MSN divvies up $40m for recruitment campaign

Microsoft is to chuck around $40 million trying to recruit more subscribers to its information and Internet service provider, MSN. New users who sign up for a year will get six months for free - the other six months they will have to pay the going rate of $21.95 a month for the service. The Great Satan of Software Monopolies is hoping to recruit a million new users during the three-month promo, according to Reuters. Apparently, the offer will be advertised in conjunction with the popular TV show, Who Wants to be a Millionaire? (Wanna phone a friend to find out how they think it's gonna turn out, Bill?) Of course, none of the $40 million will be seen in Britain or Europe. MSN's UK division abandoned its subscription service last June, followed by the rest of Europe at the end of last year. A spokeswoman for MSN in the UK had no idea if the outfit intended to offer an unmetered service in the future. ®