UK supermarket chain SainsburyÆs has begun to flesh out its aggressive internet ambitions, forming a partnership with UK virtual internet service provider LineOne Ltd through which it expects to grab 30 million internet customers for its food and home goods by 2003. The supermarket firm is paying handsomely for them though, with an investment of 30m pounds this year ($48.6m). The deal should provide a massive boost to LineOneÆs subscriber figures which are currently around 400,000. LineOne, a joint venture between British Telecommunications Plc and United News and Media, claims that its subscriber base has rocketed by from just 80,000 since March. SainsburyÆs will pre-install LineOne software in PCs sold through its stores from January.
