America Online is to offer a corporate version of its wildly popular instant messaging software, seeking to allow companies to use the messaging with enhanced security.
The Internet unit of AOL Time Warner said the service to be launched early next year would allow users to send instant text messages over its network with encryption that reduces the risk of hacking or other intrusions.
Millions of people use free instant messaging software from AOL, Microsoft and Yahoo, but some corporations are concerned that its use opens up their computer network to intrusions or spying.
AOL said its new service would address those concerns in its service, with partner VeriSign.
"By building encryption capabilities into instant messaging, America Online and VeriSign are making AIM (AOL Instant Messaging) an even more viable tool for improving business productivity and communications," said Stratton Sclavos, chairman and chief executive officer of VeriSign.
"Achieving this higher level of trust and security for instant messaging while ensuring easy deployment should help convince a much larger segment of IT managers to consider supporting IM clients within the enterprise."
"With Enterprise AIM Services, we're providing organizations an instant messaging platform using a product that's familiar and easy to use with the added management and control features they want," said Jon Miller, chairman and CEO of America Online.