Express Joins Free Net Access Bandwagon
The Express has become the latest national newspaper to start offering a free access service to the internet. In London, Saturday’s edition of the paper featured a covermounted CD with the software needed to connect to Express Online.
The service will rival the Sun‘s CurrantBun.com (see News International Claim ‘Huge Success’ For CurrantBun) and the Mirror‘s ic24.co.uk (see Mirror Group Announces New Media Division and Free ISP), which is due to launch on Friday.
Express Online has been put together with the LineOne, the internet service provider (ISP) jointly owned by Express parent United News & Media, and BT. News International was previously a partner in LineOne, but pulled out of the venture in order to set up CurrantBun.com. Following NI’s departure, UNM and BT injected £12 million into LineOne (see £12m Investment Brightens LineOne’s Future).
The Express Online site is one in a planned series of ‘mothering’ partnerships for LineOne. This means that LineOne will provide the infrastructure and some content for a number of groups wishing to offer a branded internet access service. UNM’s TV operations, Anglia and Meridian, are also reported to be planning online services in partnership with LineOne.
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