While the merger may result in decreasing prices worldwide, personalized service may suffer. In related news, the FCC is debating how much funding to provide each year for improving phone and Internet access across the country. The currently unnamed product lets users send and receive e-mail, browse the text portion of the World Wide Web via a standard computer keyboard, and also serves as a conventional telephone. The future of online advertising, as predicted by Forrester Research, will be ad networks. The trend is driven by the potential cost savings for both advertising buyers and advertising-supported Web sites.
Networks offer a highly targeted mass market solution to media buyers.
Infoseek is the latest company to join in the frenzy with the Infoseek Network. Banned on AOL Mass e-mail marketers experienced a major setback this week as a federal judge delivered his opinion. Judge Charles Weiner decided the Philadelphia company could not justify their acts with the First Amendment rights. The debate began in September when AOL began blocking mass mailings, and Cyber Promotions responded with a lawsuit. This case sends a strong message to online marketers, target your customers carefully.