Re: UKNM: RE: DIXONS - FREE SHARE

[Sam Michel]

Brave move, but it appears to be very well backed. I guess the premium rate

technical support line is a good idea. If one were cynical you could even

say that it's worth their while to have a few start-up problems to bring in

some early revenues...but I'm not cynical so I wouldn't say that.


A few people have tried free ISPs and I'm sure they're doing just fine,

haven't heard much from any of them for a while though. It strikes me that

to succeed you need three things for a free ISP service:


a. grow the size of the market

b. reach critical mass quickly

c. have deep pockets should a. and b. not go to plan


OK, so I lied..four things.


d. substantial growth in online advertising budgets


If it goes well, I wouldn't like to be launch a per-minute ISP

service...BT? C&W? or in fact any ISP service. I wonder if they're customer

service will have banks of spotty 17 year olds not knowing anything about

ISP problems, but able to tell you rough details on a new fridge-freezer?


I need a coffee.


At 14:26 22/09/98 +0100, Ross Sleight wrote:

>-------------------

>

>ELECTRICAL GIANT LAUNCHES FREE INTERNET SERVICE

>

>

>----------------------------------------------------------------------------

>----

>The Dixons Stores Group today announced the launch of Freeserve, a free

>Internet access service in a move that is expected to revolutionise the use

>of the Web in the UK.

>

>Up until now, Internet users have had to pay a subscription fee to their

>Internet Service Provider (ISP), in addition to incurring phone charges

>while they are connected.


....chop...

Toodle Pip


Sam

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