US software giant Microsoft wants to be at the forefront as data communication converges with mobile telecommunications and television, according to Bill Gates.

"We intend to offer customers access to their information at any time, anywhere and on any device," he said in a keynote address at the Telecom 99 four-yearly industry fair in Geneva.

He said Microsoft also wanted to expand its leading role on the Internet. Microsoft plans to encourage new methods of accessing information by partnering telecommunication companies, using this as a means to sell more of its software.

Software plays a key role for users to gain access to information wherever they are and Microsoft's mission was to enable these new services to be deployed, he said.

He said that the company's research and development budget had increased to some $3 billion a year.