MS rings schools' bell with Net offer.

Microsoft is helping to influence young minds while investing in its own future, by offering low-cost access to the Internet to schools across the country. Throughout this month, MS will contact every school in Britain to see whether they wish to take part in the project which kicks off in May.

In alliance with Edex, the national education Internet group, MS is supplying the Net-start CD which includes free dial-up access to the Internet via MSN, plus the necessary software, its Explorer browser and Windows 95.

A six-month trial of Windows NT Server with two Client licences, Internet Access Server beta and Front Page is also available to schools.

Edna McKelvey, MS sales and marketing manager for education, said: 'Many schools just don't have the resources or the infrastructure to allow them to have a presence on the World Wide Web.

'What we have done, therefore, is design a simple, low-cost solution that will immediately boost schools' abililty to participate in the education community on the Internet.'