Digital Audiovisual Partnership and New Fees for Residential Customers

Strategic Insights -

As the world's largest maker of consumer electronics, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., partners with software giant Microsoft Corp. to develop digital audiovisual products. The cooperation aims to ensure personal computers can receive and display digital television broadcast signals. Meanwhile, Sprint Corp. will impose a new fee on residential long-distance customers to fund Internet hook-ups and low-cost local phone service. This fee will be 4.5% of their monthly interstate and international long-distance phone bill. The Software Publishers Association attempted to promote its efforts to crack down on software piracy but was forced to retract a press release due to a confidential settlement with International Technidyne Corp.

Key Takeaways:

  • Matsushita Electric and Microsoft will cooperate to develop digital audiovisual products, including personal computers that can receive and display digital television broadcast signals.
  • The partnership aims to create intelligent, integrated, and easy-to-use consumer devices, as stated by Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates.
  • Sprint Corp. will impose a new fee on residential long-distance customers to fund Internet hook-ups and low-cost local phone service, which will be 4.5% of their monthly interstate and international long-distance phone bill.
  • The Software Publishers Association attempted to promote a settlement with International Technidyne Corp. for $150,000, but the settlement was confidential and had to be retracted.
  • The settlement was meant to remain secret, and the Software Publishers Association apologized for any inconvenience caused.
  • The company, International Technidyne Corp., agreed to settle with the Software Publishers Association, but the terms of the agreement remain confidential.
  • Deborah Mazur, a spokeswoman for Sprint, stated that the company has no plans to reduce business fees despite the Federal Communications Commission cutting the Internet subsidy program nearly in half.

Statistics:

  • 4.5%: The new charge on residential long-distance customers' phone bills to fund Internet hook-ups and low-cost local phone service.
  • 4.9%: The monthly charge on interstate and international long-distance bills for Sprint's business customers.
  • $150,000: The amount of the settlement between the Software Publishers Association and International Technidyne Corp.

Sources:

  • "Matsushita and Microsoft to Develop Digital Audiovisual Products", Reuters
  • "Sprint adds new fee for residential customers", Kansas City Star
  • "Piracy settlement was meant to be secret", PC Mag
  • "Software Publishers Association retracts anti-piracy press release", ZDNet