News In Brief

Without revealing how much it paid, Deutsch Telekom, the former German communications monopoly, announced the purchase of controlling interest in DaimlerChrysler's information technology software unit, Debis Systemhaus. A published report, however, said DaimlerChrysler's asking price was $11.65 billion. Deutsche Telekom has been pursuing acquisition possibilities since its failure last year to buy Telecom Italia. It also reportedly is interested in buying Unisys, the US business systems company. Debis Systemhaus is not to be confused with DaimlerChrysler's Debis vehicle-financing division.

OpenTV Corp., a softwaremaker for interactive television, announced it will buy Spyglass Inc., an Internet-services provider, in a $2.5 billion stock deal. Open TV, which is based in Mountain View, Calif., said the acquisition will expand its digital interactive services - or two-way TV - which would allow customers to browse the Web and chat. And Spyglass's Prism product, which reformats Web content for display on nonpersonal computer devices, would enable OpenTV to foray into wireless communications. Spyglass is based in Naperville, Ill.

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