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AT&T broadens Internet service offerings
Reuters Story - December 10, 1997 10:40
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BRIDGEWATER, N.J., Dec 10 (Reuters) - AT&T Corp said
Wednesday it will soon offer a broader set of Internet services
targeted primarily at the area of electronic business.
AT&T announced the launch of WorldNet Business Dial
Service, a business-quality, dial-up Internet service aimed at
small- and medium-sized companies.
The company also said it reached a deal to begin branded
use of electronic security services provided by Internet
certification company VeriSign Inc and said it would start
offering residential customers more flexible billing options.
AT&T said the new business Internet service includes more
powerful e-mail than on the residential service, expanded
billing options, enhanced branding through vanity domain names,
access to business-specific Web content and international
roaming capabilities.
The service is priced at $24.95 per month per user and
includes unlimited Internet access, one 10-megabyte e-mail
account, a choice of Web browsers from either Microsoft Corp
or Netscape Communications Corp , access to
business-specific content and round-the-clock technical support.
Internet access via toll-free numbers and enhanced e-mail
are also available at extra charges.
The new service and international roaming trial are
scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 1998, AT&T said.
AT&T said it also signed an agreement with VeriSign to use
that company's digital certificates in conjunction with AT&T's
Internet services under the AT&T brand.
VeriSign's digital certificates are widely used to
authenticate the identity of individuals or organizations on
the World Wide Web for more secure electronic commerce.
AT&T said it will issue digital certificates as part of its
Internet services under the AT&T brand beginning in 1998.
The company also said it would begin offering its more than
one million residential Internet service customers a single
bill that will combine charges for AT&T WorldNet Service as
well as calling services from AT&T.
AT&T said residential customers will be offered an option
to subscribe to WorldNet on an hourly basis at a charge of
$9.95 for their first 10 hours a month and $2.50 for each hour
thereafter. Currently, AT&T charges a flat-rate unlimited-use
fee of $19.95 per month.
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