VIVENDI (France) has announced an alliance with Britain's VODAFONE AIRTOUCH for the purpose of creating a new Internet company called MAP -MULTIACCES PORTAL-, which will set up and operate a new Internet multi-access portal in Europe. The agreement is conditional upon the success of the British operator's bid on the German conglomerate MANNESMANN, which expires on 7 February, the condition being that VODAFONE acquires more than 50% of MANNESMANN (see, among others, EI of 22&23 November). If the bid succeeds, MAP will be 50-50 owned by the VODAFONE-MANNESMANN alliance and by V.NET, a VIVENDI-CANAL+ joint venture. Shares in the new venture are expected to be placed on the stock exchange, with the company attaining a value of "tens of billions of euros".