WebTV Networks Inc has got together with Fujitsu Ltd to establish the WebTV Network service in Japan. The joint venture company, split 65% to 35% in WebTV’s favour will look for partners in the consumer electronics, Internet access, and content arenas, while Fujitsu will provide the network operations centre to handle access, electronic mail, billing and customer support. There is no word yet on which companies will build the set-top boxes required to Web-enable televisions. In the US, where WebTV has been available since September, they are manufactured by Sony Corp and Philips Electronics NV. US manufacturers can only export 40-bit encryption machines at the moment, though they can use 128 bits domestically, so the level of encryption employed depends on where the boxes are manufactured. Fujitsu will provide one of the access points using its InfoWeb network infrastructure, and will also be a content provider, using its InterTV television listing service, Wildbird map-based information service and Teleparc on- line magazine.
