BRIEFS.(BUSINESS)

technology

ALLIANCE: Vodafone Group Plc and Microsoft Corp. have agreed to develop technical standards to help software companies and cellular operators provide new services. The new standards will help software developers integrate their products with both fixed-line and mobile networks, said Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, at the ITU Telecom World fair in Geneva, Switzerland.

GROWING: WebMethods Inc. completed two acquisitions. The Fairfax-based Web service provider agreed to acquire Dallas-based Mind Electric Inc. and its GLUE architecture software product and Dante Group Inc. of Boulder, Colo., provider of business activity monitoring software.

media

RETRO-NAME: The world's largest media company will officially drop "AOL" from its name Thursday, returning to the name "Time Warner Inc." The company's shares also will resume trading under their former ticker symbol of "TWX" on the New York Stock Exchange, instead of the current "AOL." "AOL" was added to the name after American Online merged with Time Warner at the height of the Internet boom in early 2000.

telecom

AFTER BANKRUPTCY: AT&T Corp., the biggest U.S. long-distance phone company, has agreed to drop its objection to WorldCom Inc.'s plan to exit bankruptcy and will seek to pursue allegations of improper call routing in another court.

food products

BUYOUT: Michael Foods Inc., which processes and distributes eggs and other refrigerated grocery products, agreed to a buyout by Boston-based private equity firm Thomas H. Lee Partners for about $1 billion. Michael Foods provides products for both the food service and retail grocery industries. The company's brands include MG Waldbaum, Papetti's, Better 'N Eggs, All Whites, Crystal Farms, Northern Star, Simply Potatoes and Diner's Choice.