NTL is not the most well know of the UK interactive digital TV players, but I think you might just be seeing a “ikkle bit more” of them. They have just announced a partnership with ICL and Microsoft Corp, quite an interesting combination you would agree?These new partners will NTL to be the “first cable operator to offer TV-based interactive content - bringing the full power of interactivity and the Internet to a mass market.” The digital interactive TV services will be accessed using a TV remote control or infrared notebook-size keyboard. Subscribers will be able to access enhanced TV services and web-style channels providing entertainment, education, shopping, banking and information services as well as general Internet access enabling them to surf the web and send and receive e-mails from the comfort of their armchair.Not wanting to fan the flames of the burning Forrester report, they continue to preach the digital sermon: “Interaction will enrich what was formerly a passive experience. For example, once introduced, it will be possible to watch Top of the Pops and pull up on- screen information about the various artists then hot-link to a virtual music store to buy the CD online.Unique to the system is the ability to tailor information content to meet the preferences of individual subscribers. This is due to a membership system that captures customer preferences.And as the system uses a digital cable network, acess to the web channels will be up to many times faster than if accessed through a conventional telephone wire network.” I’ve seen the light. I’m born again. I’ve read this before somewhere.