AOL, Reuters link IM systems
After resisting the opening up of all IM (Instant Messaging) systems so that they can be used in concert with each other, AOL has signed a deal with Reuters to link their IM systems according to this Wall Street Journal story (subscription required):
The agreement, which will be implemented with a new version of Reuters's instant-messaging system in the first quarter of next year, is designed to link Reuters's financial-services clients with the far broader user base of America Online's instant-messaging systems. Those systems carry 1.5 billion messages a day from about 200 million registered users, 60 million of whom are active users.
...America Online's messaging systems are known as AIM, ICQ and AOL, and together have about 54% of the workplace market, according to America Online. Reuters implemented its messaging system only last October, and now has nearly 300,000 registered users, of which 50,000 are active users.