Microsoft is calling for US regulators to investigate the dominance by AOL of the internet instant messaging market. It follows the decision by the US Federal Trade Commission to clear the merger of AOL and Time Warner subject to certain conditions.

AOL has a 40% share of the US ISP market. Through its lead in instant messaging, many competitors including Microsoft and Yahoo! feel that AOL should open its network to rivals.

The Federal Communications Commission has still to decide on the proposed merger. AOL suggests that FCC intervention in instant messaging would harm consumers, competition and innovation and constitute “the FCC’s initiation of regulation of the internet.”

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