Ricochet gets the bullet

NEWS Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen will be lamenting the close of another pioneering project as US mobile access trailblazer, Metricom closes its wireless internet service, Ricochet, next week. Metricom has failed to find a market for its service, even though it was warmly received by the Silicon Valley community. It has only 51,000 subscribers in 14 states. Allen, along with Worldcom and other Mitricom investors, have spent $500m in setting the company up. Metricom filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month but failed to find a buyer in time. The company's doors will close for good on 8 August, leaving 282 people looking for work.