OMEN
08-22-2006, 12:50 AM
OPTUS has unveiled its new internet customer portal, branded myZoo - to match its 3G mobile content brand - using Microsoft's Windows Live platform.
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,1658,5221557,00.jpg
'Ninemsn is all about structured aggregated content; Windows Live is about building your own content. We want to offer our customers something in the middle' - Chris Lane Optus consumer strategy chief
But the telco's customers will have waited 16 months for the first result of a much ballyhooed online alliance between Optus, James Packer's Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd and Microsoft.
Under the deal, Optus pays the PBL/Microsoft ninemsn joint venture on a per-subscriber, per-month basis, The Australian has learnt.
However, Optus's consumer strategy chief Chris Lane said the telco's portal cost would be lowered.
In return, Optus gets a share of revenue created by the new MSN search engine that replaces Yahoo's search on the new Optus site, which is now in beta.
Search revenue had been growing but was not yet "in the millions", Mr Lane said.
He would not comment on any other financial arrangements in the alliance.
Optus will run two portals in parallel until authentication issues have been sorted out, Mr Lane said at an exclusive demonstration of the new site for The Australian yesterday.
The site can be found at www.beta.optuszoo.com.au.
"Ninemsn is all about structured aggregated content; Windows Live is about building your own content, Mr Lane said.
"We want to offer our customers something in the middle."
After announcing the deal with great fanfare in May 2005, the alliance hit rocks later in the year, as work on the deal was held up for about six months.
Microsoft's announcement of Windows Live caused the two sides to debate whether to change tack, Mr Lane said.
The reason for the delay was a tussle over who paid for what, claim people close to the deal.
The portal launch was stage one of the project, Mr Lane said.
He claimed 70 per cent of Optus cable customers and 90 per cent of its DSL customers use the Optus home page as their own home page.
Later this year, Optus will launch bundles of Microsoft's security, anti-spam and anti-spyware tools with its internet access services.
"First we are seamlessly integrating our authentication systems," Mr Lane said.
This will mean that Optus customers use a Microsoft Passport internet log-on.
News on the portal will come from ninemsn/PBL, replacing content that was mostly sourced from the ABC.
More improvements to the portal are due next year when Optus brings its broadband and mobile email platforms together.
"Our systems were developed in product silos (separately) and we are in the process of rationalising them," Mr Lane said.
The telco has a remarkably similar message to its biggest competitor - Telstra.
"Our focus is on simplicity. What we have now is not good enough for most people, Mr Lane said.
The new portal features the vastly improved Windows Live email platform which is effectively a hosted version of its Outlook software; the drop-and-drag technology AJAX; and, the ability to customise using really simple syndication (RSS).
However, Optus does not agree with Telstra's broadband content strategy, Mr Lane said.
"We have always focus on personalisation an letting people have what they want," he said.
"Telstra presume to know want people want and is using a pay-TV type model.
"But we don't think it will work on the internet."
The Australian
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,1658,5221557,00.jpg
'Ninemsn is all about structured aggregated content; Windows Live is about building your own content. We want to offer our customers something in the middle' - Chris Lane Optus consumer strategy chief
But the telco's customers will have waited 16 months for the first result of a much ballyhooed online alliance between Optus, James Packer's Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd and Microsoft.
Under the deal, Optus pays the PBL/Microsoft ninemsn joint venture on a per-subscriber, per-month basis, The Australian has learnt.
However, Optus's consumer strategy chief Chris Lane said the telco's portal cost would be lowered.
In return, Optus gets a share of revenue created by the new MSN search engine that replaces Yahoo's search on the new Optus site, which is now in beta.
Search revenue had been growing but was not yet "in the millions", Mr Lane said.
He would not comment on any other financial arrangements in the alliance.
Optus will run two portals in parallel until authentication issues have been sorted out, Mr Lane said at an exclusive demonstration of the new site for The Australian yesterday.
The site can be found at www.beta.optuszoo.com.au.
"Ninemsn is all about structured aggregated content; Windows Live is about building your own content, Mr Lane said.
"We want to offer our customers something in the middle."
After announcing the deal with great fanfare in May 2005, the alliance hit rocks later in the year, as work on the deal was held up for about six months.
Microsoft's announcement of Windows Live caused the two sides to debate whether to change tack, Mr Lane said.
The reason for the delay was a tussle over who paid for what, claim people close to the deal.
The portal launch was stage one of the project, Mr Lane said.
He claimed 70 per cent of Optus cable customers and 90 per cent of its DSL customers use the Optus home page as their own home page.
Later this year, Optus will launch bundles of Microsoft's security, anti-spam and anti-spyware tools with its internet access services.
"First we are seamlessly integrating our authentication systems," Mr Lane said.
This will mean that Optus customers use a Microsoft Passport internet log-on.
News on the portal will come from ninemsn/PBL, replacing content that was mostly sourced from the ABC.
More improvements to the portal are due next year when Optus brings its broadband and mobile email platforms together.
"Our systems were developed in product silos (separately) and we are in the process of rationalising them," Mr Lane said.
The telco has a remarkably similar message to its biggest competitor - Telstra.
"Our focus is on simplicity. What we have now is not good enough for most people, Mr Lane said.
The new portal features the vastly improved Windows Live email platform which is effectively a hosted version of its Outlook software; the drop-and-drag technology AJAX; and, the ability to customise using really simple syndication (RSS).
However, Optus does not agree with Telstra's broadband content strategy, Mr Lane said.
"We have always focus on personalisation an letting people have what they want," he said.
"Telstra presume to know want people want and is using a pay-TV type model.
"But we don't think it will work on the internet."
The Australian