MSN fishing for disgruntled AOL users
C|Net | at | by Mike
Microsoft is launching a new campaign to pluck away the disaffected from America Online's 34 million-strong subscriber base. The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant will use an application called TrueSwitch, developed by New York-based Esaya, as the main weapon in what it considers its most aggressive attempt to date to close ground between AOL and its own MSN service. TrueSwitch automatically transfers all the information from someone's AOL mailbox, address book and calendar services into MSN Internet Access, Microsoft's ISP.
Defectors can also choose to have their AOL e-mail forwarded from their account to MSN for 30 days and can create a mass e-mail listing to inform all address-book contacts of the switch. Microsoft will also give a $50 rebate after defectors pay for three months of its service.