 1stUp.com's technical support e-mail address See Internet address. e-mail address - electronic mail address at feedback-freeaccess@altavista.com and through online help at the AltaVista homepage and on the FreeAccess application. About 1stup.com Corporation 1stUp.com is the market leader in providing consumer-oriented businesses with ad-supported Internet access solutions. Working through the marketing and distribution channels of innovative companies like AltaVista, 1stUp.com provides patent-pending technology that enables its partners to offer branded, cost-effective Internet services to their customers. 1stUp.com has received investments from AltaVista, LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation (Nasdaq:LNET LNET Library Network LNET Learning Network LNET Local Network ), and angel investors An individual who invests his or her own money in a private company, which is typically a startup. An angel investor is not an employee or member of a bank, venture capital firm or other financial institution that normally makes such investments. including individuals from Thomas Weisel Partners Thomas Weisel Partners Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: TWPG), often shortened to just TWP or TWeisel, is a U.S. middle-market and growth focused investment banking firm based in San Francisco, California. . About AltaVista Company AltaVista Company is the premier online media and commerce network. The company integrates unique Internet technology and services to deliver relevant results faster for both individuals and Web-based businesses. By combining distinctive AltaVista brand services with 'best of the Web' partnerships, the AltaVista Network creates the most satisfying Internet experience. AltaVista is building on its heritage of technology and innovation leadership, offering award-winning services including: My AltaVista, AltaVista Finance, FreeAccess, the AltaVista MicroPortal, AltaVista Search, AltaVista Local Portal Services, and AltaVista's Shopping.com. For more information, visit AltaVista at http://www.altavista.com. AltaVista is a majority-owned subsidiary majority-owned subsidiary A firm in which more than 50% of outstanding voting stock is owned by the parent company. of CMGI Inc., based in Andover, Mass. AltaVista and Zip2 are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Shopping.com and Homebase are trademarks of AltaVista Company or its affiliates. Product names mentioned in this document may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. |
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