Why have companies such as NTL and Altavista offered cheap internet access now?
Because they can. They want to be in the market first, to catch early market share. It’s about them building an audience (and thus revenue base) early to be a step ahead of other providers. Are other companies likely to follow suit? Other companies are expected to follow suit. The internet is becoming such a competitive industry that companies such as Freeserve, BT and AOL are not going to be able to continue charging users for phone calls by the minute without losing customers. The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, welcomed this week’s developments and said he was sure that companies such as BT would now be ready to “break new ground” following the offer by NTL for free access. Are there any catches consumers should be aware of? Indeed. There is no such thing yet in this country as true free access. NTL for example is offering free access only to existing subscribers to its telephony and cable services, so those customers are already paying. Some providers like Altavista charge an upfront f
