Microsoft To Pay AOL $750 Million To Settle Antitrust Suit

The settlement also calls for Microsoft to license its digital media technology to AOL, as well as work with the company to promote digital media initiatives.

Microsoft will provide technical information to AOL to ensure that its products run effectively on the Windows operating system.

The agreement resolves a lawsuit AOL filed against Microsoft in January 2002 on behalf of its subsidiary, Netscape Communications. The complaint was one of several private antitrust lawsuits still pending against Microsoft over anticompetitive behavior.

AOL had alleged in the lawsuit that Microsoft used anticompetitive business practices to ensure the dominance of its Internet Explorer browsing software over Netscape's software. AOL argued that Microsoft made deals with computer manufacturers and others to shut out Netscape and quash competition.