British Telecommunications Plc has now formally announced the availability of the IBM-Personalikes that it is acquiring OEM from Zenith Data Systems, and the first application for the machines is for a call management system (CI No 387). Telecom is selling three of the Zenith machines: its offerings range from an 8088-based model with twin floppies, colour monitor and keyboard at UKP2,400, through an 8088-based single floppy and 20Mb hard disk version to an 80286-based AT-compatible with 40Mb storage at the top end at around UKP5,000. The call management system, called the CM9000, is based on the 8088, which could well soon look obsolete if IBM fulfils expectations that it will launch an 8086-based and an 80286-based machine this month to replace the current Personal line (CI No 589). Telecom aims to sell the machines as integrated systems and more vertical markets in the communications area will be targetted early in 1987. The CM9000, with software written by in-house by British Telecom, includes bundled MicroPro WordStar word processing software and a printer for UKP4,950.
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