French online service provider Infonie SA says it plans to focus on online advertising in an attempt to move into profitability. Infonie was one of the first companies to float on the Nouveau Marche technology section of the Paris Bourse in 1996, and was 50 times oversubscribed at the time. But the company has won only 57,000 paying subscribers, and needs 80,000 to break even, the company said at a press conference in Paris yesterday. Revenues from advertizing and electronic commerce will be increased to 25% from the current 15% by the year 2000, Reuters reported. Infonie lost the equivalent of $7m last year, half that of the previous year’s losses. The firm said it would consider merging with a company such as the Lagadere Group’s Club Internet, but didn’t want to join up with a telecommunications firm. Earlier this year, Infonie acquired Lokace, the French internet search company, and the Caramail web email company.
