AT & T Seeks Damages From Microsoft

AT&T; Corp. asked a jury to award at least $90 million in damages from software maker Microsoft Corp. as a patent dispute over technology to speed Internet transmissions of human voices went to trial in U.S. District Court in New York.

AT&T; contends that Microsoft didn’t pay royalties for using technology the phone company invented in 1981.

Microsoft contends that it licensed the technology through other companies.

Separately, AT&T; forecast an 8% cut in its workforce and a decline in cash flow this year but promised to stop a slide in consumer revenue by 2006. Its shares rose 30 cents to $20.25 on the New York Stock Exchange.

Microsoft shares fell 18 cents to $26.70 on Nasdaq.