MSN agrees direct subscription deal

NEWS MSN, the ISP arm of Microsoft, has signed a deal to enable its customers to pay subscription fees as part of their general phone bill. The online payment technology will be provided by Seattle-based software company, eCharge. It claims many users prefer not to enter their credit card details onto the Web because of the risks of fraud, and says customers will be attracted because payment can be made at the click of a button. The company also claims the system is "virtually fraud proof" as the transaction is made over a secure telecoms network without the need to enter any personal information.