AOL Challenges Freeserve With Free UK Net Access

Internet service provider (ISP) and portal site, AOL Europe, has this morning confirmed plans to launch a subscription-free internet access service called Netscape Online. Netscape Online will complement the existing pay services branded as AOL and Compuserve.

The venture will also provide competition for Dixons’ successful Freeserve service which launched in September last year and has since created a boom in the free access market by claiming well over a million customers. Following Freeserve’s success, a horde of other groups have followed suit by launching similar subscription-free services.

AOL confirmed last month that it has been considering a ‘variety of models of internet access’ but only today confirmed the launch of a free service. AOL claims that Netscape Online will be “the best service available to the emerging subscription-free ‘value’ market in the UK with unmatched community, content and features”.

AOL acquired Netscape for £2.55 billion in November last year (see Internet Wars Hot Up In AOL Deal For Netscape).

AOL Europe: 0171 594 4530 … http://www.aol.co.uk/