TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Silicon Graphics, NTT in Pact: Silicon Graphics Inc. and Japan’s Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp. tentatively agreed to develop together an interactive multimedia system in Japan. Under a memo of understanding, Mountain View, Calif.-based SGI would supply network software and “servers” that would dish up to Japanese households, government offices and businesses digitized movies and other information via a fiber-optic network being installed by NTT. Tests of the system would begin late next year. Edward R. McCracken, SGI’s chief executive, said the Japanese appear chiefly interested in using the digital network to boost business productivity. Nancy Battey, an analyst at International Data Corp., said the deal gets SGI’s “foot in the door” in Japan but that she is dubious because of a lack of financial details.