Intel Touts Means to Speed Web Downloading

Computer chip giant Intel said it has developed a way for Internet surfers to download images twice as fast over regular phone lines without any special equipment or software--but it would add about $5 to monthly access fees. The technology, called Quick Web, is installed on servers, the computers that Internet services use to store and relay data. The combination of Intel hardware and special software compresses all the graphic images that are piped through the server, boosting access speed. Dave Preston, Internet marketing manager for Intel, said the primary motivation for the technology was to improve the performance of the Internet, spurring more computer sales. Intel chips power 90% of the world’s personal computers. Santa Clara-based Intel has already lined up Internet service providers Netcom, Erols and GlobalCenter to offer the service.