CompuServe upgrades service

CompuServe today announced a major redesign of its online service thatreorganizes its popular online forums (similar to Internet newsgroups) intotwenty one menu-driven communities. CompuServe is also testing 56-Kbpsaccess with over one thousand corporate customers. These announcements comeduring a tough time for the company, which as has over 2 million U.S.subscribers, and over 5 million world-wide. CompuServe dropped theirconsumer-oriented service, "Wow", in November, and acknowledged earlier this month that it is looking for a buyer.

CompuServe executives said the reorganization will help the service bettertarget its primary audience: business and technical users. CompuServe serves its core users with excellent connectivity that is unparalleled atother online services and Internet Service Providers (ISPs). The companyis also working to put major portions of the service on the Web, probablywith a partnership with either Earthlink or AT&T Worldnet. They are expected to have most services available over the Web by the end of theyear