Bertelsmann AG and America Online Inc announced yesterday that they will call their new global on-line joint venture AOL, but Bertelsmann is so afraid of Microsoft Corp’s Microsoft Network that it says it may seek an international partner to form a global alliance against Microsoft – which would include telecommunications. It says the costs of setting up a comprehensive computer network mean it would make sense to offer telecommunications services as well. Board member Thomas Middelhoff urged anti-trust authorities in the US and Europe to take swift action against Microsoft’s foray into on-line services.
