The Microsoft Network announced that it has increased the number of modems available to its members by 300% already this year and plans a total increase of 500% by the year’s end. In addition, MSN will expand local access to 50 new cities. MSN, the second- largest online service in the US, boasts that is had the highest success rate (95.7%) of user connection on the first call in recently-conducted independent research. The expansion announcement should further distance Microsoft Corp from speculation that it was planning to abandon its internet service. In June, the company denied a Los Angeles Times report to that effect (CI No 3,175), saying that it would team with other internet service providers as partners but wasn’t going to give up control of MSN.