AltaVista To Offer Unmetered Net Access

US-based internet search engine company, AltaVista (www.altavista.co.uk), has this morning unveiled a new internet access package which could profoundly shake up the existing tariff-based systems. Launching within the next three months, the new AltaVista deal will give UK customers unlimited access to the internet via unmetered telephone calls for just one registration fee and an annual subscription charge.

Although the company has not yet released the pricing details of the new service, the initial one-off charge is expected to be between £30 and £50 and the annual subscription around £10. AltaVista claims that research conducted on its behalf by Datamonitor shows that similar ‘free’ services from BT and Freeserve can cost the customer up to £126 per year in local call rates; with AOL this cost climbs to £198, says AltaVista.

Andy Mitchell, managing director of AltaVista UK, says: “The UK is still lagging behind the US when it comes to exploiting the internet and this is mainly caused by the high phone charges imposed by the likes of BT. By announcing free monthly access and free calls, AltaVista is hoping to increase the number of people online and the number of internet-related jobs, which in turn will boost the British economy and place us in a competitive position with the United States.”

Initially the service will only be available to the first 500,000 users who register. AltaVista is taking this precaution after a similar service launched by cable company Telewest Communications was inundated by customer demand (see Telewest To Sign Up Over 15,000 Customers To SurfUnlimited).

The move by AltaVista could force BT to lower the cost of internet access phone calls and quicken the development of its high-speed ADSL access system. BT has been criticised by the UK telecommunications watchdog, Oftel, for failing to reduce Net access costs and develop the ADSL system quickly enough.

AltaVista UK: 0207 969 2700