with the claim that Logic Communications may be trying to block access to its competitor with a free CDRom.

Last week, North Rock Communications e-mailed its customers to be wary of the Logic CD included in the 1999/2000 BTC telephone book.

The disc, called the Logic Internet Access CD, is attached to the inner cover of the book over an advertisement. The e-mail claims using the Logic CD will rewrite dial-up settings required to connect to the Internet via North Rock.

When contacted on Friday, Logic spokeswoman Sabrina Phillips said the company was "very concerned about the implications'' of the message.

"It implies that the CD does something that the customer doesn't want,'' Mrs.

Phillips said. "What they're seeing is customers are choosing a certain level of service. It doesn't do anything they haven't asked for.'' Mrs. Phillips explained that people wishing to install a free copy of Microsoft's Internet Explorer version 5 can or they can install it while signing up with Logic.

She said instructions on the disc "clearly and carefully'' guide people who want to sign up with Logic and even provides for taking their credit card numbers to complete the transaction.

"It works exactly as intended,'' Mrs. Phillips said. "There are two distinct services offered on the disc.'' She added: "This is for people that want to upgrade their old version.'' Logic have ordered 20,000 copies of the disc for the phone books and "quite a few'' additional copies for distribution from its office, she said.

Mrs. Phillips added: "I'm sure that's the concern that prompted North Rock's message.'' But Vicky Coelho, representing North Rock, hit back. She said her company also produced free CDs with copies of Internet Explorer, only it does not rewrite a Logic customer's dial-up settings.

Mrs. Coelho said a handful of North Rock customers had to bring in their computers after they tried to install the Internet Explorer 5.

"With ours, a customer could have both,'' she continued. "Ours doesn't override if we get a Logic customer.'' She said her company was only warning its customers because the bulk of residential homes have not received their phone books.

But Mrs. Phillips added: "We've got unhappy customers with this. It's not sour grapes.'' When contacted yesterday a BTC spokeswoman directed all questions about the giveaway to Logic.

And one computer user who has used the CD said: "Mainly people are not reading instructions. It's very clear that you can install IE or install IE and sign up with Logic.'' "You can't help people that don't read,'' he added.

See Tech Tattle, Page 17