Alta Vista joins AT&T's WorldNet and FreeServe in using the Tribal Voice client. Tribal Voice is one of the few competitors to America Online Inc. (NYSE:AOL) which dominates the space with more than 45 million users.
Yesterday, AOL signed a deal with Lycos Inc., to license its software to Lycos (Nasdaq:LCOS) users. That followed deals with Internet service providers Earthlink Network Inc. (Nasdaq:ELNK) and MindSpring Enterprises Inc. (Nasdaq:MSPG).
AOL dominates the instant messaging market. But it faces criticism for its refusal to open its service to competitors who want their customers to be able to communicate with AOL's users. After making some of the code public, allowing individuals to develop applications, AOL pulled the code after competitors began using it to link their customers to the company's online service.
Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT), which has released its protocols allowing outsiders to link to its system, sparked the fight when it devised a way to tap into the AOL service. AOL has since repeatedly blocked Microsoft's attempts as the two companies engaged in an ongoing tit-for-tat.
Tribal Voice says the new version of its software, code-named Chameleon, will be able to communicate with both Microsoft and AOL. But AOL maintains it will attempt to block the Tribal Voice service as well.
Tribal Voice officials nonetheless expressed confidence in their ability to maintain connections to AOL's service.
"We've used the source code that they provided," said Richard Dym, vice president of marketing for Tribal Voice. "They can change the code but then the question becomes do they want to shut off (their own users) who are using that code."
Tribal Voice will release the Chameleon software to its consumers next month. It adds features like recorded voice mail messages and voice over IP chatting, and a new user interface that is designed to make the service easier for new users.
The new interface also adds a mini-browser that can be populated with content by Tribal Voice's customers. The new client will also display ads, which can be served by its customers, who will get a share of the revenue, Dym said.
