UKNM: BT axes call charges for Web access

[John Lundberg]

From: http://www.theregister.co.uk


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Posted 26/05/99 10:48am by Tim Richardson


BT axes call charges for Web access


The Register can exclusively reveal that BT is to offer toll-free access to

the Internet.


Starting Saturday 5 June anyone with a BTInternet account will not have to

pay a penny during the weekend for Internet access.


An operator at BT's Internet Services help desk told The Register today:

"Weekend calls for BTInternet customers will be free from 5 June.


"Each weekend it will start at midnight Friday night/Saturday morning and

run until midnight Sunday night/Monday morning. We were just told yesterday

about it," he said.


It's not all good news though. BT Internet customers still have to pay

�11.75 a month for the subscription-based service.


But this will entitle them to 48 hours of free calls every week.


The change in BT's pricing structure is guaranteed to stir up a frenzy of

activity in the UK Internet industry.


Competition from the launch of screaming.net -- the subscription-free

service from Tempo and LocalTel which gives people toll-free off-peak calls

to the Net -- is thought to be one of the factors behind BT's decision.


No one was available from BT to comment before going to press.


Only this week BT's Internet spokesman told The Register that BT was not

trialling 0800 number access calling newspaper reports that it was as "pure

speculation".


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Later,

John



 john lundberg:                   developmental:

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  http://www.developmental.co.uk

 tel:       +44 (0) 171 249 3172  fax:      +44 (0) 870 054 8748


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