ACT software comes under close scrutiny

Symantec will not charge accredited resellers a membership fee next year for its ACT contact management software, increasing the likelihood that the vendor will sell off the software.

Symantec will not charge accredited resellers a membership fee next year for its ACT contact management software, increasing the likelihood that the vendor will sell off the software.

There was speculation that Symantec would unload ACT when John Thompson was made chief executive in April. Since then, he has directed it towards Web security and established its Internet Tools Division as an independent company in June, with responsibility for Symantec's Visual Web development products.

Although the sale of ACT has been consistently denied by Symantec, rumours resurfaced after it decided not to charge its six UK ACT Certified Consultants (ACCs) the £6,000 annual membership fee for the next financial year.

John Savage, managing director of ACC Savtec, said : "ACT has never been part of its portfolio, but Symantec is in a quandary as ACT provides it with substantial revenue. Users love it, but Symantec does not seem to want to do more with it."

Alan Brown, managing director of Brown and Company, said: "There is tremendous enthusiasm for ACT but it would be better if it was in a safer pair of hands."

Analysts have touted Computer Associates and Network Associates as suitors for ACT.

Aled Miles, UK and Ireland managing director of Symantec, said: "Symantec is reviewing its fee structure for ACT next year to ensure it provides appropriate levels of service to resellers and customers. ACT remains an important part of the company's portfolio."