Microsoft wants to expand Yahoo deal worldwide

 

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By Reuters

Posted on 6 Nov 2009 at 09:22

Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer says his company's search engine partnership with Yahoo won't be limited to the US but would be introduced around the world, once it gets regulatory approval.

Earlier this year Microsoft and Yahoo signed a 10-year global web search partnership to challenge Google, a pact that US and European antitrust regulators are evaluating.

"It's possible that we will extend that partnership [with Yahoo] outside the US," Ballmer told reporters at a news conference. "We will have to wait and see if we can get approval and consummate that partnership inside the US first."

The deal, struck in July, must be approved by regulators in the United States and Europe in order to go into effect.

As soon as those regulators give the thumbs up, the agreement goes into effect worldwide, although implementation in a specific country would be postponed if regulatory approval is required but not yet obtained.

Microsoft believes the deal will close in early 2010, and that it can make significant progress on integration in one or two major markets next year.